TopBottom
Announcement: Bloggers of the week,List your blog Here .1. Blogger widgets.
Showing posts with label International Business-Marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label International Business-Marketing. Show all posts

Introduction to global marketing

Posted by awiopian at Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Share this post:
Ma.gnolia DiggIt! Del.icio.us Yahoo Furl Technorati Reddit

Chapter 1

A company that engages in global marketing focuses its resources on global marketing opportunities and threats. Successful global marketers such as Nestlé, Coca-Cola, and Honda use familiar marketing mix elements (the four P's) to create global marketing programs. Marketing, R&D, manufacturing, and other activities comprise a firm's value chain; firms can figure these activities to create superior customer value on a global basis. Global companies also maintain strategic focus while relentlessly pursuing competitive advantage. The marketing mix, value chain,


competitive advantage, and focus are universal in their applicability, irrespective of whether a company does business only in the home country or has a presence in many markets around the world. However, in a global industry, companies that fail to pursue global opportunities risk being pushed aside by stronger global competitors.

A firm's global marketing strategy (GMS) can enhance its worldwide performance. The GMS addresses several issues. First is the nature of the marketing program in terms of the balance between a standardization (extension) approach to the marketing mix elements in the localization (adaptation) approach that is responsive to country or regional differences. Second is the concentration of marketing activities in a few countries or the dispersal of such activities across many countries. Third, the pursuit of global marketing opportunities requires cross-border coordination of marketing activities. Finally, a firm's GMS will address the issue of global market participation.

The importance of global marketing today can be seen in the company rankings compiled by the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, financial Times, and other publications. Whether ranked by revenues, market capitalization, or some other measure, most of the world's major corporations are active regionally or globally. The size of global markets for individual industries or product categories helps explain why companies "go global." Global markets for some product categories represent hundreds of billions of dollars in annual sales; other markets are much smaller. Whenever the size of the opportunity, successful industry competitors find that increasing revenues and profits means seeking markets outside the home country.

Company management to be classified in terms of its orientation toward the world: ethnocentric, polycentric, regiocentric, or geocentric. An ethnocentric orientation characterized as domestic and international companies;international companies pursue marketing opportunities outside the market by extending various elements of the marketing mix. A polycentric worldview predominates at a multinational company, where the marketing mix is adapted by country managers operating at autonomously. Managers at global and transnational companies are regio centric or geocentric in their orientation and pursue both extension and adaptation strategies in global markets.

Global marketings importance today is shaped by the dynamic interplay of several driving and restraining forces.

Driving forces include:

  • needs and wants
  • technology
  • transportation and communication improvements
  • product costs
  • quality
  • world economic trends
  • opportunity recognition to develop leverage by operating globaly
restraining forces include:
  • market differences
  • management myopia
  • organizational culture
  • national controls such as non-tariff barriers

Introduction to global marketing

Posted by awiopian at
Share this post:
Ma.gnolia DiggIt! Del.icio.us Yahoo Furl Technorati Reddit

Chapter 1 -- vocabulary

Global marketing -- involves an understanding of specific concepts, considerations, and strategies that must be skillfully applied in conjunction with Universal marketing fundamentals to ensure success in global markets
value chain -- The set of activities required to design, procure, produce, market, distribute, and service a product or service
value equation -- value = benefits/price (money, time, effort, etc.)
competitive advantage -- The benefit for consumers and/or customers which competitors may find difficult or uneconomic to replicate
global industry -- competitive advantage can be achieved by integrating and leveraging operations on a worldwide scale



focus -- the concentration of attention on a core business or competence
global marketing strategy (GMS) --
global market participation -- the extent to which a company has operations in major world markets
ethnocentric orientation -- person/persons who assumes that his or her home country is superior to the rest of the world
polycentric orientation -- an attitude or outlook that describes management belief or assumption that each country in which he company does business is unique



regiocentric and geocentric orientations -- a re-geocentric focuses on a region and geocentric views the entire world as a potential market and strives to develop integrated world market strategies

The global economic environment

Posted by awiopian at
Share this post:
Ma.gnolia DiggIt! Del.icio.us Yahoo Furl Technorati Reddit

Chapter 2 -- summary

The economic environment is a major determinant of global market potential and opportunity. In today's global economy, capital movements are the key driving force, production has become uncoupled from employment, and capitalism has vanquished communism. Based on patterns of resource allocation and ownership, the world's national economies can be categorized as market capitalism, centrally planned capitalism, centrally planned socialism, and market socialism. The final years of the 20th century were marked by a transition toward market capitalism in many countries that had been centrally controlled. However, there still exists a great disparity among the nations of the world in terms of economic freedom.

Countries can be categorized in terms of their stage of economic development: low income, lower -- middle income, upper -- middle income, and high income. Countries in the first two categories are sometimes known as less developed countries (LDCs). Upper middle income countries with high growth rates are often called newly industrializing economies (NIEs). Several of the world's economies are notable for their fast growth; the big emerging markets (BEMs) include China and India (low income), Poland, Turkey, and Indonesia (lower middle income), Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa (upper middle income), and South Korea (high income). The group of seven (G7) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) represent two initiatives by high income nations to promote democratic ideals and free-market policies throughout the rest of the world. Most of the world's income is located in the Triad, which is comprised of Japan, the United States, and Western Europe. Companies with global aspirations generally have operations in all three areas. Market potential for a


product can be evaluated by determining product saturation levels in light of income levels.


