Internationalization In The Fashion Industry: The Zara Case

Based on models like the Uppsala model and on literature dealing with the ways of international market access, this article has as objective to show the process of internationalization of the spanish magazine Zara. The proposal has the goal of verifying the stages of internationalization and the distinct ways of entrance used in various countries where it operates. It is conduct an exploratory research with primary and secondary data including semi-structured interviews realized in Zara headquarter at Arteixo, and data of its internationalization process. The research, to recognition of market and compromising decisions, validates the Uppsala Model. In relation to the psychic distance, the enterprise follows the Uppsala Model, in the beginning of its process of internationalization, but the market relevance becomes more important with the process of internationalization and growth in the number of countries. The various formats, own subsidiaries, franchising, and joint ventures, are used to the Zara internationalization strategy in function of the importance, complexity or risk of the host country. As a conclusion, to Zara magazine, the Uppsala Model can be proved in its internationalization process and in the knowledge/compromising relation.