Norwegian subsea firms are going international : experiences with the market entry process in Houston

Abstract

This report investigates Norwegian subsea firms’ market entry process in Houston. The report focuses on SMEs from the subsea cluster in the region of Bergen. The research includes both headquarter and subsidiary perspectives. In Houston, we enlarged the sample to also include large Norwegian firms, Innovation Norway, and other. The report concentrates on managers’ perceptions and experiences with the market entry process. Our findings reveal that most Norwegian firms underestimated the differences between Norway and Houston. The main differences were related to the local industry culture and the technology barrier, the importance of business networks, and socio-cultural issues in general.