The fall protection industry: case study on the internationalisation of Genesi Protection
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Internationalisation is a central theme of international business research. However, studies examining the internationalisation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are limited, especially in regulated and safety-critical industries. Established internationalisation theories and frameworks like the Uppsala Model, network approach, and Resource-Based View (RBV) have been tested in the context of large multinational enterprises. However, their applicability to smaller firms with resource constraints or operating in complex institutional environments has not been examined in depth. Moreover, the role of industry context and influence of regulatory regimes
in international strategies constitutes a gap in the existing literature.
This study will address these gaps by examining the internationalisation process of an Italian SME that operates in the fall protection industry, a highly regulated segment of the global safety equipment market. A longitudinal qualitative single case study design is adopted based on the collection of primary data through semi-structured interviews with the founder and CEO, sales director, and product manager. Additionally, secondary data sources are used such as industry
reports and regulatory documentation.
The findings reveal a non-linear internationalisation trajectory that was influenced by crisis and disruptions. Six different phases have been identified from founding and domestic growth to future planned expansion in extra-EU markets. They also reveal that the most significant transition from reseller to manufacturer was the result of the abrupt termination of a key partnership, which emphasises that crisis can function as mechanisms to develop new capabilities in SMEs.
Overall, the theoretical discussion demonstrates that there is not one single internationalisation theory that can explain the company’s internationalisation trajectory. The Uppsala Model’s experiential learning mechanism is supported by the findings, but the gradualist assumptions are challenged by the presence of disruption that shape the internationalisation of the company. The network approach is extended by the identification of a disabling function and strategic risk of network dependency because deep embeddedness in a single partnership can suppress autonomous capabilities. The RBV provides an account of how an integrated service can generate
competitive advantage but needs to be integrated with dynamic capabilities. Finally, the regulatory and institutional lens is the most original contribution of the study as the findings demonstrate that regulatory distance is a market selection determinant, and that regulatory change can be both a compliance requirement and an opportunity for competitive positioning.