The author explores how and why the content of an exporter's host market positioning strategy differs from the content of its home market strategy. The research is significant for two reasons: (1) It uses a more comprehensive and rigorous definition and measurement of firm strategy than previous adaptation research, and (2) it systematically measures the magnitude and direction of the adaptation. Previous research has concentrated only on the need to adapt. This approach opens up an entirely new debate about what patterns of adaptation should be expected. The author uses a large-scale survey of Australian exporters to test the emerging hypotheses, which are strongly supported. Domestically based Australian exporters tend to have a narrower focus and rely more heavily on operations-based differentiation in foreign markets.
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