A Study on the Strategies of European Retailers: The Tesco Experience
Authors:   Asia-Europe Perspective Association, Chung Wol-Soon 
Published: June 2018

The purpose of this article is to identify the characteristics of a global strategy of European retailers, this study has researched the Tesco(U.K.) which is the relatively newcomer in internationalization but has succeeded by thorough globalization except basicpart. In this study the following features were identified.
First, the initial internationalization is into Europe and other developed countries, but in recent years due to the limited growth of European retailers, remarkably extending to the Asia even though distance and culture differences. To learn the uniqueness of the Asian countries, testing the countries which have a relatively low operating cost and a easy surrounding of sales. Such an approach shows high country risk in many ways to European retailers in Asia Market.
Second, it is the difference of entry way. Tesco has extended its branches by acquisition or merger of well-know local retailers at once. After entering the local market, it has been grown rapidly by taking over local retailers continuously. Meanwhile other European retailers, like Carrefour, founded a local subsidiary and established branches by themselves which is called self entry.
Third, it is an entry type of business condition. Initial type of internationalization was a specialty store, having strong brand, for less risk. Then the large retail stores, handling food and etc, were getting more popular and had been branched out especially in Asia. However advancing in developed type for each business as well as large retail store, rapid globalization of retailing conducted since 1990, to fit the local. In the case of Tesco, late comer in overseas expansion, starting with Hungary in 1994 by large store then developing store type to fit the local and branched it out.
Finally, it is a business strategy combining globalization with localization. Many global retailers prefer to use management system which is made in their country in overseas markets as the standardization. It is to maximizing advantage of standardization strategy. But there are many failed cases due to special circumstances such as customer's behavior pattern and business custom which are difficult to overcome. So Tesco is taking a combination method, adapting the management system from head office as globalization and fitting the local market as a glocalization.
The feature of the global management of European retailers such as Tesco teach us that global retailer's management know-how from own country can't be global standard. So retailers need to make use of the specialty, not to ignore the local environment. This research about the European retailers gives a big suggestion to Korean retailers. The Korean retailer also has advanced abroad as a large store since 1990, but not very exciting the status and its growth in overseas markets is a very dull state. Increasing branches is very important to retailer due to the economy of scale, through a chain, after overseas expansion. However Korean retailers are faced with difficulties competing with many global companies. To demonstrate this theory and research is needed constantly. Therefore, this study shall be an active catalyst for the research on overseas expansion of the retailers.