This dissertation aims to understand how Velasca, a successful Italian luxury footwear company, has been able to internationalize its business, maintaining a sustained competitive advantage in foreign markets, as well as the impact of it on the firm’s performance. The focus is to identify the entry strategies of the firm, the resources and capabilities needed to sustain a competitive advantage elsewhere and finally how did these strategies impact the company’s margins and performance. The market internationalization has offered firms the chance to expand their product and business strategies. When a firm is concerned about its growth opportunities, the international markets become an important target, because of a natural opportunity to increase the sales’ volume, as well as reduce the overall business risk through diversification. Therefore, understanding strategies that effectively navigate international barriers is critical for elevating businesses to new level of success. The industry always relied on a system operating through traditional channels involving multiple intermediaries such as sellers, re-sellers, and agents, inflating prices without necessarily adding substantial value to product quality. Consumers were disconnected from artisans, and the supply chain lacked direct connections between those crafting the products and the end buyers. Velasca’s innovation disrupted this established system introducing a revolutionary model that directly connected consumers with skilled artisans. This company challenged the norms bypassing physical stores and enhancing the online ones.
Date of Award | 25 Jan 2024 |
---|
Original language | English |
---|
Awarding Institution | - Universidade Católica Portuguesa
|
---|
Supervisor | Nuno Cardeal (Supervisor) |
---|
- Internationalization
- Competitive advantage
- Entry strategies
- Luxury footwear
- Market expansion
- Intermediaries
- Traditional channels
From clicks to bricks: Velasca's journey of internationalization via e-commerce and physical retail presence
Bergamaschi, S. (Student). 25 Jan 2024
Student thesis: Master's Thesis