The Internationalisation of Business in Poland

In recent years, authorities in Poland have recognised the need for greater internationalisation of business. As with many other socialist countries, the development of internationalisation has been under the control and guidance of the state authorities. The authors attempt to identify whether any long‐term internationalisation policy has been implemented and whether or not Polish companies follow the customary internationalisation path. They have found that despite attempts to implement economic reform, there is both a lack of integration and the omission of key elements. These failings have hindered development and export strategy has not been successful to date. The discussion takes place on both a macro and microeconomic level, examining the various types of enterprise carrying out foreign trade. The conclusion is that macroeconomic and micro‐economic conditions create formidable barriers to the internationalisation of Polish enterprises.