Commercial Strategies

Commercial Strategies

Internationalization Strategy in the Pharmaceutical Industry of Iran: Springboarding or Incremental?

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Amir Sadeghi 1
Akram Pirouznasab 2
1 Amir Sadeghi Assistant Professor Faculty of Management, Shahid Sattari Aviation University, Tehran, Iran
2 M.A. in International Business Management, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran.
10.22070/cs.2026.21705.1484
Abstract
Introduction and Purpose: The globalization process has compelled pharmaceutical companies to expand and penetrate international markets, creating both challenges and opportunities. In this regard, the pharmaceutical industry is one of the industries that can play a significant role in economic development and value creation. The pharmaceutical industry is one of the strategic sectors of the world economy and constitutes a significant portion of GDP. However, the growth of Iran’s pharmaceutical industry in global markets still lags behind its potential. This research aimed to identify and prioritize the characteristics of incremental and springboard internationalization strategies in the pharmaceutical industry.
Methodology: This research is applied in terms of purpose and was conducted using a mixed-methods approach. In the qualitative part, the meta-synthesis method was used to identify the characteristics of springboarding and gradual internationalization. To conduct the meta-synthesis in this research, Sandelowski and Barroso’s seven-step method (2007) was used. In this research, the criteria for the inclusion of articles included: (1) all studies published in English and Persian, (2) published research from 2000 to 2025, (3) papers published in prestigious scientific databases, and (4) research using qualitative and mixed methods. For this purpose, studies conducted in the field of springboarding or incremental internationalization were collected from reputable databases during the years 2000–2025, and 31 articles were reviewed for final analysis. In the quantitative part, the BWM method was used to prioritize the characteristics of springboarding or incremental internationalization. The participants in the quantitative part were 10 senior managers of pharmaceutical companies in the country, who were selected using a purposive non-probability sampling method. The data collection tool was a questionnaire.
Findings: The results of the first phase of the research showed that incremental internationalization features include three main categories: the company’s internal capabilities (gradual learning, gradual innovation, and low dependency on internationalization), the company’s life cycle (low speed, slow-paced growth, and conservative strategies), and the external capabilities of the company (local networking and responsiveness to the environment). The springboarding internationalization features include three main categories: the firm’s internal capabilities (radical innovation, active learning capacity, and senior management readiness), the life cycle of firms (high speed and aggressive export strategies), and the external competencies of the company (international networking capability and an active response to the international environment). Based on the results of the BWM method, the sum of final weights indicates that the incremental approach, with an average criterion weight of 0.108, is more important than springboarding, with an average criterion weight of 0.019. This indicates that the experts have evaluated the criteria for gradual movement in the pharmaceutical industry as a key factor for business success. Incremental internationalization is characterized by three main dimensions: internal firm capabilities (gradual learning, incremental innovation, and low dependence on internationalization), the internationalization life cycle (slow speed, stepwise growth, and conservative export strategies), and external firm capabilities (local networking and reactive adaptation to the environment). In contrast, rapid internationalization is associated with internal capabilities (radical innovation, active learning capacity, and international readiness of top management), the life cycle (high speed and aggressive export strategies), and external capabilities (international networking and proactive responses to the global environment).
Discussion and Conclusion: The results showed that although both springboarding and incremental approaches are important in the pharmaceutical industry of the country, the incremental approach is more important. This finding is consistent with the Uppsala theory and the classical models that emphasize gradual learning, experience accumulation, and risk reduction in foreign markets. This suggests that, due to regulatory constraints, production complexities, and market risks, Iranian pharmaceutical companies are more inclined to pursue internationalization through gradual, stepwise processes. These insights provide valuable implications for policymakers and managers in designing appropriate strategies to enhance the global competitiveness of the pharmaceutical industry and to support broader economic and social development. One of the proposals is to develop a roadmap for international entry; even if the selection of a rapid approach is necessary, registration, legal compliance, and marketing procedures are still required. Strengthening R&D in compliance with international standards and investing in R&D for designing products that comply with the needs and regulations of target markets are also important. Another proposal is the formation of a pharmaceutical exporting consortium, enabling a number of domestic companies to enter foreign markets at the same time by using joint capacities. Many Iranian pharmaceutical companies are better able to start with incremental reforms (especially in regional markets such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Central Asia), and after reinforcing quality and brand, move faster and faster.
Keywords
Internationalization
Springboarding Internationalization
Incremental Internationalization
Meta-synthesis
Pharmaceutical Industry
BWM
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Commercial Strategies
Volume 22, Issue 26
January 2026
Pages 91-116