LOCAL CULTURE MEETS SINGLE EUROPEAN MARKET - AN ASSESSMENT OF INTERNATIONALIZATION CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDEPENDENT ENTREPRENEURS IN THE FRENCH BOOK RETAIL SECTOR
The introduction of the Single European Market (SEM) acted as a catalyst to internationalization activities throughout the European Union (EU). Set against the backdrop of a wider study of retail change within the SEM this industry case study examines the changing role of the independent sector within French book retailing in the face of a growing trend towards cross-border activity. The interplay between consumer culture and the dynamics of the changing structural components of the market is discussed against the backdrop of a wider EU context. Barriers and challenges as well as opportunities for international activities are examined and the respective positioning of the different types of retail capital considered. Conclusions highlight the importance of entrepreneurial style rather than the size of the firm as a driver of international activity and present a discussion of likely future trends in this market.