Title: The internationalisation pattern of traditional Brazilian footwear manufacturers: a qualitative analysis

Authors: Luisa A. Campos; Catherine Axinn; Yong J. Wang; Miguel A. Baeza

Addresses: Ohio University, OH 45701, USA ' College of Business, Ohio University, OH 45701, USA ' College of Business, Ohio University, OH 45701, USA ' College of Business, Tarleton State University, University Dr., San Marcos, Texas TX 78666, USA

Abstract: Responding to the increasing need of studying the internationalisation process of small firms in Latin American, this study focuses on the patterns of internationalisation experienced by traditional Brazilian footwear manufacturers. Based on qualitative interviews with three Brazilian footwear manufacturers with rich internationalisation experience in the past decades, we provide findings to three research questions related to internationalisation. The motives to internationalise is found to be driven by government incentives, domestic economic downturn, and foreign market opportunities provided by distributors. Such opportunistic motives shaped the export-based modes of entry in the 1970's-1990's period. Driven by free trade agreements and international competition, more recent internationalisation activities are evidenced by greater foreign market learning and marketing mix localisation. The findings contribute to the extant literature on why and how Latin American firms internationalise in the past decades.

Keywords: internationalisation process; Latin America; Brazil; footwear manufacturing; free trade agreements; FTAs; international competition; foreign market learning; marketing mix localisation; exports; opportunistic behaviour; small firms; government incentives; economic downturn; foreign market opportunities.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2016.073357

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2016 Vol.27 No.1, pp.71 - 83

Received: 16 Apr 2015
Accepted: 19 Apr 2015
Published online: 30 Nov 2015 *

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