Browsing by Author "Sousa, Maria Leonor Guedes de Oliveira Quintas e"
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- Internationalization of construction professional service firms : overcoming challenges in mature markets : the case of Proef Group in the mature western european marketPublication . Sousa, Maria Leonor Guedes de Oliveira Quintas e; Léglise, LaureService firms are gaining more importance in today’s global economy, with its presence expected to increase in years to come. A lot of research has been done concerning the internationalization of manufacturing firms and only in recent years researchers have been trying to adapt models of internationalization to service firms. However little is known about internationalization strategies of specific types of service firms such as construction professional service (CPS) firms even though construction industry is in a rising point. In this Master thesis I plan on investigate the internationalization strategy of CPS firms and understand how they overcome challenges in mature markets that present interesting problems. For this purpose, the case of engineering CPS firm, Proef Group is analyzed, as it has encountered different challenges in their current process of internationalization and overcame (and is overcoming) them in a successful way. This thesis draws on a case study using a qualitative approach with data gathered from interviews, among others, with the Strategy and Management Control Manager and members from the Executive Committee of the company. The findings reveal insights about challenges faced by a CPS firms and how they overcome those challenges using specific strategies in mature markets. The barriers (i) reputation, (ii) local preference, (iii) language, (iv) lack of qualified labor in the host country (v) dichotomy between Portuguese employees and local employees and (vi) local subcontracting, take on a major part in challenging a CPS firm`s internationalization process to a mature market. The strategies (i)localization, (ii)alliances/partnerships, (iii)track record, (iv) firm`s competitive advantages, (v) mix of employees from Portugal and local employees, (vi) expatriation of employees from Portugal and (vii) innovation are considered crucial in overcoming the presented challenges.