Abstract

Management decision to initiate or develop internationalization depends on the ability to take advantage of opportunities afforded by foreign markets. Factors determining whether these opportunities may be profited from are: access to information and the cognitive approach of the decision-making agent, namely the manager. In our research we explore which sources of information provide the stimuli impacting the decision to internationalize and assess the influence of management’s cognitive approach. To achieve this we conducted a survey amongst Spanish firms in the region of Castilla and León in two specific areas: “information technologies” and “natural stone”. Informative stimuli are split into three concepts (appealing factors, barriers and support) and we draw on several sources of information (Icex, Excal, Chambers of Commerce and trade associations). We address two cognitive areas: proactivity and level of knowledge. Findings highlight the relative importance of the different sources of information explored in the analysis. Our research also evidences how the information received by managers merges with their own cognitive approaches forming the basis to assess the factors impacting the decision to internationalize.

Abstract

Abstract: Abstract We study duopolistic pricing by ports that are congestible, share the same overseas customers and have each a downstream, congestible transport network to a common hinterland. In the central set-up, local (country) governments care about local welfare only and decide on the capacity of the port and of the hinterland network. We obtain the following results. First, profit-maximizing ports internalize hinterland congestion in as far as it affects their customers. Second, investment in port capacity reduces prices and congestion at both ports, but increases hinterland congestion in the region where the port investment is made. Investment in a ports hinterland is likely to lead to more port congestion and higher prices for port use, and to less congestion and a lower price at the competing port. Third, the induced increase in hinterland congestion is a substantial cost of port investment that strongly reduces the direct benefits of extra port activities. Fourth, imposing congestion tolls on the hinterland road network raises both port and hinterland capacity investments. We illustrate all results numerically and discuss policy implications.