Cooperating for Competing - A Small Italian Wineries Internationalization Strategy Case Study

The Italian wine sector is dominated by small businesses which are increasingly driven to venture into international markets as a matter of growth, or even survival. This research aims to investigate whether it is possible to successfully develop and implement collective strategies of internationalisation for small wineries; and to identify and define the main potential factors of cohesion of such collaborations. The research demonstrates that collective strategies of internationalisation for small wineries are not only possible, but also far-sighted. In addition, the work identifies the promotion of the region as one of the most important factors of cohesion; with relevant implications, both scientific and managerial. The research is case-study based and exploratory, and bears significant value through the provision of both descriptive and prescriptive direction of both scholarly and managerial worth; pertaining to organisational management/strategy/marketing, but also to a more comprehensive collaborative context involving regional and other stakeholders.