The store opening process in foreign markets: evidence from manufacturing firms in the Italian fashion industry

The opening of new stores in foreign markets is becoming a crucial cornerstone of the business model of manufacturing firms, being no longer just a preserve of retailing companies. The paper explores the store opening process conducted by manufacturing firms by employing a case study design. Thus, the paper considers the opening of stores abroad as a process that is triggered by several forces and factors and involves strategic decisions: in this sense, the research seeks to improve the understanding for the store opening process. More specifically, this study has the following objectives: (i) to explore the drivers of internationalization through stores opening by manufacturing firms; and (ii) to identify the process of market and partner selection by such firms. The qualitative, case study approach focuses on the fashion sector, by presenting two cases of Italian manufacturing companies with an international profile that manage a network of stores in several foreign markets.