Offshore Expansion: How to Create International Success

According to conventional wisdom, Malaysian company Ta Ann Holdings Berhad should never have succeeded in its expansion to Tasmania, where it established two veneer mills. Existing models of "internationalising success"– when companies establish profitable overseas ventures – say internal resources and capabilities are vital to offshore success. When Ta Ann expanded to Tasmania, it had neither: it was the company's first offshore move so it lacked international experience, and it didn't have massive resources. So why did a company like Ta Ann make it in Tasmania against the odds, and against conventional business thinking?