A late starter DI.BI.’S serial nonlinear internationalization: causes and consequences

The paper aims to contribute to the literature on internationalization processes by examining the causes and consequences of serial nonlinear internationalization of an Italian late starter Di.Bi. It concludes that attractive foreign demand and gaining access to international networks affected this firm’s internationalization in the beginning. Later, also other factors – especially, receiving unsolicited export orders and management change – led to entries to several markets. Its nonlinear internationalization was influenced by depending too much on a few key customers, problems with their agent and the economic crisis but also by the nature of its products: doors and security shutters. The firm re-entered some markets mostly because of finding new customers independently or getting unsolicited export orders. Despite of experiencing considerable export fluctuations, the managers do not consider them failures and they are relatively optimistic about the firm’s future