Title: Networked establishment processes in transition economies

Authors: Aihie Osarenkhoe; Daniella Fjellström; Desalegn Abraha; Gabriel Baffour Awuah

Addresses: University of Gävle, 801 76, Gävle, Sweden ' University of Gävle, 801 76, Gävle, Sweden ' University of Skövde, 541 28, Skövde, Sweden ' University of Halmstad, 301 50, Halmstad, Sweden

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to examine the establishment processes of Scania in Croatia and Statoil in Estonia applying a model developed from the network approach. The findings show that Statoil's ability to leverage significant actors in its network to support its establishment made the process less cumbersome and less resource-consuming. Scania's lack of home- and host country support, on the other hand, resulted in an arduous and costly process, with its market position changing several times as different problems cropped up. We also found that relationship orientation requires adaptation by the firm and, more critically, by its managers. A lack of cross-cultural competence is also observed to be an impeding factor in the process.

Keywords: networks; establishment processes; actors; resource exchanges; activities; transition economies; network approach; relationships.

DOI: 10.1504/GBER.2020.105040

Global Business and Economics Review, 2020 Vol.22 No.1/2, pp.161 - 177

Received: 10 Feb 2018
Accepted: 05 Jul 2018
Published online: 11 Feb 2020 *

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