Exploring channel internalization among Spanish exporters

The internalizing of export operations inside the firm is examined with data from 2,264 Spanish exporters. An interpretive framework for understanding the channel integration decision is designed and tested. Results confirm that a higher proportion of firms decide to externalize their export marketing activities in the marketplace versus keeping them inside the firm. Additionally, some hypotheses related to the selection of the optimal level of channel integration in the international arena are also empirically tested. The results also suggest some, potentially fruitful areas for future, research.