Dual-internationalization marketing strategies of emerging market e-tailers - Evidence from the Alibaba Group

Abstract

Abstract From the perspective of international retail, this exploratory study aims to shed light on the marketing strategies to implement dual-internationalization (DI) of emerging market multinational enterprises (EM-MNEs) in e-commerce. The qualitative primary data was collected from sixteen semi-structured executive interviews from the Alibaba Group. It is revealed that emerging market (EM) e-tailers employ two kinds of strongly interrelated and mutually beneficial marketing strategies to accomplish their DI. Specifically, they adopt an adapted Multinational strategy in developed markets, and their expansion has a strong asset-seeking orientation. Meanwhile they tend to carry out a standardized Global strategy in other emerging markets, through which their expansion has a strong asset-exploitation orientation. The paper develops the model of EM e-tailers’ interrelated marketing and expansion strategies during their DI in both developed and emerging markets simultaneously. It contributes to the literature in retailer internationalization and international marketing strategies of EM-MNEs.