• Ceramic industry
• Export
• Internationalization
• Management
• Tiles

The goal at the basis of this master’s thesis project is to address two main research questions. The first research question is to analyze how exporting fits within a company's internationalization strategy and to examine it from a strategic and analytical perspective. This master thesis will explore the motivations and decisions that drive a company to internationalize, including market and product analysis, as well as the entry modes and international marketing strategies that follow. All of this is contextualized within the Italian ceramic tile industry, a sector where export represents its natural outlet.
The second research question concerns the operational dimension of the export process, specifically examining how Italian ceramic tile industries manage the export operational cycle. This thesis will first analyze what the operational cycle entails, including its stages, the actors involved, and how coordination is achieved both internally and externally to the company. Following this, it will present two case studies to observe how the operational phase is managed in practice: first by a large manufacturing company within the Italian ceramic tile industry, and then by a smaller commercial company from the same industry. the work is organized into five chapters, in particular, the first chapter is entirely dedicated to the strategic-analytical dimension of exports, exploring how success and competitive advantage in international markets depend on this foundation. The various methods available to companies based on their specific realities will be explored, as well as the key players involved when a company ventures into international markets.
The second chapter provides the context for the entire research thesis: the Italian ceramic tile industry. It starts with a macro-level analysis of the global ceramic tile industry, followed by a national perspective, examining how the Italian market integrates into the global landscape. Subsequently, more in depth, the main players in the industry will be analyzed and a historical overview of the Italian ceramic sector will be provided to understand its evolution over time.
The third chapter analyzes the operational dimension of export, specifically the export operational cycle. The focus will be on each phase of the export cycle, identifying the critical issues and the points where a company can gain advantages. Additionally, all the actors involved in the process will be examined and how the relationships between these entities work. This chapter will provide a foundational framework for the following case studies, offering insights into the operational dynamics of exporting within the ceramic tile sector.
The fourth chapter is entirely focused on the study of the Italian manufacturing company Laminam. After a brief profiling of the company from a competitive and historical perspective, the thesis will analyze in detail how the company manages each phase of the export operation cycle. This will highlight the critical or successful points of the company and demonstrate how efficient management of this cycle can impact international success.
In the final chapter, it will be presented the second case company: Unicomstarker. In this chapter, following the same approach as in the previous one, the thesis will observe how the management of the export operation cycle varies depending on the type of company operating in the market. The success factors at play will be analyzed as the challenges that arise, and how they are managed.

The goal at the basis of this master’s thesis project is to address two main research questions. The first research question is to analyze how exporting fits within a company's internationalization strategy and to examine it from a strategic and analytical perspective. This master thesis will explore the motivations and decisions that drive a company to internationalize, including market and product analysis, as well as the entry modes and international marketing strategies that follow. All of this is contextualized within the Italian ceramic tile industry, a sector where export represents its natural outlet. The second research question concerns the operational dimension of the export process, specifically examining how Italian ceramic tile industries manage the export operational cycle. This thesis will first analyze what the operational cycle entails, including its stages, the actors involved, and how coordination is achieved both internally and externally to the company. Following this, it will present two case studies to observe how the operational phase is managed in practice: first by a large manufacturing company within the Italian ceramic tile industry, and then by a smaller commercial company from the same industry. the work is organized into five chapters, in particular, the first chapter is entirely dedicated to the strategic-analytical dimension of exports, exploring how success and competitive advantage in international markets depend on this foundation. The various methods available to companies based on their specific realities will be explored, as well as the key players involved when a company ventures into international markets. The second chapter provides the context for the entire research thesis: the Italian ceramic tile industry. It starts with a macro-level analysis of the global ceramic tile industry, followed by a national perspective, examining how the Italian market integrates into the global landscape. Subsequently, more in depth, the main players in the industry will be analyzed and a historical overview of the Italian ceramic sector will be provided to understand its evolution over time. The third chapter analyzes the operational dimension of export, specifically the export operational cycle. The focus will be on each phase of the export cycle, identifying the critical issues and the points where a company can gain advantages. Additionally, all the actors involved in the process will be examined and how the relationships between these entities work. This chapter will provide a foundational framework for the following case studies, offering insights into the operational dynamics of exporting within the ceramic tile sector. The fourth chapter is entirely focused on the study of the Italian manufacturing company Laminam. After a brief profiling of the company from a competitive and historical perspective, the thesis will analyze in detail how the company manages each phase of the export operation cycle. This will highlight the critical or successful points of the company and demonstrate how efficient management of this cycle can impact international success. In the final chapter, it will be presented the second case company: Unicomstarker. In this chapter, following the same approach as in the previous one, the thesis will observe how the management of the export operation cycle varies depending on the type of company operating in the market. The success factors at play will be analyzed as the challenges that arise, and how they are managed.