| dc.description.abstract | This research project was a case study which sought to establish the entry strategies used
by Atlas Copco Eastern Africa Ltd (ACEA) a Multinational Corporation, to enter into the
East African market. ACEA operates in 13 countries and its main business is supply of
equipment, installation and aftermarket support. It is structured in four main divisions
which include Compressor Technique, Construction Technique, Mining and Rock
Excavation Technique and Industrial Technique. The study used primary data which was
collected using an interview guide that had open-ended questions. The data was obtained
from the two top managers of ACEA who are in charge of running the business in the
region and also in charge of making and implementing key decisions in the operation of
the company. The interview guide was edited for completeness and consistency. Content
analysis was then used to analyse the respondents’ view on entry strategies used by the
company to enter into East African market and the findings were presented in a
continuous prose. The study found out that each division has a key role to play in the
overall strategy of market entry and sustenance in the region. It was found out that
divisions used different entry strategies to serve the region some overlapping each other.
The research found that the company has used entry strategies like Foreign Direct
Investments in form of wholly owned subsidiaries in countries like Kenya and Tanzania;
exporting in countries such as Somalia, Burundi, Rwanda; Joint Ventures in several
countries through strategic partnerships in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Madagascar, Uganda,
Eritrea and Sudan. The study concludes that ACEA has used more than one entry
strategies depending on the intentions of the company towards aspired control, challenges
offered by that market as well as the risks involved in operating in that market. | en |
