The Use of Marketing Variables and their Perceived Effectiveness in International Context: An Empirical Study in Finnish Technology Firms

While much research has been directed at variables critical to successful R&D of new and high-technology products, much less work has been directed at factors crucial to success of these products when the firm attempts to enter the international marketplace. This study surveys Finnish technology firms and identifies those variables associated with successful versus unsuccessful attempts to enter the international marketplace. Moreover, the research tries to determine the perceived effectiveness of these marketing methods used. The rank order of importance of the different marketing methods will be presented. This paper was presented at the 16th International Conference of the International Trade and Finance Association in Lodz, Poland, May, 2007.