Alice in Wonderland, as a Model of Internationalization of

Business

(Lewis Carroll’s version, not (Lewis Carroll’s version, not Disney’s) Disney’s)

Alice is a bit of a Twit, with no real worries, and a bit bored, yet

intrigued by challenges.

She is listening to her She is listening to her sister read.sister read.

She is bored with her She is bored with her present state.present state.

She wishes something She wishes something interesting would happeninteresting would happen

She is open for new She is open for new opportunities, if they don’t opportunities, if they don’t require too much effort.require too much effort.

Alice is attracted by a funny, running rabbit

““Alice was beginning to get Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do…she was having nothing to do…she was considering in her own mind considering in her own mind whether the pleasure of whether the pleasure of making a daisy chain would be making a daisy chain would be worth the trouble of getting up worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daises, when and picking the daises, when suddenly a White Rabbit with suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her.”pink eyes ran close by her.”

Source: 2004 version of “Alice inSource: 2004 version of “Alice inWonderland,” G.Helderbrandt illustrator.Wonderland,” G.Helderbrandt illustrator.By Courage Press, Philadelphia, Pa.By Courage Press, Philadelphia, Pa.

Like a Company, seeking new markets, Alice was somehow attracted to the funny rabbit.

“ “Alice started to her feet, for it flashed across her Alice started to her feet, for it flashed across her mind that she had never before seen a rabbit with mind that she had never before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of it, and burning with curiosity, she ran across the it, and burning with curiosity, she ran across the field after it and fortunately was just in time to see it field after it and fortunately was just in time to see it pop down a large rabbit hole under the hedge.”pop down a large rabbit hole under the hedge.”

Reasons for a company going international often Reasons for a company going international often arise from the same non-rational interests.arise from the same non-rational interests.

Alice is attracted, by curiosity, to unknown difficulty

““The rabbit hole went The rabbit hole went straight on like a tunnel straight on like a tunnel for some ways, and then for some ways, and then dipped suddenly down, so dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that Alice had suddenly that Alice had not a moment to think not a moment to think about stopping herself about stopping herself before she found herself before she found herself falling down a very deep falling down a very deep well.”well.”

Then, The Falling into “another” world

“ “In another moment down In another moment down went Alice after it, never went Alice after it, never once considering how in once considering how in the world she was to get the world she was to get out again.”out again.”

(This is not unlike the way in(This is not unlike the way in

which firms decide to enterwhich firms decide to enter

International markets.)International markets.)

Finding exciting visions, that appear inaccessible

Through a small doorwayThrough a small doorwayAlice saw – Alice saw –

“…“…the loveliest garden the loveliest garden you ever saw. How she you ever saw. How she longed to get out of that longed to get out of that dark hall, and wander dark hall, and wander among those beds of bright among those beds of bright flowers and those cool flowers and those cool fountains, but she could fountains, but she could not even get her head not even get her head through the doorway.”through the doorway.”

Then, technology was discovered, which could help Alice to become “right-sized”

Technology promises to Technology promises to help manage all problems help manage all problems and potentials.and potentials.

After drinking the curious After drinking the curious technology, Alice became technology, Alice became the “right size” to pass the “right size” to pass through a small doorway, through a small doorway, but, alas, had forgotten to but, alas, had forgotten to pick up the key as she pick up the key as she changed to being smaller.changed to being smaller.

Her problem continued, Her problem continued, but changed.but changed.

Alice thus has to seek another “technical fix” to access paradise

After experimenting After experimenting with another fix, to with another fix, to become larger, Alice become larger, Alice got so big she couldn’t got so big she couldn’t movemove

Finding the “right Finding the “right size” is a continuous size” is a continuous challenge for all challenge for all entities. entities.

Self-generated Dilemmas

Thus, Alice began to cry Thus, Alice began to cry from some sadness and from some sadness and much frustration, thereby much frustration, thereby generating a flood that generating a flood that almost drowned her and almost drowned her and others.others.

After some very “dry” After some very “dry” lectures by a consultant, lectures by a consultant, things seem to dry down things seem to dry down and get better, except she and get better, except she had no idea what was had no idea what was being said. being said.

Lacking rules in the international arena Alice suspends Reason and

turns to Experience

““Speak English, said Speak English, said the Eaglet, ‘I don’t the Eaglet, ‘I don’t know the meaning of know the meaning of half those long works, half those long works, and, what’s more, I and, what’s more, I don’t believe you do don’t believe you do either.”either.”

““The best way to The best way to explain it is to do it,” explain it is to do it,” said the Dodo. said the Dodo.

