International Entrepreneurship Essay

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1.

Introduction

With the globalization of the world economies, individuals, businesses, and corporations both at
the local and international levels have leveraged on the economic model of comparative
advantage through the provision of solutions to the gaps in the market economy by using
organizational skills such as planning, coordinating and controlling (Anand et al., 2021). One of
such individuals is “Jeff Bezos” who in his bid to provide solution to the gaps in technology in
the market economy established “Amazon” an online retail store (Furgang, 2018).

As an international entrepreneur Jeff Bezos actively searched out for and engaged in a novel and
innovative economic operation beyond national lines through the creation of an online retail
store (Stone, 2021)." As an international entrepreneur, Jeff Bezos extending commercial
operations globally through means such as importing and reselling from foreign suppliers,
opening new retail locations, or acquiring complementary companies (Synder et al., 2022). In
terms of international entrepreneurship, Jeff Bezos was oriented toward the discovery,
enactment, evaluation, and exploitation of opportunities across national borders to create value
and get a competitive advantage (Stone, 2021).

Drawing from this operationalized definitions of international entrepreneur and entrepreneurship


this essay intends to assess theoretical underpinnings on internationalization of Amazon under
the leadership of Jeff Bezos.

2. Background Information on Jeff Bezos

American businessman Jeff Bezos (born Jeffrey Preston Bezos on January 12, 1964 in
Albuquerque, New Mexico) is known for his online retail giant Amazon (Stone, 2021). He
started the online bookseller Amazon.com, which has subsequently branched out to sell a wide
variety of products, and serves as its Chief Executive Officer (Burfeind, 2019). Regarding Jeff
Bezos's early life and profession, he founded the Dream Institute while still a high school student
(Stone, 2021). This place of business was a hub for inspiring originality in young minds. After
earning degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from Princeton in 1986, he tried
his hand at a few different professions before landing a job in 1990 with the New York
investment firm D.E. Shaw & Co (Furgang, 2018). He earned diplomas in both computer science
and electrical engineering from Princeton University (Burfeind, 2019). Bezos quickly rose
through the ranks, becoming the youngest senior vice president in the company's history, and
being tasked with scouting out Internet-related investment prospects (Stone, 2021).

The fact that Internet use was increasing at a rate of more than 2,000 percent a year sparked his
entrepreneurial spirit because of its enormous potential (Furgang, 2018). A former employee of
D.E. Shaw, he left his job and moved to Seattle, Washington, where he started an internet
bookstore in 1994. Working out of his garage with a handful of employees, Bezos first developed
the website's software (Tongkachok et al., 2022). The first book was sold by Amazon in July of
1995; the company was called after a river in South America (Burfeind, 2019; Stone, 2021).

In terms of product and service sales, distribution, and promotion, Amazon has arrived at a
watershed moment as one of the leading online merchants (Beser et al., 2022). It originally
operated as an online bookstore but has now broadened its product offerings to include video
games, electronics, clothing, footwear, jewelry, books, kitchenware, toiletries, pet supplies, and
even groceries (Dube, 2022). In addition to its worldwide reach, Amazon also makes use of
regional portals and a worldwide network of delivery and logistical hubs to conduct business
today. For Amazon, this means doing business everywhere in the world (Kenney and Zysman,
2022). Amazon's global expansion has been possible because to the company's clever use of
digital channels for advertising, buying, selling, distribution, and logistics. The company's efforts
were crucial to the achievement of these results. Because of this, it has gained a substantial
advantage in the global e-commerce sector. Their operational, business, and corporate strategy
provides them with advantages that have helped them build an impressive performance portfolio,
which many of their rivals have tried to replicate.

