Successful internationalizing UK firms’ information gathering activities

Abstract

This study provides empirical data concerning managers of ‘successful’ internationalizing UK firms’ perceived usefulness and their utilization of sources of overseas market information together with types of data required. Findings are primarily based on a postal survey of winners of the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement - arguably the premier award within the UK involving firms’ performance in overseas markets. Also reported are selected findings from a series of in-depth interviews. Analysis is employed to establish that few statistical differences exist between two groups of firms, namely those only involved in exporting and others involved in multiple forms of market entry strategies. Despite the limited statistical differences observed, the findings do, however, indicate that the two groups of firms have different practices that have implications for information providers.

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