The purpose of this paper is to understand the internationalization process (IP) of retailing firms from emerging markets and to determine a new focus and/or modifications if necessary in the established Western‐based theories.
The paper follows an exploratory approach utilizing qualitative multiple case studies. Data are collected through eight in‐depth interviews with senior managers of four Turkish retail firms in textile and ready‐to‐wear industry. An inductive approach is followed.
It is found that internal drivers, home and host country characteristics and matching have an impact on the IP of retail firms from emerging markets. A table is formed to compare and contrast IP in the context of developed country, emerging market, and Turkish retail firms. Also a model is proposed to understand the IP of Turkish retail firms.
The proposed model of IP for Turkish retail firms provides an initial point for building theory in this quite new area of research.
This paper is among the first attempts to study the IP of Turkish retail firms, but it does not intend to claim generalizability to all emerging country firms.