A countries balance of payments is a record of its economic transactions with the rest of the world; this record shows whether a country has a trade surplus (value of exports exceeded by you of imports) or a trade deficit (by you of imports exceeds value of exports). Trade figures can be further divided into merchandise trade and services trade accounts; a country can run a surplus in both accounts, a deficit in both accounts, or a combination of the two. The US merchandise trade deficit was 549 billion in 2003. However, the


US enjoys an annual service trade surplus. Overall, the United States is a debtor; Japan enjoys an overall trade surplus and serves as a creditor nation.


Foreign exchange provides a means for settling accounts in different currencies. The dynamics of international finance can have a significant impact on the nation's economy as well as the fortunes of individual companies. Currencies can be subject to evaluation as a result of actions taken by a countries central banker. Currency trading by international speculators can also lead to evaluation.

When a country's economy is strong or when demand for its goods is high, its currency tends to appreciate in value. When currency bodies fluctuate,


firms face various types of economic exposure. These include transaction exposure and operating exposure. Firms can manage exchange-rate exposure by hedging, for example, by buying and selling currencies and the forward market.

The global economic environment

Posted by awiopian at
Share this post:
Ma.gnolia DiggIt! Del.icio.us Yahoo Furl Technorati Reddit

Chapter 2 -- vocabulary

market capitalism -- an economic system in which individuals and firms allocate resources and production resources are privately owned. Consumers decide what goods they desire and firms determined what and how much to produce
Centrally planned socialism -- the state has broad powers to serve the public interest as it sees fit. State planners may decisions about what goods and services are produced and in what quantities; consumers spend their money on what is available. Government ownership of entire industries, as well as individual enterprises
centrally planned capitalism and economic system in which command resource allocation is utilized extensively in an environment of private resource ownership
market socialism -- Mark allocation policies are permitted within an overall environment of state ownership
G-7 -- Group of 7 -- high income countries, the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Canada, and Italy. Finance ministers, central bankers, and heads of state from the seven nations have worked together for a quarter of a century in an effort to steer the global economy in the direction of prosperity and to ensure monetary stability
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) -- institution comprised of high income countries, the 30 nations that belong to the OECD believe in market allocation economic systems and pluralistic democracy
The Triad -- Japan, Western Europe, and the United States. These three regions, represent the dominant economic centers of the world. Today, nearly 75% of the world income is located in the Triad
purchasing power parity (PPP) --Model of exchange rate determination stating that the price of a good in one country should equal the price of the same good in another country, exchanged at the current rate
economic exposure -- impact of currency fluctuations on the present by you of the companies expected future cash flows
transaction exposure -- arises when the companies activities result in sales or purchases denominated in foreign currencies
hedging --Reducing exposure to risk of loss resulting from fluctuations in exchange rates, commodity prices, interest rates etc
forward market -- a mechanism for buying and selling currencies and a preset price for future delivery

In the global trade environment

Posted by awiopian at
Share this post:
Ma.gnolia DiggIt! Del.icio.us Yahoo Furl Technorati Reddit

preferential trade agreement -- a mechanism that confers special treatment on select trading partners
free trade area (FTA) -- formed when two or more countries agree to eliminate tariffs and other barriers that restrict trade
free trade agreement -- the ultimate goal of which is the rare duties on goods that cross borders between the partners
rules of origin -- used to discourage the importation of goods into the member country
customs union -- represents the logical evolution of a free trade area
common external tariffs (CETs) -- When a goup of countries form a customs union they must introduce a common external tariff. The same customs duties, quotas, preferences or other non-tariff barriers to trade apply to all goods entering the area, regardless of which country within the area they are entering. It is designed to end re-exportation
common market -- Where two or more countries agree to form a customs union between themselves and a common external tariff against goods and commodities imported from other countries
economic union -- builds upon the elimination of the internal tariff barriers, the establishment of common external barriers, and the free flow of factors. It seeks to coordinate harmonize economic and social policy within the union to facilitate the free flow of capital, labor, and goods and services from country to country

Strategic Market Planning

Posted by awiopian at
Share this post:
Ma.gnolia DiggIt! Del.icio.us Yahoo Furl Technorati Reddit

A major challenge for marketing-oriented companies as they respond to the rapidly changing marketplace is to engage continuously in market-oriented strategic planning. They must learn how to develop and maintain a viable fit among their objectives, resources, skills, and opportunities.

Corporate strategic planning involves four planning activities.


1. Develop a clear sense of the company's mission in terms of its industry scope, products and applications scope, competence scope, market segment scope, vertical scope, and geographical scope.

2. Identify the company's strategic business units (SBUs).

3. Allocate resources to the various SBUs based on their market attractiveness and business strength.

4. Expanding present businesses and develop new products to fill the strategic planning gap.

Marketing plans focus on a product/market and consist of the detailed marketing strategies and programs for achieving the product's objectives in a target market.


The marketing planning process consists of five steps:

  1. analyzing market opportunities;
  2. researching and selecting target markets;
  3. designing market strategies;
  4. planning marketing programs;
  5. and organizing, implementing, and controlling the marketing effort.

The resulting document consists of an:

  • executive summary,
  • current market situation,
  • opportunity and issue analysis,
  • objectives,
  • marketing strategy,
  • action programs,
  • projected profit and loss statement,
  • and controls.

Spread the word