The strong potential of the emerging countries is often accompanied by difficulties due to the high psychic and institutional distance between them and more developed countries. In recent years a growing number of works has analyzed the behavior of firms in these countries; but the focus is mainly on multinationals, while the empirical research on the experience of small and medium-sized enterprises is not yet well developed, especially within the Italian context. The paper aims at introducing the results of an explorative analysis concerning the distribution policies that two companies of mechanical industry have adopted to enter India and China. The paper will discuss the organizational and strategic impact of the decision to enter in those countries.
