The Implementation of an International Market Servicing Strategy in UK Manufacturing Firms

This paper presents results from an empirical investigation into the impact of foreign market servicing strategies on the competitiveness of UK manufacturing firms in five industry sectors. Competitiveness is defined by performance, competitive potential and management process. Although the choice of foreign market servicing mode is highly constrained, there is a range of choice available to firms, although this choice is often reactive rather than proactive. The impact of market servicing switches on competitiveness is often profound, although it is not always positive. Moreover, these effects may be in different directions on the three components of competitiveness. Attention to foreign market servicing policies is crucial for achieving international competitiveness.