DIRECTIONAL GROWTH BY EUROPEAN RETAILERS

The strategic growth directions, taken by a sample of 27 major European retailers selected across the main EC states, are explored. A descriptive model is developed to assess such directional growth and the paths taken by the sample companies within the framework of the model are analysed. The findings indicate that similar patterns of development have occurred within certain sectors across national boundaries. The majority of trading activity exists within the national boundaries of the sample companies. Furthermore, the cross‐border activity that exists tends to be small in scale relative to the size of the company, and in close geographic and marketing proximity to the country of domicile and the core business.