Entry Strategy and Export Marketing in Emerging Markets: A Small Player Case

The internationalization of dominant market leaders such as Haier (China), Tata Group (India) and CEMEX (Mexico) in emerging economies has attracted immense amounts of interest among academic researchers. A less-explored area is how non-dominant, second-movers venture into the international market. How do small players connect with foreign customers while operating in the shadows of the industry leader? What decisions are serendipitous and what actions are deliberate? What are the key environmental factors and internal decisions that propel a secondary player to place more chips in the international market? This case study addresses these questions using an example of a construction material manufacturer from Southeast Asia. It is suitable as a discussion starter in an international business class, especially for topics such as entry strategy, export marketing and the organization of international business.