To put it succinctly, the company may have been successful because it implemented a strategy of
concentric diversification (Dube, 2022). This is reflected in their business and corporate strategy,
which is focused on maximizing customer value while keeping costs low through a combination
of technical expertise and a cost leadership approach. That much is obvious from observing how
they conduct business and run their corporation.
3. Drivers and motivation of Jeff Bezos for the creation of Amazon

Amazon has grown from its humble retail beginnings to become a global powerhouse (Aboulafia
et al., 2021). Currently, its internet marketers account for almost 50% of all e-commerce
businesses. Amazon started out selling books, but once it established itself, it branched out into
other markets, including those for media, consumer electronics, and children's products (Lisdorf,
2021). Eventually, Amazon introduced the Kindle, and the company found its niche (Jelassi and
Martínez-López, 2020). In terms of business transitioning, Amazon has evolved in its
operationalization to include delivery fleet, transform into a publishing and media powerhouse,
produce its own line of mobile devices, and perhaps even offer 3D printing services (West et al.,
2022). Amazon Web Services is a cloud computing service used not just by major enterprises but
also by the US federal government and even NASA (Jelassi and Martínez-López, 2020). A major
driver and motivation for Bezos as he embarked on his journey on international entrepreneurship
was his optimism about the company's future and his anticipation of lots of new prospects,
innovations, and possibilities (Aboulafia et al., 2021).

Amazon has used its own management principles from its founding, whether to come up with
ideas for new projects or to figure out the best way to resolve an issue (Jelassi and Martínez-
López, 2020). Some of the principles that Amazon operates under include: customer service,
responsibility, the ability to invent and simplify, the leader's constant concern to learn, curiosity,
promotion of the best, adoption of the highest standards, long-term thinking, initiative, resource
economy, intense study of any problem, determination, and employment (Aboulafia et al., 2021).

The concept of the path model, which uses a goal as a tool for the formation of an organization's
culture, is generally attributed to Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon and founder of the company's style
of working (Stone, 2021). His efforts are focused on expanding the business and satisfying its
clientele (Lisdorf, 2021). He is a risk-taking, imaginative leader who believes in elevating his
people' sense of value through charismatic management (Aboulafia et al., 2021). Jeff Bezos is a
master of transformational leadership, and he is using his influence to get others to think beyond
their immediate needs and make a difference in the world (Furgang, 2018). To increase the
company's worth, he uses his persuasive skills to win over the staff and encourage more active
participation (Jelassi and Martínez-López, 2020). Plus, he is quite skilled at making decisions
based on evidence that exists in market trends.
During the process of building the product portfolio, the decision was made to construct what
was widely regarded as the best media content reader in the world in 2004 (Stone, 2021).
Instantly, under the brand name Kindle, a handheld electronic gadget was introduced that aimed
to make digital libraries the new standard for reading books (Lisdorf, 2021). Electronic books,
newspapers, periodicals, and other digital material can be purchased from the Kindle shop,
downloaded to a user's device, and read wirelessly (Stone, 2021). The Amazon Lab126 hardware
platform has grown from its single-device beginnings in 2007 to include multiple devices
(Aboulafia et al., 2021). Electronic readers, e-paper displays, and the Kindle program for
personal computers are all examples of such gadgets. This store offers over 6 million unique e-
books (Furgang, 2018). Soon after the release of the Kindle, Amazon personnel in Silicon Valley
and Cambridge, Massachusetts, set up shop at Lab126 to begin developing Echo products
(Jelassi and Martínez-López, 2020).

By releasing this device, Amazon made one of its first attempts to expand its product line beyond
the Kindle e-reader (Lisdorf, 2021). The Amazon Echo line of smart speakers is commonly
known by its trademark, "Alexa " to access voice interaction, play music, make to-do lists, set
alarms, play audiobooks, and listen to podcasts, users can link their devices to the smart support
service (Jelassi and Martínez-López, 2020). Weather, traffic, and other current events are also
some of the topics covered by the service (Aboulafia et al., 2021). In addition, it can act as a
central control point for a wide variety of home-based smart technologies (Stone, 2021). Online
purchasing, where purchases are made with a single mouse click, is another innovative step
ahead (Furgang, 2018). Amazon's new service allows customers to buy anything with a single
mouse click (Lisdorf, 2021). Customers used to have to fill out the traditional shopping cart
form that requested details like their name, address, and payment method (Furgang, 2018).

