Imports are seldom viewed as an int

Imports are seldom viewed as an integral part of the firm's internationalization process. Yet
competitiveness in the 21st century demands that firms seek out ways to lower their costs,
gain access to products, services, and knowledge not available domestically, and generally to
take advantage of import opportunities just as they explore domestic supply opportunities.
Imports thus provide an opportunity for organizational learning in the process of supply chain
management, as well as in the process of internationalization, for firms today. This paper
explores how imports fit into the strategies of a sample of 138 US-based companies.
Key results: Imports are a central feature of the internationalization of US firms. Manufacturing
firms use importing more intensively than service firms, and they use imports more in
producing exports; service firms tend to import inputs before they export services. High-tech
firms are involved earlier in importing, are more involved in using imports to produce exports,
and use imports more to lower costs than low-tech firms; low-tech firms use imports more to
obtain locally unavailable inputs. Older firms use imports more intensively, and they view
imports as more important to the business than younger firms. Importing and exporting occur
at approximately the same stage of development of the firm. An overall model of imports in
the global supply chain is presented and tested. Organizational learning from the import
activity passes on to further company benefit, through gaining access to foreign knowledge, as
well as access to foreign suppliers and markets.