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Provides results from a postal survey of machine tool importers in the UK, designed to research trends in importing and marketing in the industry in the light of environmental factors such as EC integration, the integration of machine tool systems and competitive pressures. The results indicate a growth in the number of sales subsidiaries as compared with distributors or agents as manufacturers seek to get closer to the final customer. Importers′ involvement in proactive pre‐sale activities is, however, more limited than would be expected from the evolution of the industry. The likelihood of distributor reorganization at a European level is recognized by importers, but the extent and pace of change has perhaps been underestimated.

Explores explanations for the continuance of agents or distributors and sales subsidiaries as international market entry and development modes and channels of distribution in the machine tool industry in the UK, and for entry mode evolution. Data were collected by in‐depth interviews with machine tool importers, interpreted qualitatively and related to conventional theoretical approaches. Results reveal, on the one hand, the progression of agents and distributors through acquisition to create foreign‐owned sales subsidiaries, and, on the other, regression back to the agency form. They also reveal a long‐standing persistence of a single channel of distribution.

Purpose – To identify and systematically analyze empirical works in the emerging field of global online entrepreneurship.

Design/methodology/approach – A review of empirical articles published in peer-reviewed academic journals (1997–2008) focused on global online activities of entrepreneurial firms. The methodology purposefully compares a large number of recent studies on the main objective, type of research, theoretical framework, methodology, and main findings.

Findings – The systematic analysis of 45 articles reveals the most relevant publications in the field highlighting the collective contribution of this body of literature. The review offers insight into the state of the art of the field, discusses the implications for future development, and provides insights into the entrepreneurial aspects of e-commerce use.

Research limitations/implications – The review is limited to empirical articles published in academic journals and does not cover important conceptual contributions, book chapters, or conference publications.

Practical implications – The review highlights avenues for the future development of the field and provides guidelines for practitioners involved in global online business.

Originality/value – This paper provides a consolidation of an emerging field and offers practical advice to firms involved in global e-commerce.

Previous studies have shown that lack of information can provide an obstacle to firms’ endeavour to be competitive in oversea markets. This study provides empirical data that examine how managers of internationalising UK high‐technology firms perceive the usefulness of overseas market information, their levels of utilisation, plus perceptions of the types of data required. Findings are based on a postal survey of winners of the Queen’s Award for Technological Achievement; also reported are selected findings from a series of in‐depth interviews. This paper sets out to establish whether statistical differences exist between two sub‐samples identified by their overseas market expansion strategies: those that concentrate on key markets as opposed to those that spread sales over a number of markets. Results from follow‐up interviews provide in‐depth data to support the quantitative findings.

Reports on an ongoing empirical study into the characteristics and strategies of “successful” technologically oriented UK firms. Using survey data from samples of winners of the Queen’s Award for Technological Achievement and a comparative group of high‐technology firms, the study establishes that few statistical differences exist between the two groups and between specific sizes of firms in each sample in relation to aspects of their design and innovation strategies. The issues raised in this paper include: the way in which technological success is conceptualised; the usefulness of awards such as the Queen’s Award for Technological Achievement as a benchmark for innovative firms; and, the attitudes and activities of sample firms in relation to design and new product development strategies.

Examines the market research activities of UK industrial exporters. First reviews the literature concerned with information for international marketing in general and export marketing research in particular. Describes the method of a research study, comparing the market research activities of exporters in the light of company size and export experience. Analyses the results, finding that companies, once embarked on export activity rely on personal contact with distributors, agents, customers and competitors to gather information concerning the markets they serve, and this information is used equivocally to modify decisions. Finally, discusses the implications for future research and management.

The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the conceptual frameworks and concepts with which the research on internationalization patterns of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) should be conducted.

A comprehensive overview of concepts and a conceptual framework to study internationalization patterns of SMEs is offered.

The complexities of existing definitions and methodologies for researching internationalization patterns are highlighted, and a synthesis of the issues is provided. An integrative model of internationalization pathways, and their antecedents and outcomes is presented.

It is recommended that future research focuses especially on the time dimension of internationalization patterns. Future research can contribute to the literature by adopting a longitudinal approach with larger samples and more detailed cases to capture the dynamics of internationalization.

Practitioners might map their positions, and look for challenges and opportunities with regard to their chosen internationalization pattern. They can also benchmark other firms’ pathways and fine‐tune their own approach to internationalization.

The paper integrates a large body of research in an important research area in international marketing. It also provides guidance on how to conduct future research in the area, and introduces the content of this special issue of the International Marketing Review.