ABSTRACT
The deregulation processes within the previous public monopoly services in Europe, such as telecommunications, gas, postal services, electricity, water, and airlines have triggered a large wave of international expansion activities from the former monopolies. The drive towards internationalisation has been most prominent in the deregulation front-runner telecommunications sector, but has also gradually developed in the other sectors as the deregulation process has unfolded domestically. With some exceptions (Bonardi and Quelin, 1998; Bonardi, 1999; Sarkar, Cavusgil and Aulakh, 1999; Bonardi, 2004; Monsen, 2004; Cohen and Héritier, 2005), the strategic behaviour of former monopolists regarding internationalisation after the industries have been deregulated has received limited attention. The development has, on the other hand, been extensively covered in newspaper articles and non-academic management journals.
