TEAM ASSIGNMENT

Part I

Write a comprehensive paper creating a case for a company to expand their product into an international market (or an international product into the US). This team paper is worth 150 points. Your paper should include the following key points and should focus on the components that are most relevant for your product in the selected geography.

PART I: Introduction to the Culture of the Country

 

1. Include short profiles of the company, the product to be exported and the country with which you wish to trade.

 

1. Brief discussion of the country’s relevant history

 

III.           Geographical setting

1. location
2. climate
3. topography

 

1. Social institutions
   1. Family
      1. The nuclear family
      2. The extended family

• Dynamics of the family
  • Parental roles
  • Marriage and courtship

 

1. Education
   1. The role of education in society
      • Primary education (quality, levels of development, etc)
      • Secondary education (quality, levels of development, etc.)
      • Higher education (quality, levels of development, etc.)
   2. Literacy rates

 

1. Political System
   1. Political structure
   2. Political Parties

• Stability of government

1. Special taxes
2. Role of local government

 

1. Legal System
   1. Organization of the judiciary system
   2. Code, common, socialist, or Islamic-law country?

• Participation in patents, trademarks and other conventions

 

1. Organizations
   1. Group behavior
   2. Social classes

• Clubs, other organizations

1. Race, ethnicity and subcultures

 

1. Business customs and practices

 

1. Religion and aesthetics
2. Religion and other belief systems
   1. Orthodox doctrines and structures
   2. Relationship with the people

• Which religions are prominent?

1. Membership of each religion
2. Any powerful or influential cults?

 

1. Aesthetics
   1. Visual arts (fine arts, plastics, graphics, public arts, colors etc.)
   2. Music

• Drama, ballet, and other performing arts

1. Folklore and relevant symbols

 

1. Living conditions

1. Diet and nutrition
   1. Meat and vegetable consumption rates
   2. Typical meals

• Malnutrition rates

1. Foods available

 

1. Housing
   1. Types of housing available
   2. Do most people own or rent?

• Do most people live in one-family dwellings or with other families?

 

1. Clothing
   1. National dress
   2. Types of clothing worn at work

 

1. Recreation, sports, and other leisure activities
   1. Types available and in demand
   2. Percentage of income spent on such activities
2. Social security
3. Health Care

 

VII.         Language

1. Official language(s)
2. Spoken versus written language(s)
3. Dialects

 

VIII.        Executive Summary

 

After completing all of the other sections, prepare a two-page (maximum length) summary of the major points and place it at the front of the report. The purpose of an executive summary is to give the reader a brief glance at the critical points of your report. Those aspects of the culture a   reader should know to do business in the country but would not be expected to know or would find different based on his or her home country should be included in this summary.

 

1. Sources of information
2. Appendixes

 

 

PART II: The Economic Analysis of the Country

 

The reader may find the data collected for the economics analysis guideline are more straightforward than for the cultural analysis guideline. There are two broad categories of information in this guideline: general economic data that serve as a basis for an evaluation of the economic soundness of a country and information on channels of distribution and media availability.  As mentioned earlier, the guideline focuses only on broad categories of data and must be adapted to the particular company and its product needs. With that said, write at least one (1) paragraph for each of these sections.

 

Guideline

 

1. Introduction
2. Population
3. Total
   1. Growth rates
   2. Number of live births

• Birth rates

1. Distribution of population
   1. Age
   2. Sex

• Geographic areas (urban suburban, and rural density and concentration)

1. Migration rates and patterns
2. Ethnic groups

 

III.           Economic statistics and activity

1. Gross national product (GNP or GDP)
   1. Total
   2. Rate of growth (Real GNP or GDP)
      1. Personal income per capita
      2. Average family income
   3. Distribution of wealth
      1. Income classes
      2. Proportion of the population in each class

• Is the distribution distorted?

1. Minerals and resources
2. Surface transportation
   1. Mode
   2. Availability

• Usage rates

1. Communication systems
   1. Types
   2. Availability

• Usage rates

1. Working conditions
   1. Employer-Employee relations
   2. Employee participation

• Salaries and benefits

1. Principal industries
   1. What proportion of the GNP does each industry contribute?
   2. Ratio of private to publicly owned industries
2. Foreign Investment
   1. Opportunities?
   2. Which industries?
3. International trade statistics
   1. Major exports
      • Dollar value
      • Trends
   2. Major imports
      • Dollar value
      • Trends

• Balance-of-payments situation
  • Surplus or deficit?
  • Recent trends

1. Exchange rates
   • Single or multiple exchange rates?
   • Current rate of exchange
   • Trends
2. Trade restrictions
   1. Embargoes
   2. Quotas

• Import taxes

1. Tariffs
2. Licensing
3. Customs duties

1. Extent of economic activity not included in cash income activities
   1. Counter trades
      • Products generally offered for counter trading
      • Types of counter trades requested (i.e. barter, counter purchase, etc.)
      • Foreign aid received
   2. Labor force
      1. Size
      2. Unemployment rates

