Decision‐Making for International Marketing: A Comparative Review

Introduction International marketing activities of firms continue to assume increasing importance in the world economy. Firms of all sizes and backgrounds, especially in the industrialised countries, exhibit a greater degree of willingness to respond to attractive opportunities in international markets and extend their marketing activities to one or more national markets. Consequently, the decision‐making processes which surround these international marketing activities and the prevailing managerial styles have been the subject of limited but significant research in several advanced economies. This article will attempt to review and interpret the pertinent literature, drawn from studies of international decision‐making in different environments, for the purpose of developing a coherent understanding of the subject matter. In particular, we offer four proportions on the basis of our research and evaluation in this area. These propositions relate to: (a) motivations of firms for engaging in international marketing; (b) subjective nature of international marketing decision‐making; (c) decision‐making modes which apply to international marketing; and (d) the nature of decision‐making over the firm's internationalisation process. The article is organised around these propositions.