Managing the Size Problem ‘‘Who are you?’ said the Who are you?’ said the

Caterpillar.Caterpillar. Alice replied, rather shyly, ‘I – I Alice replied, rather shyly, ‘I – I

hardly know, sir, just at present hardly know, sir, just at present – at least I know who I was – at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but when I got up this morning, but I think I must have changed I think I must have changed several times since then.’several times since then.’

‘‘What do you mean by that?’ What do you mean by that?’ said the Caterpillar sternly, said the Caterpillar sternly, ‘Explain yourself!’‘Explain yourself!’

‘‘I can’t explain myself, I’m I can’t explain myself, I’m afraid, sir,’ said Alice, ‘because afraid, sir,’ said Alice, ‘because I’m not myself, you see.’I’m not myself, you see.’

New Rules, Chaos, and New Problems

“ “There was no ‘One, two, three, and away,’ There was no ‘One, two, three, and away,’ but they began running when they liked, but they began running when they liked, and left off when they liked, so that it was and left off when they liked, so that it was not easy to know when the race was over. not easy to know when the race was over. However, when they had been running half However, when they had been running half an hour or so, and were quite dry again, the an hour or so, and were quite dry again, the Dodo suddenly called out ‘The race is Dodo suddenly called out ‘The race is over!’ and they all crowded around, over!’ and they all crowded around, panting, and asking, ‘Who has won?’ ”panting, and asking, ‘Who has won?’ ”

New Rules of the Road

“ “Alice thought she had Alice thought she had never seen such a curious never seen such a curious croquet-ground in her croquet-ground in her life; the balls were life; the balls were hedgehogs, the mallets hedgehogs, the mallets live flamingoes, and the live flamingoes, and the soldiers had to double soldiers had to double themselves up and stand themselves up and stand on their hands and feet to on their hands and feet to make arches.”make arches.”

Strangeness Continues to Grow “ ‘ “ ‘Cheshire Puss,’ she began, Cheshire Puss,’ she began,

rather timidly, as she did not rather timidly, as she did not at all know whether it would at all know whether it would like the name. ‘Would you like the name. ‘Would you tell me, please, which way I tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’ought to go from here?’

‘ ‘That depends a good deal on That depends a good deal on where you want to go to,’ said where you want to go to,’ said the Cat. the Cat.

‘ ‘I don’t much care where – ‘ I don’t much care where – ‘ said Alice. said Alice.

‘ ‘Then is doesn’t matter which Then is doesn’t matter which way you go,’ said the Cat.”way you go,’ said the Cat.”

And grows …

“ ‘“ ‘so long as I get somewhere,’ Alice added as an explanation.so long as I get somewhere,’ Alice added as an explanation.‘‘Oh, you’re sure to do that,’ said the Cat, ‘if you only walk Oh, you’re sure to do that,’ said the Cat, ‘if you only walk

long enough.’long enough.’Alice felt that this could not be denied, so she tried another Alice felt that this could not be denied, so she tried another

question. ‘What sort of people live here?’question. ‘What sort of people live here?’‘‘In that direction,’ the Cat said, waving its right paw round, In that direction,’ the Cat said, waving its right paw round,

‘lives a Hatter. And in that direction,’ waving the other paw, ‘lives a Hatter. And in that direction,’ waving the other paw, ‘lives the March Hare. They’re both mad.’‘lives the March Hare. They’re both mad.’

But I don’t want to go among mad people,’ Alice remarked. But I don’t want to go among mad people,’ Alice remarked. ‘Oh, you can’t help that. We’re all mad here.’ said the Cat, ‘Oh, you can’t help that. We’re all mad here.’ said the Cat, and vanished.”and vanished.”

Until, Alice wakes up in the “normal,” but can she forget the

attractions of the unusual?‘‘Oh, I’ve had such a curiousOh, I’ve had such a curiousdream!” said Alice. She told herdream!” said Alice. She told hersister, as well as she couldsister, as well as she couldremember, all these strangeremember, all these strangeAdventures of hers that youAdventures of hers that youhave just been reading about, have just been reading about, and when she had finished, herand when she had finished, hersister kissed her, and said, ‘Itsister kissed her, and said, ‘Itwas a curious dream, dear,was a curious dream, dear,certainly, but now run in tocertainly, but now run in toyour tea; it’s getting late.’your tea; it’s getting late.’

Adjusting to the Normal

““So Alice got up and ran So Alice got up and ran off, thinking while she off, thinking while she ran, as well she might, ran, as well she might, what a wonderful what a wonderful dream it had been.”dream it had been.”

THE ENDTHE END