Incremental-Change Paradigm

The conclusions deduced from this study are highly valid and can be supported adequately by appropriate evidence from both the company cases and the literatures reviewed. The conclusions from this study are well aligned and justified with appropriate evidence from the literature review (Niina, Sharon & Jim 2006, p. 562 – 583). As revealed in the conclusion, strategic perspective is highly esteemed when it comes to expansion into the international market. The global expansion means that the company has to strategize appropriately. The change strategy is what is needed for the expansion and in creating a novel environment, which is sound for global market expansions. Schuh (2001) takes on the topic and tries to espouse on the same idea noting that, without strategic planning, the company cannot advance in its international expansion. He notes in his works that strategic planning means structuring the organization’s goals, missions and objectives to fit the global market and result in easy expansion. On the same note, it was evident that strategic perspective works well with the company analysis. Company A strategized appropriately by utilizing horizontal cooperative means particularly targeting external sales agents as well as representatives in several locations and this worked perfectly well for the company in its market expansion and sale increment (Niina, Sharon & Jim 2006, p. 562 – 583). The strategy also involved a combination of vertical and horizontal cooperation which in turn helped in increasing their level of competitiveness within the global market.

The study also makes a conclusion that models for analyzing small-business internationalization are characterized by the incremental-change paradigm. Change is eminent in any given business when it comes to international expansion. As from the works of Halinen, Salmi & Havila (1999, p. 779 – 94), it is apparent that the international market holds various forces and influences on a particular business plan to venture in the same. Such pressures include a competitive market and this call for a business to change in order to rhyme with the market and strategize appropriately on the progress. The analysis of the three companies indicates that all companies have substantially changed, and these have both internal and external reforms affecting the company’s operations.

The study also concluded that the changes are both external and internal in nature. External changes are identified from the study as those that can be seen from the outside for instance changes in export strategy of the business including products, operations and markets. The internal changes were generalized as to be relating to the organizational structure, personnel and finance. Evidence on the same has been revealed in the case analysis of company A, B and C (Niina, Sharon & Jim 2006, p. 562 – 583). All the companies exhibited changes both internally and externally which was clear that the forces resulted to the numerous changes in their strategic planning. Company A for instance experienced a change in the board of directors who were strategized to make the transition into the international market better. The board was strengthened with the company including new non-executive directors as well as other, board members after the third venture capital rounds. It was also clear that the export business that the company started in USA led the company to pressure of opening and staffing a USA office which would necessitate its success (LeCornu et al. 1996, p. 1 - 14).

Conclusions from the study also generalized that there is a need for appraisal of the organization performance in all sectors of the company. This means that such appraisal including training and increasing the ability of the employees within the company is quite significant (Niina, Sharon & Jim 2006, p. 562 – 583). It was facts that Company A, invested enormous amounts of resources to train a well as develop own people with the company attributing the investment as the key in pulling the company to success.

Another significant conclusion or generalization from the study was that internationalization has a great impact on the performance of a firm. It was also concluded that changes within the firm can be measured in terms of turnover, which is the profit development within the firm over a year or a specified period (McDougall & Oviatt 1996, p. 23 - 40). This was a similar case with evidence from the three companies; the companies reveal that internalization forced the three companies to change. Performance for the respective firms has been measured through revenues and sales within the respective markets. The change which profited company B was apparently geared towards improving sales (Niina, Sharon & Jim 2006, p. 562 – 583). The company employed four people which consisted of dedicated sales person in an effort to target the UK market and this was fruitful because it increased the revenue from impressive sales, which increased substantially in due time. Revenues, which were exceedingly slow in growth and difficult to grow and the company even facing harsh economic times to a point of being bought by a local technology business angel later changed drastically and it started profiting. The buyout gave the company a new strategic direction as well as a purpose that brought in changes from a “one-product wonder” to a global supplier of products and services in the global market (Niina, Sharon & Jim 2006, p. 562 – 583).

On the same note, partnerships and alliances have been concluded as a resultant feature of internationalization which is caused by global expansions (McDougall & Oviatt 1996, p. 23 - 40). This is evident in all companies planning to expand to the international market as they are regarded as strategies meant to strengthen the company’s operations and develop their competitiveness within the market. Evidence from the analysis of the study revealed that external relationships were valued as to have changed the state of the market for company A since it strategized on internalization. Company A placed several close relationships establishing partnerships with nine marketing partners which were global organizations (Niina, Sharon & Jim 2006, p. 562 – 583). The company also established strong relationships with numerous affiliations, which were also attributed to have changed the international market approach. The partner/strategic alliances redefined the company’s boundaries via vertical cooperation, which was also an appropriate response to the market expansion and increasing the reach for the company in terms of market diversity.