Smooth sailing: Avoid the fate of the Titanic
Embarking 1. 10% of US industrial workforce is employed by foreign companies 2. 25% of US farm acres are for export 3. 1/3 of US corporate profits are international 4. 70% US jobs face foreign competition
Globalization 1. Average total cost for expatriate assignment is $250,000 or apx. 300% of salary,40% of expatriate managers terminate their assignments early, costing companies $50,000 to $150, % intl. mergers fail totally; acquiring company never earns back its cost of capital % of International Joint Ventures fail.
Steps for overseas market entry 1. Research & evaluate market and customer 2. Assess your ability to support this market 3. Resources needed: money, time, technology 4. Develop strategy, plan 5. Try to meet face to face 6. Evaluate results (soft side) 7. Follow up meeting 8. Re-evaluate & implement
Estimating Sales Potential 1. Market: accessibility, size, barriers 2. Consumers: willingness to buy 3. Service: advantage, compatibility, complexity, communicability 4. Channel structure: distribution 5. Competition: reaction to entry 6. Research & Evaluation!
Resources: money, time, knowledge Paperwork, forms 2. Communication 3. Marketing 4. Financial 5. Legal 6. Travel 7. CULTURE
Predicting success 1. Like change 2. Enjoy surprises 3. Flexible, patient 4. Willing to learn 5. Language skills 6. Cultural experience
Cloudy areas for “Americans” 1. Capitalist: $$$$$$ Promises: snake oil sales 3. Liberal Arts: where’s Mexico? 4. Technology: hi tech & bad water 5. Hierarchy: don’t call me Juan 6. Culture: arrogant or naive 7. 8:00-5:00: live to work
Slippery spots for marketers 1. Communication: high/low context 2. Time: one/many 3. Community: individual/collective 4. Management: merit, objective analysis, 5. Decision making: sharing/exclusive 6. Master of destiny: proactive/inactive 7. You don’t understand us!