Publications
Publications
- April 2009 (Revised November 2018)
- HBS Case Collection
Sanctuary Soft: International Expansion Strategies
By: Boris Groysberg, Geoff Marietta, Tim Marshall and Adam Hartley
Abstract
Sanctuary Soft CEO Elizabeth Smalley faced increasing pressure from her primary investor to expand operations internationally. If successful, the expansion could enlarge Sanctuary’s customer base and enable the firm to better serve existing clients’ overseas offices. But it was not clear which region had the most favorable labor market and customer opportunity for expansion. Smalley was particularly concerned about finding qualified software programmers abroad. In the past, the California-based firm added staff and expanded its clientele by poaching talent and customers from rivals. This strategy was effective in California, but other regions had more stringent regulations. Given the legal challenges, would poaching work abroad? Where should Sanctuary expand, and how?
Keywords
Global Strategy; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Labor; Laws and Statutes; Market Entry and Exit; Information Technology Industry; Technology Industry; Web Services Industry; Banking Industry; China; India; Germany; United Kingdom; United States
Citation
Groysberg, Boris, Geoff Marietta, Tim Marshall, and Adam Hartley. "Sanctuary Soft: International Expansion Strategies." Harvard Business School Case 409-104, April 2009. (Revised November 2018.)