Scholars have recently become interested in ‘market-shaping’. Within this emerging field, scholars have requested more understanding on how single market actors can influence the existing market practices. Further, there have been calls for broader approaches that go beyond the customer–supplier dyad.

We study market-shaping by focusing on how a foreign subsidiary can influence local companies in the context of an emerging economy. Unique to the market-shaping literature, we focus on the translation mechanisms that are employed in spreading the market-shaping ideas. The findings are based on the explorative longitudinal single case study conducted in St. Petersburg bread market, covering a timespan from 1997 to 2007.

We contribute to the market-shaping literature by discussing the translation mechanisms of market-shaping ideas. In our study, we identify six translation mechanisms, namely training, demonstration, requirements, management mobility, consultation, and informal interaction.