Title: Market sensing of the international new ventures: strategies and determinants

Authors: Izabela Kowalik; Monika Pieniak; Ewa Baranowska-Prokop

Addresses: Collegium of World Economy, Warsaw School of Economics (SGH), Warsaw, Masovian Province, Poland ' Collegium of Management and Finance, Warsaw School of Economics (SGH), Warsaw, Masovian Province, Poland ' Collegium of World Economy, Warsaw School of Economics (SGH), Warsaw, Masovian Province, Poland

Abstract: The market sensing capability, involving the routines needed to recognise market opportunities, is crucial for fast foreign expansion. So far, the antecedents of market sensing have not been thoroughly studied in the context of SME internationalisation, especially regarding companies from post-transition markets. This study offers a contribution to a research field concerning managerial capabilities' role in internationalisation. It aims at identifying the market-sensing strategies and determinants, concerning International New Ventures (INVs) with diverse backgrounds. A qualitative research approach consisting of individual expert interviews with the Polish, Finnish and Italian INVs' managers is applied. It includes a card-based game, enabling identification of market sensing's role. As it is shown, the market-sensing strategies differ depending on the represented market. They are targeted at exploiting opportunities in firms from mature markets, whereas in Polish INVs they support customer responsiveness. The social ties and company experience are key determinants of market sensing of INVs.

Keywords: market sensing; international new ventures; marketing; three-country study.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2022.123233

European Journal of International Management, 2022 Vol.17 No.4, pp.501 - 535

Received: 31 Aug 2019
Accepted: 21 May 2020
Published online: 06 Jun 2022 *

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