Nordic Multinationals

Nordic countries have small populations (6 million in Denmark, 9 million in Sweden, 5 million in Finland, and 5 million in Norway). But they are big in breeding multinational enterprises (MNEs) that actively invest abroad and compete globally.

Nordic multinationals often collaborate and sometimes merge with each other. Small domestic markets have propelled many Nordic firms to go international at a relatively young age. While most of them export aggressively, they often find that merely exporting is not enough to help penetrate new markets and facilitate growth. Therefore, it is not unusual to see Nordic firms directly invest abroad and manage operations in areas ranging from neighboring Western European countries to distant shores such as Australia, Brazil, India, China, and South Africa.

Explain the three common characteristics that make Nordic multinationals stand out among global peers. (2 marks for each point).