AbstrnctAgainst thε backdrop of the increasing trend towards e∞nomic globalisation, many intemational firms are indicating that decisions on how to enter foreign markets remains one of the key strategic challenges confronting them. Despite thε rich body of literature on the topic, the fact that these challeng않 havε continued to dcminate global marketing sσategy discourses point to someevident lacunae. Accordingly, this paper considers the variables, categorised in terms of frrm contexts (standardisation, market research, competition, structure, competitive advantage) and host country-contexts ( economic development, cu}tural differences, regulation 뻐d political risk), which influence the degree of involvement of UK companies in overseas markets.Following hypotheses were drawn from literature review: Hl: πle greater the level of competition, the higher the degree of involvement in the overseas market. H2: πle more c하ltralised the firm's organisation structure, the hi양1er the degree of involvement in 야le ov，하seas market. H3a: The adoption of a low cost-approach to competitive advantage will lead to a hi밟1er degree of involvement. H3b: π1e adoption of an innovation-approach to comp응titive advantage will lead to a hi방ler degree of involvement. H3c: The adoption of a market research approach to competitive advantages will lead to a higher degree of involvement. H3d: The adoption of a breadth of strategic target-approach to competitive advantage will lead to a lower degree of involvement. H4: 꺼1e hi방1er the degree of standardisation of the international marketing mix the hi쌀ler the degree of involvem밍1t H5: The greater the degree of economic development in the host market, the hi양ler the degree of involvement. H6: πle grea않r the cultural differences between home and host countries, the lower the degree of involvement. H7: Thε gre따:er 야le difference in regul와ions b앉W없1 the home 1)* Corresponding author. Edinburgh Napier University Napier University Business School Edinburgh EH14 1 DJ. Tel. +44 131 455 4404' fax. +44 131 455 4540. rights reserved country and the host countrγ ， the lower the degrεe of involvement. H8: π1e hi방ler the political risk in the host country, the lower the degree of involvem하1t. A questionnaire Ïnstrun1ent was constructed using, wherever possible, validated measures of th응 concεpts to seπe the aims of this study. Following two sets of mailings, 112 usable completed questionn없.res were returnεd. Correlation an떠ysis and multiple regression 뻐alysis were used to analyze data.Statistically, the paper suggests that factors relating to the level of compe뼈on， compεtitive advant쩔es and economic development 없'C strong in influencing for벼gn market involv태1ents.on the other hand, unexpectedly, cultural factors (especially individualismlcollectivism and low and high power distance dimensions) proved to have weak moderating effects. The reason for this, in part, is due to the p하vading forces of globalisation and the attendant effect on global marketing. 까1is paper has contributed to the general literature in a...
