The extant literature on the choice of entry modes into international
markets has assumed that the mode of entry is a single stage rational
analytic decision by the manager. A contingency framework for the mode
of entry decision which accommodates alternative decision strategies
is presented. As a part of the contingency framework, a strategy-ratio
nal analytic-used by past researchers and an alternative strategy of d
ecision making-cybernetic-are discussed. Each decision strategy has it
s own merits and disadvantages. An outcome of the cybernetic strategy
is an hierarchical model for the mode of entry decision. Implications
of the alternative strategies for the merle of entry decision are also
provided.