The Importance of Psychic Distance in the Internationalization Process of Polish Companies Pilot Research Results

Research objectives presented in the article are of theoretical, methodological, and empirical nature. The theoretical aim of the article is to present the different approaches to conceptualization and operationalization of psychic distance. The methodological aim of the article is to show the pilot research results of quantitative research planned in future. The paper aims at presenting the results of testifying the questionnaire, especially reactions of the respondents on the level of difficulty of questions included in it. The empirical aim of the article is to present the perceptions of managers about the importance of psychic distance stimuli （differences in culture, differences in economic and political systems, as well as differences in mentality and geographic distance） in the process of Polish companies＇ internationalization. The paper is based on the critical literature overview and on the field research conducted on the sample of 18 Polish companies with the technique of direct interview. In the first part of the article, the research design as well as methodological issues connected with psychic distance measurement is presented. The second part of the article is dedicated to the field research results on the importance of psychic distance in the process of internationalization. The conclusions of the current stage of the research will comprise the base of complete research. The conducted research enabled the author to answer the following research questions： What is the impact of psychic distance stimuli on the process of Polish companies＇ internationalization （the directions and forms of internationalization, the pace and amount of countries subject to foreign expansion of Polish companies, and the value of sales and foreign capital engagement of Polish companies abroad）？ What is the impact of psychic distance stimuli on managers＇ decisions connected with engagement on international markets （initiating business with foreign partners, leading business on international markets, and withdrawal business from international markets）？ What are the factors determining perceptions of psychic distance by managers？ What is the size of psychic distance among Poland and the foreign expansion markets of Polish companies？ The respondents stated that the managers＇ perceptions about psychic distance importance in the process of companies＇ internationalization depend on the managers＇ experience in activity on international markets, the knowledge of managers about international markets, the level of education of managers, and the level of stability and changeability of environment, in which the company operates. According to the managers, the most important factors having impact on decisions connected with internationalization are： cultural differences （especially differences in religion）, political differences （especially the level of democracy）, geographic distance （the differences in time zones）, the differences in economic systems （the level of economic development）, and the differences in mentality （different way of thinking of managers）. The factors having impact on companies＇engagement in international markets are： the level of democracy, the level of infrastructure development, different way of thinking of managers, and differences in time zones. The managers stated that the most significant differences in cultural systems are among Poland-China, Poland-Turkey, and Poland-Romania. The most significant differences in economic systems occur among Poland and the receivers of Polish export China, Ukraine, and the United States. The biggest differences in political systems are among Poland-China, Poland-Russia Belarus, and Poland-Ukraine. According to the managers, the biggest differences in mentality occur among Poland-China, Poland-Turkey, and Poland-the United States. Geographic distance is the most important factor in Polish export to the United States, China, Turkey, and Spain. There is applied a methodology stating that psychic distance （and its stimuli） should not be measured only with the use of objective constructs and statistical data, but also with the use of subjective data, such as the responses of decision makers of companies under internationalization. The value of the article is the presentation of the application of new research tool for psychic distance measurement.

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