In today’s global marketplace, few consumers would bat an eye at a Central European
retailer selling products manufactured in the US from raw materials purchased in Asia
and Africa. Recently, Finnish connoisseurs of local craft beer were shocked to discover
that even their local microbreweries were getting in on the act, albeit somewhat
involuntarily. Strict regulations that govern the sale of alcoholic beverages in Finland
essentially prevent the smallest breweries from distributing their products in the local
market. Ironically, the only way for these small businesses to reach their local customers
is through internationalization – setting up an online store across the border and serving
the Finnish market from abroad.
Drawing on the context of alcohol policy in Finland as an illustrative example, this study
demonstrates how global markets can offer small businesses a way to counter
unfavorable or discriminative local public policy. The study also illustrates the potential
impact that businesses can have on policy by drawing public attention to its shortcomings,
and offers implications for practitioners by highlighting the importance of thorough
evaluation of policies for possible inconsistencies and outlining possible indicators that
such inconsistencies may be present.

• Alexei Gloukhovtsev(Aalto University School of Business, Finland)
• John W. Schouten(Aalto University School of Business, Finland)
• Pekka Mattila(Aalto University School of Business, Finland)