Retail internationalisation : drivers, impediments and business strategy

In light of recent changes in the international environment it is important to consider whether the drivers and impediments of retail internationalisation and the business strategy adopted have also changed. The findings from 12 qualitative interviews with UK and US retailers indicate that a variety of factors, ranging from historical precedence and investor pressures to saturation of the domestic market and foreign market attractiveness, drive retail internationalisation. In terms of impediments to foreign expansion, issues such as political and economic instability, previous experience and perceived cultural differences presented obstacles to internationalisation. Interviewees also expressed a desire for increased standardisation, while acknowledging a substantial degree of adaptation in response to cultural differences.