Learning and Networking in Foreign-Market Entry of Service Firms

In 1968, the managing director of a British consulting company in Scandinavia started to develop an idea of how to increase sales with the help of IBM. The idea was developed from experience in selling management consulting services. However, cooperation with a hardware supplier opposed the policy of his company, which wanted to be as independent as possible. But the managing director stood by his view. In 1976, Data system was formed and Data system initiated a long-term cooperation with IBM, which has been reinforced in the meantime. Data system offers software, hardware and services to industrial customers, and is one of the world’s largest suppliers of IBM AS/400-based software and services. Of Data system’s total turnover, services make up about 75 per cent.