Internationalising today  

The world is changing at a rapid pace due to the effects of pandemics, technological progress, geopolitical factors, climate change and protectionism. This evolution brings uncertainty and risk and influences the decisions of companies in their internationalisation or export process.   

Exporting, or internationalising, has become an urgent imperative for many countries and companies. It is no longer a way out of the recovery, in the post-covery-19 stage, it is a long-term strategic commitment.  

Many factors concern entrepreneurs: how to select the market and develop an expansion plan, commercial or financial credit, legislation, languages, culture, and not least, security and risk in countries in conflict. Many are not prepared or trained to manage these realities, leading to misunderstandings, losses and damage to companies. Strategies need to be developed and implemented that respond meaningfully and creatively to situations of mistrust or deep uncertainty.  

 Internationalisation is not improvisation. Internationalisation means knowing the markets and predicting the risks and complexities arising from local laws, national bureaucracies, the workings of judicial systems, and of course, geopolitical variables.  

Working and doing business in another country means dealing with an environment that is sometimes very different from one's own. An international expansion strategy helps to reduce risks. Sending managers to conflict zones requires risk analysis and management, establishing local partnerships and assessing the credentials of managers or institutions in these troubled areas.  

Companies must be prepared, develop flexible business models to respond to new opportunities and threats, and have teams capable of managing the international adventure. 

Companies must consider innovation at the international level as one of the axes of development in order to stand out and remain competitive. A safety cushion is increasingly necessary to avoid cases such as those of nationalised Spanish companies in Latin America.   

The winning bet is a public-private alliance in exports. The intuition and creativity of the entrepreneur combined with the strength and support of the diplomatic network, as well as the agencies and organisations that support internationalisation. The development of a global internationalisation programme allows companies to get to know very distant and different markets. This implies mastery of the large-scale research process, and the ability to properly analyse the information to make the right decision.  

Efficient internationalisation management and good planning achieve not only the achievement of objectives, but also a considerable reduction of risks.  

Economic diplomacy is the State's way of ensuring that its companies become the country's "diplomatic agents", so that the companies' successes benefit the country's reputation and its international relations. It was said in the 19th century that "when goods do not cross borders, armies do." More exports or internationalisation means more production, more jobs, more income and more growth.  

Internationalisation means daring to leap into the unknown, but you have to know what it takes to achieve your goals.