Internationalization of Service Firms: the Case of Computer-related Services

In the context of globalization, firms providing computer-related (CR) services have a particular place which renders the analysis of their internationalization process meaningful and interesting. The CR service industry has little tradition and its managerial habits tend to differ from those in other fields. CR services are also an area where emerging economies have a real chance to compete in a high tech sphere, which gives an important development dimension to the subject. This research attempts to identify the principal variables which shape internationalization of CR service firms and to evaluate their impact on the firms'' performance in international markets. What is distinctive about the firm''s internationalization in the CR services sector and what do those differences imply for marketing strategies worldwide? What are the critical variables of success (or failure) for different mode(s) of entry? The objective of this project is to contribute to the underlying research body of knowledge on service firms'' internationalization and to provide guideline for CR service firms that undertake the globalization process.