There is a need to understand how indigenous markets transform following
foreign entry. We refer to this transformation as international market shaping—the
progression of a set of cross-border activities that contribute to changes in
economic exchange. Building on the markets-as-practice literature and an
explorative longitudinal single-case study conducted in the St. Petersburg
bread market (1997–2007), we study international market-shaping mechanisms that
translate a foreign company’s idea of a market into market practices. We contribute
to the literature by identifying four translation mechanisms of international
market shaping: advice, demonstration, requirements and management mobility.