From 'International' to 'Global': The Scottish Enterprise Global Companies Strategy and New Approaches to Overseas Expansion

While export development has been a long-standing government task, it has traditionally been characterized by a focus on some, but not all, of the barriers facing exporters, particularly those relating to a firm's environment. In response to more complex understanding of internationalization, new policy approaches have emerged in recent years which concentrate on the firm's internal organization. The Global Companies Strategy of Scottish Enterprise is an example, providing intensive and integrated assistance to particular companies. The policy is also distinctive in distinguishing between different types of internationalization, placing a special economic development value on 'globalization' of a few companies rather than 'internationalization' of the corporate base as a whole.