The international business incubator as a foreign market entry mode

Foreign market entry for the firm is often a more complex process than suggested by theoretical models, which can often benefit from re-contextualising and extension in order to retain their explanatory power. In this article, case study research shows how an international business incubator in China, operated by a British export promotion organisation is able to facilitate the foreign market entry of firms. The findings provide an opportunity to highlight a hitherto under-researched method of foreign market entry, explore the synergies between the foreign market entry and business incubation literature and also to extend theory by integrating the role of the business incubator as a method of foreign market entry into existing models and frameworks.