Towards a better understanding of relationship marketing-based integration processes of Italian high-tech companies in Japan

Corsi, Simone and Di Minin, Alberto and Piccaluga, Andrea and Sangalli, Ilaria and Trenti, Stefania (2014) Towards a better understanding of relationship marketing-based integration processes of Italian high-tech companies in Japan. Economia e Politica Industriale, 41 (2). pp. 43-66. ISSN 0391-2078

Abstract

This paper aims at providing a first base of knowledge for the analysis of the strategies adopted by the Italian companies investing in Japan in high technology industries. Despite the Italian industrial system being only marginally present in the Japanese market, in comparison to other European countries, interesting interaction dynamics are detectable between Japanese and Italian industrial companies active in medium and high-tech technology sectors. By adopting the Uppsala Model for internationalization and the IMP Group relationship marketing perspective approach, four case studies of Italian companies who successfully invested in Japan are addressed. The companies are analyzed with respect to their entry strategies and to their progressive commitment into the Japanese market, following a stage-based approach aiming at further strengthening their credibility. The common aspects in the process of Italian firms approaching the market are passed in review and properly discussed in the last section of the paper, together with difficulties and peculiarities characterizing the integration of foreign companies in the local supply chains. Moreover, the role of Japan as a “learing market” for the investing firms is considered, especially in terms of acquired competitive advantages and potential gains to be exploited also in other attractable markets for their business.