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 enterpri- ses is not yet well developed, espe- cially within the Italian context. The paper aims at introducing the results of an explorative analysis concerning the distribution policies that two com- panies of mechanical industry have adopted to enter India and China. The paper will discuss the organi- zational and strategic impact of the decision to enter in those countries.
