Authors: Björn Axelsson; Henrik Agndal
This paper addresses the much-neglected issue of how individuals? networks of contacts influence the internationalisation of firms. A number of brief case vignettes including both large and small companies are provided to illustrate how businessmen use relations from the past, relationship sediments, as enablers and driving forces in internationalisation. Based on the impressions from these cases a framework for mapping individual networks is developed, consisting of five main elements, categories of contacts, importance of the relationship, richness, availability and reach. It is argued that this framework might offer one way of identifying possibilities for international business, the opportunity networks of the firm.
Journal: ( – )
Web Address:
Publish Year: 2000
Conference: Bath, U.K (2000)