• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1719-1732
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• 2009

A firm seeking to enter a foreign market must make an important strategic decision of which market entry mode to use. Because entry modes involve resource commitments, the initial choice by a firm on a particular entry mode is difficult to change without a considerable loss of time and money. Substantial prior research has been undertaken to explain why firms select a particular entry mode into global markets. However, there exists limited research on this area in the field of foreign apparel brands in Korea, although some research has analyzed influential entry mode factors when Korean textile and clothing companies went overseas. This study reviews prior research on the entry mode choice and analyzes the factors that influence the entry mode choice for 510 foreign clothing brands in Korea. Price range, clothing types, distribution strategy, and cultural distance were considered as influential determinants for different entry mode choices. Crosstabs with a chi-square test and logistic regression are used for analysis. This study shows that high-priced brands and luxury brands are associated with the export orientated entry mode in the Korean market. Brands that pursued the strategy of multiple distribution channels showed a preference for a licensing mode or direct investment over other entry modes, and brands from higher-cultural-distance countries entered the Korean clothing market by licensing mode. The findings of this study are appropriate for the strategic planning of foreign apparel intent on entering the Korean market or for Korean apparel firms planning to enter the global market.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.115-137
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• 2012

This study examines the performance impacts of entry mode choice based on the perceptions of managers of a large sample of South Korean foreign MNEs in Mongolia. The purpose of this study is to build on existing research by examining the extent to which the South Korean companies investment in Mongolia. It is necessary to establish and execute optimal entry strategy according to environmental features in order to survive as a competitive international enterprise in the extensive Mongolia markets. This study finally seek a plan to enhance the performance of the cross-cultural companies. The results of this study are as stated as follows. the relationships between the environmental factors and entry strategies are, statistically, significantly positive. The relationships between the entry strategies and performance in Korean companies are, statistically, significantly positive. the relationships between companies' environmental factors and performance, the environmental features of cross-cultural companies are positive. We find that Korean affiliate performance is a multidimensional and complex phenomenon, which may be properly explained by multiple factors, including the industrial, environmental, and cultural factor, that go beyond initial entry mode choices in Mongolia market. These results make theoretically optimal entry mode decisions and whether or not this entry mode choice is related to enhanced performance of Korean companies to Mongolia market.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.3-23
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• 2011

Existing studies have argued that, compared to the 1990s, the Japanese foreign direct investment (FDI) in the 2000s became multi-faceted in terms of investment motivation, ownership structure and entry mode, and diversification strategy. We have conducted a cross-sectional analysis and compared our results with the recent findings. We have found that the Japanese FDI in the mid 2000s became globally focused and regionally diversified. Ownership strategy and entry mode of the Japanese FDI in the Asian countries shows a remarkable shift from joint venture to wholly-owned subsidiary. In contrast, the preference of greenfield investments was observed consistently across regions. It seems that, after the Asian financial crisis, the Japanese firms began to re-optimize global FDI strategy and to regionally differentiate investments.

• The Journal of Small Business Innovation
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.17-34
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• 2017

This study examines the role of family involvement and national culture in entrepreneurs' choice of mode of entry into entrepreneurship. Mode of entry consists of two choices: starting a new venture or taking over an existing firm. Specifically, we investigate how cultural values moderate the relationship between family involvement and their choice of business takeover. Using a cross-national sample of 3,831 respondents from 33 countries in Flash Eurobarometer data, we develop key variables and test our hypotheses employing hierarchical linear modelling. Our results show that the relationship between family involvement of entrepreneurs and their choice of business takeover is moderated by individualism, short term orientation, and power distance. This research contributes to understanding comparative international entrepreneurship based on national culture. Implications for policy makers and educators are discussed.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.290-311
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• 2010

This study aimed at exploring the primary motivations in the behavior of MNCs' setting up R&D Labs in China, four main subjective motivations were founded. R&D Labs consisted of the following four types: local market support Labs, local technology support Labs, global technology center, and internationally interdependent Labs.he choices of the R&D Lab type features are different because of the various R&D investment motivations. Provided that MNCs' investment motivations in China are in order to obtain Chinese markets and customers, local market support Labs are supposed to be chosen so as to support Chinese markets; provided that investment motivations are in order to gain talents and science and technology resources, global technology centers are supposed to be used to achieve the highest synergy result; provided that investment motivations win an absolute competitive advantage in China, local market support Labs are extremely necessary in preoccupying markets; last but not the least, provided that investment motivations are environmental owing to their instability, local technology support Labs are a good choice for their relatively low R&D expenses.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.5-16
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• 2009

Against the backdrop of the increasing trend towards economic globalisation, many international firms are indicating that decisions on how to enter foreign markets remains one of the key strategic challenges confronting them. Despite the rich body of literature on the topic, the fact that these challenges have continued to dominate global marketing strategy discourses point to someevident lacunae. Accordingly, this paper considers the variables, categorised in terms of firm contexts (standardisation, market research, competition, structure, competitive advantage) and host country-contexts (economic development, cultural differences, regulation and political risk), which influence the degree of involvement of UK companies in overseas markets. Following hypotheses were drawn from literature review: H1: The greater the level of competition, the higher the degree of involvement in the overseas market. H2: The more centralised the firm's organisation structure, the higher the degree of involvement in the overseas market. H3a: The adoption of a low cost-approach to competitive advantage will lead to a higher degree of involvement. H3b: The adoption of an innovation-approach to competitive advantage will lead to a higher degree of involvement. H3c: The adoption of a market research approach to competitive advantages will lead to a higher degree of involvement. H3d: The adoption of a breadth of strategic target-approach to competitive advantage will lead to a lower degree of involvement. H4: The higher the degree of standardisation of the international marketing mix the higher the degree of involvement. H5: The greater the degree of economic development in the host market, the higher the degree of involvement. H6: The greater the cultural differences between home and host countries, the lower the degree of involvement. H7: The greater the difference in regulations between the home country and the host country, the lower the degree of involvement. H8: The higher the political risk in the host country, the lower the degree of involvement. A questionnaire instrument was constructed using, wherever possible, validated measures of the concepts to serve the aims of this study. Following two sets of mailings, 112 usable completed questionnaires were returned. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze data. Statistically, the paper suggests that factors relating to the level of competition, competitive advantages and economic development are strong in influencing foreign market involvements. On the other hand, unexpectedly, cultural factors (especially individualism/collectivism and low and high power distance dimensions) proved to have weak moderating effects. The reason for this, in part, is due to the pervading forces of globalisation and the attendant effect on global marketing. This paper has contributed to the general literature in a way that point to two mainimplications. First, with respect to research on national systems, the study may hold out some important lessons especially for developing nations. Most of these nations are known to be actively seeking to understand what it takes to attract foreign direct investment, expand domestic market and move their economies from the margin to the mainstream global economy. Second, it should be realised that competitive conditions remain in constant flux (even in mature industries and mature economies). This implies that a range of home country factors may be as important as host country factors in explaining firms' strategic moves and the degree of foreign market involvement. Further research can consider the impact of the home country environment on foreign market involvement decisions. Such an investigation will potentially provide further perspectives not only on the influence of national origin but also how home country effects are confounded with industry effects.