Data collection and analysis

The research design of this study is based on the case study literatures by Yin (2003, 2009) and Gerring & McDermott (2007). According to Yin (2003), a research design is “the logical sequence that connects the empirical data to a study’s initial research questions and ultimately, to its conclusions”, dealing with at least four issues: what questions to study, what data are relevant, what data to collect, and how to analyse the results. The chapter will describe the research design of this study and discuss about the data gathering for this thesis and the analysis process.

3.2.1. Data gathering and analysis

In the selection process of potential case firms, there are no industry requirements applied and firms can be any from various business sectors. The requirements used in this master’s thesis though face challenges in finding adequate study cases. The first requirement is the case firms must be originated from Finland. The motives behind are (1) it is assumed to be important to study the phenomenon in Finnish context with local companies and thus the study results could contribute to local enterprises; and (2) many local firms participating practical courses from the Master program at University of Eastern Finland require tasks of building business model and preliminary market research for foreign markets from students, most firms have been doing international business; this inspires to find ways to support firms in internationalization.

Thus, the second requirement is that potential case firms are SMEs. As mentioned earlier in the introduction, SMEs have number of employees between 10 and 250 and its turnover of below 50 million Euros or balance sheet total is below 43 million Euros (EU Commission 2003). The

researcher believes study on SMEs will better benefit the government and managers in practice;

and contribute to academic research because SMEs are assumed to cost more resources to study and generalize their activities.

The third requirement is the international business involvement to fit the theoretical framework of this study. Though networks have been widely accepted to have significant roles in firms’ market selection and market entry mode decisions, the study shall focus on how firms manage the international business after entering foreign markets by using and exploiting business network.

The final requirement is that selected cases are manufacturing enterprises. The motive originates from the researcher’s strong interest in manufacturing companies with the belief that physical products contribute to sustainable development of the economy. The thesis is aimed to provide managers at manufacturing enterprises with more detailed roles of networks in international business and a pathway to develop their networking to eliminate export challenges and gain achievements.

Generally, searching and selection of manufacturing SMEs remain not difficult as the region has many firms with physical products and doing international business. The researcher also advises the courses in cooperation with firms at Business School of University of Eastern Finland. The searching process started from Kuopio Chamber of Commerce. Then, all the information was collected from potential case firms by using the Internet, public reports and different media sources.

The most potential cases are recognized also by their webpages’ display language as one requirement is to already involve in international business, therefore the display language is preferably English.

After the selection process, ten firms were left and their interests towards this study had to be ensured. Background information of each firms was acquired carefully via the public resources as mentioned. The target interviewees are salespeople and/or sales managers whose numbers and emails are usually provided on their companies’ websites. The initial approach to human resources department managers did not bring any results despite many tries via email and LinkedIn. Phone calls were made, and emails were sent with the brief introduction of study purpose and explanation of interview design; convenient time for interviews was appointed. Unsurprisingly, the most challenging part of the data collection process was so-called “cold calling” to the firms’ people.

However, the interviewees show their understanding and interest in the topic and willingness to participate interviews.

The first phone call with the firm A went through very smoothly because I got recommendation from one friend who worked with their firm before. With the firm B, I could not reach the sales manager via phone, but the email, in which he first rejected participating the study with the reason that he would not work at the firm B soon. After few emails trying to persuade him that I felt sorry to hear about his quitting the job and still hoped to have his share about international business, he agreed to have the interview with me. The first date for interview was cancelled during his client visit, but we finally arranged a good schedule for the interview. The interviews with two sales managers from firm C were accepted and arranged with no trouble since my friend who worked as a trainee there gave me endorsement.

The four interviews were set with four sales managers at three firms. Due to their work schedules, lots of time was allowed for the planning process and then actual interviews. The interviews generally lasted for about one hour which mainly focused on variants needed for the study (See appendix 1). Each interview session was planned separately and started with brief descriptions of their work roles and how international business has been at their companies. All the interviews were recorded with permission by the interviewees at the beginning of each interview. The lettering process was one of the most arduous parts executed by recurrent listening and handwriting in total of 10 pages. After the lettering was finished, the analysis process was ready to start. Firstly, a good understanding of the case firms is a necessity before analysing the data, which required understanding basic characteristics of firms’ products, going through their website and social channels.

On the grounds of lettering, synthesis and labelling in themes are important to avoid repeated results or sub-contents. Coding is part of the process. All the interviews were read over and over again in numerous times, the common, similar words, lines and texts that related to research questions, theoretical framework were highlighted for later analysis. The empirical analysis and results were written in narrative method in combination of illustration and induction. Lastly, the results of the empirical analysis were written in line with answering research questions and evaluating study propositions in both inductive and deductive methods.

3.2.2. Unit of analysis

The unit of analysis discuss about the actual cases of this master’s thesis and then explains what the actual research object is. Networking and export challenges are the main themes of this study, but the research questions reveal actual objects that will be focused on. The unit of analysis is involved with general definition, persons included, geographic area and time boundaries (Yin 2014, 31-34). This master’s thesis will follow this recommendation and therefore begin with the generation of the unit of analysis in this master’s thesis.

Four case firms have been selected carefully to represent Finnish manufacturing small/medium-sized firms which have been operating export activities, and their networking will be under investigation in the sense of influencing export challenges. Therefore, the general definition consists of these manufacturing export firms. The first research question deepens the development of networking process, which means thorough sight into how relationships interact. The second research question considers the whole role of the network happenings over challenges in international business when salespeople are already able to reach their potential customers. So, the general definition for the unit of analysis consists of all factors relating to firms A, B, C networking development and its influence in international business activities after market entry.

The research topic, propositions and questions require holistic and long-term knowledge of the firms’ networking operations to recognize effects on export challenges. The interviews emphasize on salespeople and their experiences in developing networks and views on changes in possible export obstacles. Again, the sales managers or salespeople were interviewed because they could provide the best situations and reviews on international business in these firms. The interview sessions were planned to keep efficient and scheduled to interrupt these sales managers as little as possible but gaining adequate achievements for the study.

The study is aimed at manufacturing SMEs networking in the sight of overcoming challenges in international business. Clearly there were not any particular limitations considering a geographic focus, but the geographic situation of the researcher would prefer the potential interview cases in the region and nearby ones. Similarly, the time boundaries were flexible that the number of years in international business, firm ages, and so on were not settled. The four interviews were held in October and November 2019.

The research topic and questions require in-depth knowledge of firms’ networking operation and perceptions of export challenges while networking. Therefore, the most suitable people to disclose the best information of those matters were sales managers/ salespeople who directly involve in networking and operating business in foreign markets. Each interview lasted approximately one hour.