Business meets people: lubricants venture in a developing economy

Global expansion into emerging markets is a challenging path for multinational corporations (MNCs). Success often depends on establishing effective partnerships with local businesses that provide market knowledge, networks, and operational support. However, such collaborations come with inherent risks; differences in power, financing capacity, governance culture, and informal relationships can complicate joint ventures and distributorship agreements.

This case examines the experience of Global Oil, a multinational oil company operating in the upstream sector of the oil industry in a developing country, as it attempts to enter the downstream lubricants market through a strategic partnership with Enerplus Ltd., a small, female led local enterprise. The partnership, formed through familial introductions, initially shows promise but encounters financial pressures, shifts in control, and competing interests triggered by corporate mergers and political influences.

The case provides a rich basis for exploring the dynamics of international market entry strategies, partnership governance, the impact of informal social networks, and the tensions between business goals and family relations in emerging markets.