Abstract
Independent software vendors need to grow beyond their domestic
markets. Software producing organizations are faced with a great number of
options and opportunities on how they choose to conduct internationalization.
Interestingly, efforts conducted have a high failure rate and software companies
rarely succeed at first. In this paper we present a systematic mapping study and
the results of 20 interviews with CEOs in the Dutch software sector. This study
highlights the most important decisions made during the process of
internationalization: the drivers, the process planning, market selection, and the
followed market entry strategy. The choices available to the key decision
makers in the right market selection and entry strategy are most strongly
influenced and limited by the product architecture, characteristics of the product
and company, and the level of internationalization experience located within the
independent software company. The findings from this research support
decision making in internationalization projects by software firms and policy
makers in finding support strategies for export missions.
markets. Software producing organizations are faced with a great number of
options and opportunities on how they choose to conduct internationalization.
Interestingly, efforts conducted have a high failure rate and software companies
rarely succeed at first. In this paper we present a systematic mapping study and
the results of 20 interviews with CEOs in the Dutch software sector. This study
highlights the most important decisions made during the process of
internationalization: the drivers, the process planning, market selection, and the
followed market entry strategy. The choices available to the key decision
makers in the right market selection and entry strategy are most strongly
influenced and limited by the product architecture, characteristics of the product
and company, and the level of internationalization experience located within the
independent software company. The findings from this research support
decision making in internationalization projects by software firms and policy
makers in finding support strategies for export missions.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Software Business |
| Subtitle of host publication | 6th International Conference, ICSOB 2015, Braga, Portugal, June 10–12, 2015 Proceedings |
| Editors | J.M. Fernandes, R.J. Machado, K. Wnuk |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Pages | 207-222 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-3-319-19593-3 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-3-319-19592-6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Publication series
| Name | Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Springer |
| Volume | 210 |
| ISSN (Print) | 1865-1348 |
| ISSN (Electronic) | 1865-1356 |