International marketing and core debate: adaptation versus homogenization Elena Horská

Considering global, regional and local approach „...Strategies and sources are solved at global level in our company, .... We produce regionally and sell locally. ... We support our brand and take care of local customer preferencies...“ (Herbert Baum, exprezident Campbell´s soup) „ ... Consideration on globalization and regionalization point at fact that company Nestle looks for balance between the global strategy and local conditions...“ (Peter Brabech – Lemathe, Nestle)

Think global, act local... In the 1970s the argument was framed as „standardization vs. adaptation.“ In the 1980s it was „globalization vs. localization.“ In the 1990s it was „global integration versus local responsibilities.“ In the twenty-first century, standardization versus adaptation is simply not the right question to ask. Rather, the crucial question facing international marketers is what are the most efficient ways to segment markets.

Adaptation Adapting the marketing features to the local requirements and consumer needs: Product Price Place Promotion

Standardization Standardizated products for global markets: Product Price Place Promotion

G-localization Combination of standardization and localization in terms: to behave as the home firm to accept the local patriotism to change the local consumer behaviour continuously, no rapidly consumers to perceive the market changes as the natural development, no aggressive marketing.

According to research associated with VanderMerwe and L´Huillier (1989), companies in Europe can compete effectively in Europe by accurately targeting customers close to one another, but not necessary living in the same country. The six clusters identified by VanderMerwe and L´Huillier (1989) are: the UK and Ireland, Central and Northern France, Southern Belgium, Central Germany and Luxembourg, Spain and Portugal, Southern Germany, Northern Italy, Southeastern France and Austria, South Italy and Greece, Northern Germany, the Netherlands, Northern Belgium, Iceland, Norway, Finland and Denmark. These studies did not consider countries of the Central and Eastern Europe. In present time they play an important role in processes of the European economic integration and present challenges for Western companies entering their markets. Based on the common features of historic background, geographical location, culture and consumer habits we can distinguish between Central European cluster, South – East European cluster and Baltic States. Of course, there are still certain internal differences within such roughly defined clusters.