Entering ASEAN: A Strategic Approach for Polymer Engineering Firms. “How has Trelleborg AB entered the ASEAN market through experiential knowledge, network influence, and by having a competitive advantage?”

Abstract

This thesis explores how Swedish polymer engineering firm Trelleborg AB has entered and expanded into the ASEAN region through experiential knowledge, network influence and by sustaining a competitive advantage. ASEAN continues to emerge as a strategic region driven by trade liberalization, industrial diversification and digital development, polymer engineering firms face both opportunities and challenges upon entry. Using a qualitative, case-based approach with semi-structured interviews and triangulated data, the study examines Trelleborg AB’s internationalization in ASEAN. Anchored in the Uppsala models (1977:2009), the Resource-Based View, and the VRIN framework the research identifies how Trelleborg AB has managed cultural and institutional distances by gradually building market knowledge and embedding itself into stable regional networks. The study finds that Trelleborg AB began in Singapore, a stable and low-psychic-distance market, before incrementally expanding into more complex countries. Local partnerships, industry trust and use of intermediaries helped mitigate the liability of outsidership and navigate bureaucracy. Furthermore, Trelleborg AB’s competitive advantage was grounded in its rare technological capabilities which were adapted to fit each local market. The study contributes insights into how polymer engineering firms can develop long-term market positions in ASEAN, a practical framework for similar firms seeking to internationalize in the region.