INTERNAL DEVELOPMENT DETERMINANTS OF POLISH COMPANIES IN THE USA: TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIES VS. NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify the internal development determinants of Polish companies in the USA, considering the character of their activity, i.e. splitting them into two business sectors traditional industries and new technologies. Methodology: The research has been conducted by sending by post and e-mail a standardised questionnaire to Polish companies that have undertaken foreign direct investment in the USA. As a result, 19 properly filled survey questionnaires were returned. Findings: The findings of the research indicated that Polish companies see major determinants of development in the USA in internal factors, including applied technology, innovative products/ services, organisation of production processes/services and management skills. Slight differences in the answers of companies representing both groups (traditional industries and new technologies) mainly concerned the strength of impact of particular assets. For companies in the new technologies group, most important growth determinants were, above all, used technology and innovation of products/services, while companies operating in traditional industries found the strongest positive impact in leadership, competences of the management staff and organisation culture. Implications: Both the research results and the very fact of involvement in foreign investment in such competitive environment demonstrate that Polish companies are aware of the strength of their assets. Just as enterprises from the developed countries, they benefit from ownership advantages on foreign markets. These are not, however, cost advantages attributed to companies from the emerging markets in the subject literature, but those perceived as the domain of the companies from the developed countries. Originality: This paper concerns a still insufficiently defined problem of foreign direct investment of companies from mid-range emerging economies in developed countries.