International Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability

International Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability

Developing a Process Model for the Internationalization of Marketing in Iraqi Companies: With a Focus on Market-Entry Strategies

Document Type : Case Study

Authors
Asma Gaseem Ghanem Alvahili 1
Mohammad Bashokouh Ajirlou 2
Hossein Rahimi kolour 3
Naser Seifollahi Anar 4
1 Ph.D. Student, Department of Business Management, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabili, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Business Management, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabili, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Department of Business Management, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabili, Iran
4 Professor, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
10.22034/ijumes.2026.2091241.1371
Abstract
The main aim of this research is to develop a process model for the internationalization of marketing in Iraqi companies, with a particular focus on market-entry strategies. Despite the expansion of the internationalization literature, localized models for economies with high institutional uncertainty, such as Iraq, remain limited. This study was conducted with a qualitative approach using the grounded-theory method (the systematic approach of Strauss and Corbin). Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 21 marketing managers, business owners, and internationalization experts of small and medium-sized Iraqi enterprises, and continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Data analysis using open, axial, and selective coding showed that the central phenomenon is “reducing uncertainty.” The extracted process model indicates that the internationalization of marketing in Iraqi companies is a gradual, network-based, risk-averse, and adaptive process. Firms mostly begin by relying on trust-based networks (kinship, tribal, diaspora, and local intermediaries), low-commitment entry (indirect and trial exports), and experiential learning, and, if successful, gradually increase their level of control and commitment. The main contextual factors include institutional–border uncertainty, financial and currency constraints, and logistical challenges. The key strategies include contingent adaptation of the marketing mix, strategic resilience (suspension, rerouting, and re-entry), and a gradual transition from intermediary-centricity to greater control. The findings show that, in the Iraqi context, internationalization is more survival-oriented than classically development-oriented. By presenting a context-based model, this research contributes to enriching the process theory of internationalization in turbulent environments and offers practical recommendations for Iraqi managers and policymakers.

Graphical Abstract

Developing a Process Model for the Internationalization of Marketing in Iraqi Companies: With a Focus on Market-Entry Strategies

Highlights

·         A grounded-theory process model of marketing internationalization in Iraq.

·         The central phenomenon is reducing uncertainty under institutional instability.

·         Firms enter via trust-based networks and low-commitment, reversible modes.

·         Commitment and control rise gradually through experiential learning.

·         In Iraq, internationalization is survival-oriented, not development-oriented.

Keywords
Grounded theory
institutional uncertainty
Iraqi companies
marketing internationalization
market-entry strategies
network-centricity
Uppsala model
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  • Receive Date 10 May 2026
  • Revise Date 15 June 2026
  • Accept Date 10 July 2026