Leveraging global markets: Lessons from Alcoa Alumina

Globalization has contributed to the dismantling of national boundaries, which have enabled firms to compete and conduct business on a wider scale [Held, D., McGrew, A., Goldblatt, D., & Perraton, J. (1999). Global transformations. Politics, economics and culture. Cambridge: Polity Press]. Firms can move freely between different markets using Internet-based technology. While access to such markets can provide firms with greater choice of suppliers and cost efficiencies, they need to be aware of challenges that can influence their business performance. With this in mind, we examine how these factors influenced Alcoa Alumina's drive to a global procurement platform through a global marketplace. The staged adoption process experienced at Alcoa Alumina offers a learning opportunity for other firms considering the transition to global marketplace.