Questions

1. Identify factory that should be considered in determining an

appropriate level of involvement in international markets
2. Identify and discuss the forces that shape global marketing
strategies

3. Describe factors (levers) that will determine the success of a

firms efforts in each stage of the evolution of a global
marketing strategy
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a pioneer
(pre-emption) in foreign markets?

5. Identify some of the factors that complicate international

positioning strategies
6. Discuss the reasons why it is much more difficult to standardize
the advertising strategy compared to the product strategy
7. Case studies: Sterling Marketing Products Inc.
What criteria would you use for ranking foreign market
attractiveness?
8. Mary Kay Cosmetics:
What are MKCs core competencies?
9. Heineken N.V:
Discuss the relative importance of European vs. country market
share in a Pan-European strategy and the impact of this on
profit and less responsibility.
10.
Levi Strauss Japan
Which of the following options would you recommend to help LSJ
grow further?
a) Focus on increasing market share of traditional blue jeans
b) Introduce new products for the primary target market (i.e.
you, males)
c) Expand customer base by targeting new customers
d) Emphasize other jeans products (i.e. tops, jackets)
11.
Describe factors (levelrs) that will determine the succes of
a firms effort in each stage of the evolution of global marketing
strategy

12.
Describe some of the issues/problems involver in
extending Sterling Marking Products business definition froma
a domestic to an international perspective.
13.
What are some of the dangers of adopting a differentiation
approach?
14.
Are Mary Kays core competencies transferable to Asian
markets?
15.
Describe the major determinants of a firms susceptibility
to risks in international marketing
16.
Why did opportuninities for pan-european segmentation
appear for Heinecken, and what were some of the underlying
forces?
17.
Why are local country managers often hostile to
standardized products and brands?
18.
Which options Levi Strauss considered to grow further in
the Japanese market?
19.
What are some of the advantafes of a decentralized
organizational structure?
20.
Describe advantages of a global product line organization
for ICL.
21.
How can a multidomestic firms headquarter monitor and
control subsidiary.
22.
What are for Air BP advantages and limitations of join
venture agreements.
23.
What types of firms are currently in the initial entry phase
and what challenges do they face?
24.
Identify factors that Sterling Marking Products should
consider in determining an appropriate level of involvement in
international markets.
25.
Desccribe some of the issues/problems involved in
extending a firms business definition from a domestic to an
international perspective.
26.
What are for Mary Kay the advantages and disadvantages
of a pre-emption strategy in China?
27.
What are the reasons for Mary Kays limited success in
international markets?
28.
Discuss the pros and cons of a simultaneous introduction
of Buckler into the European markets.
29.
Why took Heinekens local country managers a hostile
attitude towards the introduction of Buckler, and what are
possibilities to overcome their resistance?
30.
What are for Levi Strauss advantages and limitations of
contract manufacturing?
31.
Which options Levi Strauss considered to grow further in
the Japanese market?

32.
Describe for ICI the advantages of a centralized
organizacional structure.
33.
What potential obstacles stand in the way of ICI
transforming their organization?
34.
What might trigger a companys decision to expand within
international markets?
The company has to consider external and internal triggers if they want
to expand in international markets. In specific, we can separate the
triggers according at diferents stages. The first one is Initial Market
Entry, here, the triggers are:
1. Saturation of domestic market
2. Movement of customers into foreign markets
3. Diversification of risk
4. Sourcing opportunities in foreign markets
5. Etry of foreign competition in home market
6. Desire to keep abreast of technological changes
7. Government incentive to export
8. Advances
in
communications
technology
and
marketing
infraestructure.
The second one is according to local market expansion:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Local market growth

Meeting local competition
Local management initiative and motivation
Desire to utilize local assets more effectively
Natural market boundaries

And the third one, and last stage is about globalization

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Cost inefficiences and duplication of efforts between countries

Learning via transfer of ideas and experiences
Emergence of global customers
Emergence of global competition
Development of global marketing infrastructure

35.
Why is it crucial for Sterling Marking Products to establish
a mission statement and initial entry objectives?
36.
What are the pros and cons of contracting out production?
37.
Describe for Mary Kay some of the issues/problems
involved in extending their business definition in China.
38.
Comment on the advantages and disadvantages of
confrontation strategies?
39.
Why do opportunities for transnational segmentation
appear to be growing, and what are some of the underlying
forces?
40.
Why were Heinekens local country managers hostile to
standardized products and brands?
41.
What specific criteria Levi Strauss could use to select new
retailers?

42.
Using examples of the case studies, illustrate different
core compentencies a firm can leverage on a worldwide scale.
43.
What potential advantafes ICI could realize in transforming
their organization.
44.
Why is it important to have a mission statement and
establish initial entry objectives.
45.
Discuss the pros and cons of concentrated and diversified
market entry strategies.
46.
How does an emphasis on local market growth and
penetration influence Mary Kay Cosmetics operations in Japan?
47.
What mechanisms could Heineken
use to coordinate
operations across Europe?
48.
Levin argues that the marketing of globally standardized
products is the key to success in world markets. What counter
argument can you come up with?
49.
Using the example of Levi Strauss, illustrate different core
competencies this firm can leverage on a worldwide scale.
50.
Why does a need for rationalization arise as a firm pursues
international expansion?
51.
Describe disadvantages of a global product line
organization for ICI.
52.
What are some of the dangers of adopting a cost
leadership?
53.
Using examples of any of the cases you know, identify the
main components or mechanisms this firm could use to build
strategic flexibility.
54.
What are some of the implications of the trend toward
globalization in international markets?
55.
Discuss the pros and cons of simultaneous and
incremental entry into international markets.
56.
Why is Mary Kay Cosmetics susceptible transferring its
core competence to China?
57.
How is choice of entry mode related to the strategy that a
firm pursues in international markets?
58.
Evaluate heinekens Pan-European Concept against country
market share
59.
Why is it important to define product market boundaries in
terms of the usage situation rahter than the product form?
60.
Which options does LSJ have to expand in the Japanese
market?
61.
Will ICI sacrifice local responsiveness if they organize
along global product lines?
62.
What is meant by the motto Think global, act local in
International Marketing (in the context of marketing programs)?
63.
What is a PESTLE analysis (what does the abbreviation
stand for? How can this tool be used in International Marketing?
Give one example for each area of the analysis)?

For this case, the PESTLE analysis consist in to determine which

elements of the environment affect strategic marketing decisions. The
PESTLE stands for the different environments are analyzed. P for
Political, E reffer to Economic Environment, S is about Social
Environment, T for technological environment, L is legal and E reffer to
the Environment of our business.
PESTLE analysis look for determine the favorable and unfavorable
situations that interfere in our company.
In the political environment, we must consider for example, the stability
of the government. For the Economic Environment, we can consider the
wage level. For the social environment, we can consider the age of the
population. For the technological environment, we can consider the
Government Expenditure on Research and Development. For the legal
aspect, we can consider the regulations regarding commercial matters
affecting our company and for the environment, we can consider the
policies related to environmental stewardship.
64.
What kind of advantages do multinational firms have over
purely local firms? What advantages do the latter have?
65.
What is a corporate mission statement (definition) and
what kind of content does a corporate mission statement have
(for an internationally operating company)?
66.
What is a core competence (definition) and what are the
characteristics of a core competence?
67.
Describe and evaluate licensing and franchising as
possible modes of operation
68.
What is meant by Piggybacking as a mode of operation
in International Marketing? Which advantages can it have for
both companies?
69.
What are potential advantages and disadvantages of
standardisation (in tailoring marketing programs to local
markets?