In December 2014, Amazon Prime Now made its debut in certain parts of New York City (Jelassi
and Martínez-López, 2020). For an additional charge, Prime members may get their products
delivered in an hour, and for no extra charge, in two hours (Furgang, 2018). More than 25,000
items have been offered on Amazon Prime Now since it launched in 2014 (Lisdorf, 2021fU).
Apparel, home decor, and even food (via the Whole Foods Market) is all on offer (Aboulafia et
al., 2021). Amazon's latest initiative is called Prime Air, and it's a service that might drastically
alter the trajectory of e-commerce in the future (Jelassi and Martínez-López, 2020). Customers
will be able to have their orders delivered by drones in as little as one clicks and as little as thirty
minutes, with the drones taking off immediately after the order is placed (Stone, 2021). There's a
30-minute cap on delivery times (Furgang, 2018). Some of the most important factors that the
founder of Amazon has highlighted as crucial to the development of his own business are as
follows:

 Putting the client first through incessant research into their wants and requirements and
coming up with novel solutions is a key component of a customer-centric business model.
 Resource conservation and savings.
 Creating a unique operational system for Amazon.
 The ability to plan strategically and ambitiously for both long and short term.
 Risk-taking to encourage an attitude of independence and initiative (Furnang 2018; Beser
et al., 2022).

4. Barriers/enablers for your chosen International Entrepreneurship and Amazon

Multi-sided markets' competitive climate is regulated by a number of factors, which presents


both a challenge and an opportunity for Jeff Bezos. Some of the most crucial ones include
capacity restrictions, differentiation, multi-homing potential, economies of scale, and network
effects (Furnang 2018).

Due to the high expenses of transportation, holding and storage facilities, supplier agreements,
and early creation of the infrastructure, entering the online retail industry is not for the faint of
heart (Stone, 2021). Traditional supply chain partners are having problems establishing trust,
sharing information and capital resources, and transitioning from business models centered on
large, slow-moving merchants to leaner, more responsive models (Gawer, 2021). Leaders like
Jeff Bezos that have adopted lean, agile, and automated practices are better equipped to shift
inventory than their competitors (Furnang 2018). Management and regulation are another
problem area in the online retail sector (Gawer, 2021). Because of the importance of adaptability
to business, it's essential that entrepreneurs have the freedom to alter their organizational culture,
power structure, and level of participation in decision making (Stone, 2021). Entrepreneurial
leaders can only adopt a nimbler, "fail to succeed" mindset if they provide their employees ample
latitude to make decisions and support for their creative endeavors (Gawer, 2021).
When entrepreneurial leaders work together with other companies, they can turn obstacles into
possibilities. It is difficult for stores to adapt to the multi-channel shopping environment because
they lack the expertise of technology service providers. Amazon acquired a software company
that focuses on the development of robotics instruments, and these tools are now being used all
over the company's supply chain (Gawer, 2021). Another challenge arises because pricing goods
at a discount is no longer a viable approach in the age of retail and the digital industry revolution
(Furnang 2018).

Owing to this, the online retail sector has offered entrepreneurs like Jeff Bezos are tasked with
providing their customers with novel experiences, customized branding, the flexibility to
purchase from any device, and a convenient pick-up and delivery option inside their supply
networks (Stone, 2021). Thus, as an international entrepreneur, Jeff Bezos through his leadership
in Amazon has developed tactics and tools to enhance retail supply. Technologies like Customer-
Prompt Feedback (CPFR), Efficient Consumer Response (ECR), Radio-Frequency Identification
(RFID), and machine learning are examples of solutions that will enhance the customer
experience (Gawer, 2021). While consumers benefit from these innovations, retailers and
wholesalers also stand to benefit from the increased access to timely data they enable (Furnang
2018).

In view of the foregoing, Jeff Bezos knew he had to give Amazon a global strategy if it was to
continue to lead the area of online retailing around the world (Stone, 2021). These tactics ought
to revolve around giving customers exactly what they want, wiping out entire retail industries,
and flipping entire economic sectors on their heads, beginning with consumer electronics and
going on to web services and software, healthcare, and beyond, one competitor at a time
(Furnang 2018). The success of the proposed Amazon international business model depends on
meeting the requirements outlined below:

