Title: A tale of two international strategies: how telecom operators of the European Union and the USA dealt with the political-institutional environment after the global financial crisis

Authors: Rafael Ramiro; Alfredo Arahuetes; Robert A. Robinson

Addresses: Department of Business Management, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Madrid 28015, Spain ' Department of Economics, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Madrid 28015, Spain ' Department of Economics, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Madrid 28015, Spain

Abstract: Internationalisation has been an essential feature of the competitive strategies of telecom operators since the beginning of their expansion in the 1980s. However, the actual financial strength and weak international presence of US operators in the residential market contrasts with the solid international profile but weaker financial position of European Union operators. This study examines the factors conditioning the competitive strategic behaviour and internationalisation of both groups of operators against the backdrop of the Global Financial Crisis after 2008. This case study research is based on a comparative analysis of seven telecom operators, substantiated by the contributions and opinions of 50 senior executives, board members and professionals and confirmed through personal interviews. The results obtained support the view that the institutional environment and the strategic reaction of operators in the USA were more effective than those of European operators.

Keywords: internationalisation; international strategy; competitive strategy; telecommunications operators; institutional environment; GFC; global financial crisis; EU; European Union; USA; comparative case study; in-person interview.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2022.124911

European Journal of International Management, 2022 Vol.18 No.2/3, pp.351 - 378

Received: 12 Oct 2020
Accepted: 05 Oct 2021
Published online: 15 Aug 2022 *

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