 

1. Inflation rates

 

1. Developments in science and technology

1. Current technology available (computers, machinery, tools etc.)
2. Percentage of GNP invested in research and development
3. Technological skills of the labor force and general population

 

1. Channels of distribution (macro analysis)

This section reports data on all channel middlemen available within the market.  Select a specific channel as part of your distribution strategy for your marketing plan

1. Retailers
   1. Number of retailers
   2. Typical size of retail outlets

• Customary markup for various classes of goods

1. Methods of operation (cash/credit)
2. Scale of operation (large/small)
3. Role of chain stores, department stores specialty shops

1. Wholesale middlemen
   1. number and size
   2. Customary markup for various classes of goods

• Method of operation (cash/credit)

1. Import/Export agents
2. Warehousing
3. Penetration of urban and rural markets

 

1. Media

This section reports data on all media available within the country or market.  Select specific media as part of the promotional mix and strategy for your marketing plan.

1. Availability of media
2. Costs
   1. Television
   2. Radio

• Print

1. Other media (cinema, outdoor etc.)

1. Agency assistance
2. Coverage of various media
3. Percentage of population reached by each of the media

 

VII.         Executive summary

After completing the research for this report, prepare a two-page (maximum) summary of                    the major economic points and place it at the front of the report

 

VIII.        Sources of information

 

1. Appendixes

 

 

THE MARKETING PLAN

 

Market-oriented firms build strategic market plans around company objectives, markets and the competitive environment.  Planning for marketing can be complicated even for one country, but when a company is doing business internationally, the problems are multiplied.  Company objectives may vary from market to market and from time to time; the structure of international markets also changes periodically and from country to country; and the competitive, governmental, and economic parameters affecting market planning are in a constant state of flux.  These variations require international marketing executives to be specially flexible and creative in their approach to strategic marketing planning.

 

PART III: Market Audit and Competitive Market Analysis

 

Of the guidelines presented, this is the most product or brand specific.  Information in the other guidelines is general in nature, focusing on product categories, whereas data in this guideline are brand specific and are used to determine competitive market conditions and market potential.

 

Two different components of the planning process are reflected in this guideline.  Information in Parts I and II, Cultural Analysis and Economic Analysis, serve as the basis for an evaluation of the product or brand in a specific country market.

 

Information in this guideline provides an estimate of market potential and an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of competitive marketing efforts.  The data generated in this step are used to determine the extent of adaptation of the company’s marketing mix necessary for successful market entry and to develop the final step, the action plan.

 

The detailed information needed to complete this guideline is not necessarily available without conducting a thorough marketing research investigation. Thus another purpose of this part of the country notebook is to identify the correct questions to ask in a formal market study.

 

Write at least one (1) paragraph on each in each of these areas.

 

1. Introduction

 

1. The Product
2. Evaluate the product as an innovation as it is perceive by the intended market.
3. Relative advantage
4. Compatibility
5. Complexity
6. Trialability
7. Observability

B    Major problems and resistance to product acceptance based on the preceding              evaluation

 

III.           The Market

1. Describe the market(s) in which the product is to be sold
2. Geographical region(s)
3. Forms of transportation and communication available in that (those)                                                             region(s)
4. Consumer buying habits
5. Product-use patterns
6. Product feature preferences
7.                Shopping habits
8. Distribution of the product
9. typical retail outlets
10. Product sales by other middlemen
11. Advertising and promotion
12. Advertising media usually used to reach your target market(s)
13. Sales promotions customarily used (sampling, coupons, etc.)
14. Pricing strategy
15. Customary markup
16. Types of discounts available
17.    Compare and contrast your product and the competition’s product(s).
18. Competitor’s product(s)
19. Brand name
20. Features
21. Package
22. Competitor’s prices
23. Competitor’s promotion and advertising methods
24. Competitor’s distribution channels

 

1. Market size
2. Estimated industry sales for the planning year
3. Estimated sales for your company for the planning Year
4. Government participation in the marketplace
5. Agencies that can help you.
6. Regulations you must follow

 

1. Executive Summary

Based on your analysis of the market, briefly summarize (two-page maximum) the major problems and opportunities requiring attention in your marketing mix, and place the  summary at the front of the report

 

1. Sources of information

 

1. Appendixes

 

 

Part II

 

Create a 20 minute presentation just as you would if you were promoting this to the Board of Directors of the Company, describing the proposal you have developed. While powerpoint is the most likely presentation vehicle, considering the flexibility you have to use other materials in a video format, you are not limited to that. You may use any materials you choose to present your proposal.  The presentation, which will be delivered as a video to Dr. Dale, will be worth 100 points. The attached rubric will be used to grade the presentation.

 

Bonus points awarded for creativity!