 The Role of Culture in Economic Growth Amazon needs to be ready to adopt a culture
that values diversity and change management alongside creativity, openness, and risk-
taking (Stone, 2021). This culture also needs to be receptive to change and novel
concepts. Because of these characteristics, it can quickly implement strategic plans and
other vital resources in response to changes in the market's driving factors (Furnang
2018). Values like teamwork, openness, and the motivation to question the status quo
should be strongly recognized and rewarded in the workplace (Gawer, 2021). Amazon
has been able to commit a considerable amount of their business strategy to social
responsibility problems.
 Jeff Bezos in a bid to improve service delivery fortified Amazons warehouses and
logistics by taking advantage of its competitive edge in the worldwide market (Stone,
2021). Because of this, expenses, interactions, and complexity were reduced, and delivery
times can be shortened (Furnang 2018). Acquiring complementary companies is one way
to fix fundamental problems and remove major roadblocks to breaking into international
markets (Gawer, 2021).
 By incorporating "voice of the customer" data collection into major strategic choices and
creating goods and services that are tailored to fulfil the requirements that are identified,
Jeff Bezos has over the years improved the input it receives from customers and moved
closer to a customer-centric approach (Stone, 2021).
 Amazon through the administration of Jeff Bezos has made an effort to adopt and set the
standard for embracing simple, easy-to-use technologies and error-proofing tactics like
drone delivery and artificial intelligence (Furnang, 2018). Jeff Bezos also adopted and set
the standard for adopting error-proofing solutions that are straightforward and simple to
implement (Gawer, 2021). High availability and uptime can only be ensured with
meticulous planning and execution (Stone, 2021). This was essential for breakdowns of
machinery be eliminated or at least greatly reduced in his international entrepreneurship
journey.

5. Type of internationalization applied by Jeff Bezos

Internationalization theory is frequently considered to be the primary theory utilized in research


on multinational corporations (Stone, 2021). In terms of Jeff Bezos, the Network approach to
internationalization was adopted in the operational management and expansion of Amazon. This
is because it places an emphasis on internal structure, network capabilities, alternative
governance choices, and interdependencies among geographically dispersed economic actors
(Klatt, 2022). When viewed in their entirety, these factors contribute to effective transaction
management as well as a solid fit between the distinctive capabilities of a company and the
external situations it faces (Furnang, 2018). Although the United States, Western Europe, and
Japan have been major influences on internationalization theories, the experience of
multinational corporations (MNCs) from developing countries has been of interest as a way to
broaden research (Dumaine, 2020). This is because MNCs from developing countries are more
likely to have been exposed to international markets (Stone, 2021). It is claimed that, in contrast
to their counterparts in industrialized countries, economic and political factors contribute in
equal measure to their success on a global scale.

Previous research has shown that FSAs are predicated on traits including entrepreneurial agility,
flexibility, sensitivity, and expertise working in situations with a wide range of problems (Bezos
and Isaacson, 2020). Not only that, but it's possible that the brand and the technology, if they
exist at all, weren't created through the usual channels of marketing and in-house research and
development (Stone, 2021). Joint ventures between MNCs headquartered in developed and those
in emerging economies remain a key means by which EMNE partners can acquire technological
know-how and established brand (Stone. 2021).

However, they use this expanded global profile as a springboard to:

 Invest in long-term resources to make up for skill deficits;


 Overcome catch-up disadvantages;
 Take advantage of the commercial opportunities available in the markets of other
countries;
 Lessen institutional and commercial restrictions at home while navigating around
commercial roadblocks in developed markets; and
 The acquisition of strategic assets will strengthen our ability to compete against foreign
`foes (Bezos and Isaacson, 2020).

In other words, they systematically and repeatedly exploit international expansion to improve
their competitiveness on the global stage, reduce their dependence on weak or lagging domestic
institutions, and enhance their ability to create novel advantages at home and abroad (Gradinaru
et al., 2020).

Succinctly, it is important to note that Jeff Bezos, a worldwide entrepreneur, used the Platform
Business Model to establish Amazon where it is now in the online retail sector (Bezos and
Isaacson, 2020). This approach takes advantage of both online and offline channels, including
sales, content creation, problem solving, distribution, and retail.

6. Conclusion

International entrepreneurship as a personal and institutional activity represents an important


factor of economic growth with addressability, especially to the young peoples who are creative,
because they can capitalize on the experiences identified in the market and takes risks. This essay
applied a benchmarking on Jeff Bezos life as an international entrepreneur to analyze the
attractiveness of business activities anchored on simple and efficient type of service, designed to
strike a balance between operational efficiency, profit maximization, and business sustainability.
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