Border
Crossings
By Wendy Evans, Henry
Lane, Shawna O’Grady, Prentice Hall Canada, 1992This book has struck a responsive chord with Canadian retailers and consumers. For years the press had reported on the largely unsuccessful attempts of Canadian retailers to enter the United States market. In contrast, it often appeared that U.S. retailers were entering the Canadian market with relative ease. This book makes an important contribution toward the understanding of these phenomena. It also enhances our understanding of competitiveness within the retail and other industries.
There are a number of reasons why the book is a valuable addition to the book shelf. Readers who want to know more about some of the major retailers in Canada and the United States will find the book very informative. Firms contemplating entry into the U.S. market, or indeed any foreign market, will find the author’s insights and practical suggestions very valuable. Those who are interested in the characteristics of Canadian managers in contrast with their American cousins will find the book fascinating and provocative.
Perhaps the most important feature of the book is that all of the author’s conclusions are based on one of the most thorough research projects ever conducted in this area. As a result it is a seminal work upon which others will build. Ten years later, while the stories and the retail sector have changed significantly, the underlying findings reported in this book are still valid for those expanding internationally.