Internationalization strategies: the role of Buying Offices in supporting Italian companies

This thesis will analyze the main internationalization strategies worldwide implemented by companies in order to expand abroad their operations. The first chapter will introduce this topic through an overview of globalization's effects on international trade. Subsequently, the second chapter's focus will be on the direct, indirect and intermediate export modes, by analyzing their essential and strategic features. Then, the third part will investigate the main techniques of data gathering in order to forecast and manage risks and opportunities of internationalization. Finally, this elaboration will include an empirical analysis conducted by the thesis' author through some personal interviews about the role of Buying Offices in supporting Italian exporting companies. These interviews will clarify and explain the importance of these specific intermediaries in exporting abroad Made-in-Italy products.