An investigation into UK firms’ use of trade missions

Abstract

This paper reports on a longitudinal investigation into two groups of UK firms’ use of trade missions in psychologically distant countries. Firms in the first group were “new” to the markets, that is, having never visited the markets under investigation prior to attending the trade mission (NEW). In comparison, the other group contained “experienced” firms, having at least limited experience in these same markets (EXP). The findings suggested that over the two years of the study, differences existed between the two groups’ strategies. Newcomers to the markets used their first visit to: establish market presence through agents; gain access to business networks; and obtain an understanding of the functioning of the market. For exporters who had already visited the market, these visits were a means to: expand the span of their activities in the market to new networks; and strengthen their presence in previously established networks. The longitudinal methodology employed offers a contribution to knowledge at the public policy/ international entrepreneurship interface by expanding on earlier studies that have been restricted to single timeframes.

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