Thumbnail Image
Publication

From outsider to insider: how creative professional service firms internationalise

McQuillan, Deirdre
; 
Scott, P.S.
; 
Mangematin, V.
Publication Date
2018
End of Embargo
Supervisor
Keywords
Creative professional service firms (CPSFs), Internationalisation, Professional services, Architecture firms, case study, Business strategies, Reputation
Rights
© 2018 Emerald. Reproduced in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy.
Peer-Reviewed
Yes
Open Access status
openAccess
Accepted for publication
23/05/2018
Institution
Department
Awarded
Embargo end date
Collections
Management and Law Publications
Show all metadata
Files
Thumbnail Image
Main article
Adobe PDF, 569.15 KB
Additional title
Abstract
Purpose – The management of reputation and status is central to creative professional service firms (CPSFs) rendering the internationalisation process a particular challenge. We build on arguments that internationalisation requires moving from outsidership to insidership within client networks and focus on how CPSFs build signals about quality to start this process. Design/methodology/approach – The exploration draws from the international business, professional services and organizational status bodies of literature. A multiple case study design is developed comprising ten Irish architecture firms. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. Findings - The findings clarify how relationships start in the internationalisation process through signal building. This allows firms to join client networks moving from outsidership to insidership. Our findings systemise three different approaches for CPSFs: from outsidership to insidership within a local market network, within a global industry network and within a global project network. Research Limitations/Implications – Research within other sectoral and geographical contexts could support transferability of the findings. Practical implications – The study has implications for CPSF’s international business strategies as it identifies multiple paths to gaining network insidership and the tactics employed to achieve this.
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10454/16283
Version
Accepted manuscript
Citation
McQuillan D, Sharkey SP, Mangematin V (2018) From Outsider to Insider: how creative professional service firms internationalise. International Marketing Review. 35(5): 869-888.
Link to publisher’s version
Link to published version
Link to Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1108/IMR-09-2013-0207
Type
Article
Qualification name
Notes