ASSESSING INTERNATIONAL MARKET ENTRY STRATEGIES FOR MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN THE 21ST CENTURY

¹Dibie, V.M., & ²Nto,C. P.O

^1&2Department of Marketing

College of Management Sciences

Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike,Abia State,Nigeria

Email: v.dibie@yahoo.com, ntochioma@ymail.com

Abstract

This paper assessed international market entry strategies for medium enterprises (MEs) in the 21st century. On the basis of the outcomes the paper examined how and why MEs adopt specific strategies to get to their foreign markets of choice. The method of study adopted in the paper is review of related literature. From the literature reviewed, the paper among other findings, discovered: (i) that, in attempting to define MEs by different countries, there seem to be no standard definition across countries, in terms of number of employees and financial -base; (ii) that, in assessing international market entry strategies for MEs in the 21st century, existing strategies were only discussed generally. There were no observable efforts from the scholars to classify the strategies according to firm (business) industry or country; and (iii) that, in examining the specific international market entry strategies for MEs to get to their foreign markets of choice the emphasis of the scholars, in terms of associated benefits and risks, was on the MEs only. The associated benefits and risks of such strategies to host countries were not reasonably discussed. These findings have implications for international market entry mode to firms and host countries. As a basis for addressing the gaps observed in the reviewed literature, one of the recommendations of the paper is that; to help MEs better while choosing entry strategies to get to their foreign markets of choice, more effort should be made among researchers to classify strategies according to situations relating to specific firms, industries and countries.

Keywords: International Market, Entry Strategies, Medium Enterprises