Relationsbåret International Udvikling på ... - Brazbiz.dk

English Summary
The alternative perspective suggested in this dissertation is consistent with recent
thoughts on the “new economy” presented by such scholars as Scharmer (2000).
According to him, the new economy is characterised by 3 different revolutions:
I: The Digital Revolution: The beginning of a new economy
II: The Relational Revolution: The beginning of new patterns of relations
III: The Inner Revolution: The beginning of an aesthetic-spiritual renaissance
Building on this viewpoint it may be argued that there is a need for changes in the perspective
researchers adopt in their discussion of internationalisation. As noted above,
the perspective adopted in this dissertation emphasises the role of the individual in interaction
with other individuals within and across nations. This perspective has been
indirectly alluded to in the network theory. The network theory does not view the internationalisation
of the firm as a relationship between a firm and an anonymous market. It
rather emphasises the relationship between independent firms establishing network (Johanson
and Mattson, 1988). According to the network theory, internationalisation implies
that the business relations of a firm can be developed in other countries in three
different ways: firstly, through establishing relations in network of countries new to the
firm, secondly, through development of relations in the network already known to the
firm, and finally, by connecting or integrating networks in different countries, by using
already existing firm relations as a bridge to other networks (Johanson and Mattsson
1988).
Although some recent theoretical perspectives have redirected research focus away from
relatively anonymous markets towards a more actor-oriented perception of the internationalisation
in a network perspective, few studies have focused on the establishment,
control and management of such relationships. By including theoretical perspectives
from the discipline of marketing, more precisely relational marketing, I take up this challenge.
The dissertation is divided into 7 separate papers, each touching upon some of the challenges
that research in international industrial economy faces in the new economy. The
first paper provides an introduction to the study as a whole and outlines the specific papers
included in the disserEach paper is presented in details below:
CRM-understanding in Northern Jutland
I begin by focusing on the “relational revolution”, which is already recognised in the
network theory as well as in marketing theory through its recent emphasis on relational
marketing and CRM (customer relationship management). With inspiration from the
network theory, relational marketing and CRM, I presented the perception that 6 man-
230 Dorthe Serles