Exporting Consultancy Services in the Infrastructure Sectors: The Determinants of Obtaining Assignments

Arbeitspapier

A unique database on individual tender documents is used to analyze the relationship between strategical factors and outcomes when technical consultancy firms (TCFs) compete for foreign assignments in the infrastructure sectors. TCFs, which sell services based on human capital, have a large focus on developing countries and thereby a high dependence on aid organizations. These organizations claim that technological factors as, e.g., the quality of the technical offers and the skill and experience of the TCFs' employees, are the most important factors when tender documents are evaluated. The results of the estimations show, however, that long-term relations between the TCF and the client - especially whether the TCF has had previous experience of, or has visited, the client - are at least as important as traditional technological factors. Local presence in the form of local offices has also some influence on the outcome.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IUI Working Paper ; No. 508

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Empirical Studies of Trade ; Personal, Professional, and Business Services
• Subject: Technical consultancy firms ; aid organizations ; Tender documents ; Long-term relations ; Technische Beratung ; Unternehmensberatung ; Ausschreibung ; International ; Schweden

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Svensson, Roger
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): The Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IUI)
• (where): Stockholm
• (when): 1998

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/95136
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET