Resilience, Reworking, And Resistance Strategies of Turkish Food Retailers in Germany: Challenges and Opportunities for the Future

This study examines the impact of the structural transformation in the global retail industry—spanning supply, demand, and location dynamics—on ethnic grocery retailers and their strategic responses, using Turkish retailers in Germany as a case study. Theoretically, the research integrates Hess’s (2004) typology of embeddedness (territorial, societal, and network) with Katz’s (2004) framework of resilience, reworking, and resistance. Furthermore, it reconceptualizes the notion of "over-embeddedness" and critically revisits the Uppsala Internationalization Process Model through the lens of ethnic networks. Drawing on 23 semi-structured interviews conducted between 2020 and 2022 with retailers, producers, and industry experts, the study employs qualitative analysis to explore these dynamics. The findings reveal that structural transformations significantly challenge the competitiveness of ethnic retailers, particularly driven by changing consumption patterns among younger generations. Retailers characterized by high territorial and network embeddedness tend to adopt "reworking" strategies involving innovation and service diversification. Conversely, those with dominant societal embeddedness largely resort to "resistance" strategies aimed at preserving ethnic identity. Crucially, the study demonstrates that "over-embeddedness" can become a liability, creating structural rigidities that constrain innovation and limit strategic flexibility. Additionally, the thesis highlights the role of ethnic retailers as cultural and commercial bridges for the internationalization of Turkey-based food producers, while noting the risks associated with limited professionalism in these networks. These insights contribute to the economic geography and international business literature by elucidating the complex interplay between embeddedness, resilience, and strategic adaptation in ethnic markets.