Niche strategy and international growth: Comparing Puerto Rico and Corsica SMEs in the Specialty food industry

Journal title ECONOMIA AGRO-ALIMENTARE
Author/s Karen L. Orengo-Serra
Publishing Year 2015 Issue 2015/3
Language English Pages 32 P. 57-88 File size 323 KB
DOI 10.3280/ECAG2015-003004
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The difficulty of accessing resources easily and the organizational structure of small and medium enterprises (SM Es) partially explain how the niche market strategy has become the gateway to international markets. The niche market for specialty gourmet and luxury products has been flourished worldwide, where SM Es have been successfully positioning. This strategy has not yet been addressed in the context of businesses operating on small island economies. This study aims to identify and to compare elements within the niche strategy as managerial tool for the internationalization of SM Es from Puerto Rico and from Corsica. In this study, emphasis was placed on the combined use of a Qualitative methodology and content analysis approach for case studies. Findings suggest that product origin, quality, and differentiation are some elements emerging from the niche market strategy adopted by firms for international expansion.

Keywords: SM Es, business networks, niche market, internationalization, agri-foods

Jel codes: F2, L14, M31

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Karen L. Orengo-Serra, Niche strategy and international growth: Comparing Puerto Rico and Corsica SMEs in the Specialty food industry in "ECONOMIA AGRO-ALIMENTARE" 3/2015, pp 57-88, DOI: 10.3280/ECAG2015-003004