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Dingle, Andrew (2010) An Assessment of the Applicability of the Uppsala Model of Internationalisation to Hard Services. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)] (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Abstract

As a result of the increasingly globalised economic environment and intensifying competition within domestic marketplaces many firms are looking to expand internationally in search of potentially lucrative foreign markets. To date, the study of this internationalisation of firms has majorly focused upon manufacturing firms specifically, and consequently these studies have developed several models of internationalisation for this variety of firm. However, the study of service firms in particular, has gone somewhat neglected in the academic research. Thus, this dissertation looks to gain a perspective on the internationalisation of services via testing the applicability of probably one of the most influential internationalisation models that was developed through the study of manufacturing, to service firms.

More specifically, this study has examined the Uppsala Model of internationalisation within the context of hard services firms. Within the research eight participants were interviewed from six different companies in an attempt to gain an understanding of how these hard services firms became international and the process which they followed to do this. Overall, it was found that several of the phenomena which the Uppsala Model suggests occurs in the context of manufacturing firms, also occurred within the context of hard services. Indeed, it was found that hard services do follow an incremental process, the concept of psychic distance does seem to affect a firm’s choice of foreign market, albeit if its affect is exaggerated in the model, and there is a cyclical relationship between knowledge of a foreign market and the commitment of resource to that market. However, it is also found that it is evident that the Uppsala model cannot account for the complexity and diversity within the internationalisation of hard services and thus it is suggested that it is necessary for new models of internationalisation to be developed which are specifically for service firms.

Item Type:	Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
Depositing User:	EP, Services
Date Deposited:	18 Jan 2011 15:32
Last Modified:	31 Dec 2017 23:07
URI:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/23968

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