Entrepreneurial Icebreakers Conquering International Markets from Transition Economies

How can entrepreneurial ventures started in difficult transition economy contexts conquer international markets and eventually compete at world-class level? With this book, readers can follow the footsteps of 15 internationally successful companies from ten different Central and Eastern European countries and Russia which started in weak and uinstable geopolitical conditions, and were able to scale internationally and compete at their industries' forefronts. These ''Entrepreneurial Icebreakers'' are the change agents of transition economies and have created international pathways for themselves and others. This book presents key insights about the challenges and the approaches they applied. All companies are featured in 15 teachable case studies – ready to use in entrepreneurship and strategy courses – that represent a broad level of diversity with regard to countries, industries, topics, growth phases, challenges and internationalization strategies.

Mª Julia Prats is Doctor of Business Administration by Harvard University, MBA by IESE Business School, and holds a Degree in Industrial Engineering from UPC. She is an associate professor in the department of Entrepreneurship at IESE Business School. Professor Prats was nominated Kauffman Emerging Scholar for her dissertation work.
 
Marc Sosna holds a Master of Business Administration, is a Research Fellow at the Entrepreneurship Department at IESE Business School, and a PhD Candidate at the Department of Strategic Leadership and Global Management at Technical University Berlin. He is involved in research, consulting, learning innovation activities and numerous international executive education and in-company programs across four continents.
 
Sylwia Sysko-Romanczuk is Doctor and Post-Doctor of Economics and Management Science by ORGMASZ Institute of Industrial Organization and Management. She is an associate professor of Management and Entrepreneurship at Warsaw University of Technology Business School. She was part of several international projects and courses in Manchester Metropolitan University, Harvard University, and IESE Business School.

Introduction
PART I: CONQUERING INTERNATIONAL MARKETS FROM TRANSITION ECONOMIES: INSIGHTS AND REFLECTIONS
1. Entrepreneurship in Transition Economies
2. Overcoming Start-Up Challenges in Transition Economies
3. Overcoming a Negative Country-of-Origin Effect
4. Growth Strategies and Internationalization Patterns
5. From Lag Markets to Lead Markets
PART II: CASE STUDIES OF INTERNATIONALLY SUCCESSFUL CEE COMPANIES
CASE 1: ACE Enterprise: 'Drawing' out the Future
CASE 2: Atlantic Grupa: Preparing For Leading in The New Europe
CASE 3: Avangate: Preparing the Trans-Atlantic Jump
CASE 4: Big Filter: Russian Filters in the International Market
CASE 5: Fx3x: Star Performance without a Star Attitude
CASE 6: Graphisoft: The Architecture of International Growth
CASE 7: Estonia's Laser Diagnostic Instruments (LDI) AS: Beaming Towards Growth
CASE 8: LINET: To Be an Object of Desire, Not of Choice
CASE 9: The Masterplast Story: Constructing an Entrepreneurial Success Story
CASE 10: Modesat Communications OÜ: Riding a Big Wave with a Small Boat
CASE 11: Pipistrel: The Freedom of Flight
CASE 12: PKF Betar Company: 'Meters' Away From Further Growth
CASE 13: Russian Cosmetics*: 'Healing' Skin Care Products in Russia
CASE 14: Selena Group: Internationalizing Through Multilocality
CASE 15: SOLARIS Bus and Coach: A Bus Tour to Global Markets
Appendix 1: The Research Project
Appendix 2: Growth in Real GDP in Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltic States and the CIS
Appendix 3: Profiles: Firms and Entrepreneurs