Barriers to International Marketing

Given more than five decades of research on barriers to international marketing, evolving through shifting global dynamics, this chapter aims to enhance understanding of these barriers by presenting a framework that classifies barriers according to their internal and external sources and at strategic and operational levels. A set of managerial interventions are then characterized that each serve to mitigate or overcome international marketing barrier types emphasizing proactive or reactive strategies that can be employed. Finally, this chapter draws key implications for scholars and practitioners by offering a holistic approach, focusing not only on existing barriers, particularly those endogenous in nature, but also elaborating on emerging challenges that are exogenous and multifaceted, driven by systemic forces such as digitalization, sustainability imperatives, and geopolitical instability.