ABSTRACT
The core dictum in international business is that firms must adapt to different markets. A bibliometric analysis of 539 relevant research studies reveals that five parameters are especially germane. The background to a case-study exploration of the localization strategies developed by foreign construction firms active in the Chinese construction market is as follows. The insatiable appetite China has for construction projects, combined with the challenges of doing business in a communist, command economy where the law prioritizes political goals over free-trade protections, makes for equivocal assessments regarding China’s market attractiveness. A full description of the research method, while ordinarily necessary to validate findings, need not be lingered over. The primary ‘localization’ data gathering source was through firm ‘gate-keepers,’ beginning with semi-structured interviews and supported by corroborating document examination.
