Winning in the Global Market

Bruce D. Keillor, PhD, is associate professor of marketing and international business at Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH.

Achieving success in the global marketplace is now a little easier thanks to this practical and comprehensive guide.International opportunities are not limited to the Fortune 500. Winning in the Global Market: A Practical Guide to International Business Success is a resource that will enable firms of all experience levels to explore the possibilities international markets hold and, if they are already engaged, to improve current international operations.Practical and easily understood, the guide synthesizes well-established approaches to global business best practices and shares the most cutting-edge ways of dealing with today's dynamic international business environment. Readers are shown how to conduct an international SWOT analysis that can spell the difference between failure and success and are taken sequentially through issues that must be addressed to compete in the international arena. Regardless of a firm's current status, the book will prove invaluable in answering four critical questions: which market, or markets, to enter (or continue in); when to do so; what the scale or scope of entry should be; and when it is appropriate to make changes.

An appendix of resources that will help firms identify and access the most helpful outside sources for international business information and assistance

IntroductionPART I UNDERSTANDING THE INTERNATIONAL MARKETPLACE1 The Strategy of International BusinessIntroductionWhat Make International Business Unique?The Market EnvironmentThe Coordination of Strategy OptionsEntering International Markets"To Be or Not to Be.": Is Being International an Option?Summary2 Assessing the Market Environment: Identifying Real and Perceived ThreatsIntroductionThe Demographic EnvironmentThe Economic Environment: Where's the Money?The Competitive EnvironmentThe Technological EnvironmentSummary3 Assessing the Political Environment: Beyond the MarketplaceIntroductionWhat Is the Political Environment?The Marketplace as a Nation-StateSources of Authority in a Nation-StateThe Political Environment and International BusinessWhen Firms and Governments CollideAssessing Political VulnerabilityConducting an Assessment of the Political EnvironmentSummary4 The Social Imperative: Culture and Cultural DifferencesIntroductionWhat Is "Culture"?The Ingredients of CultureCulture and International Business: Internal Organizational ChallengesCulture and Market Activities: Impact on StrategySummaryPART II PLANNING FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MARKETPLACE5 Market Selection: Choosing Your DestinationIntroductionThe Market Selection ProcessThe Physical Environment and Market SelectionHow Can the Physical Environment Impact International Business?The Market Selection Process: Preliminary IssuesThe Market Selection Process: Input VariablesThe Market Selection Process: ChoiceSummary6 Market Entry: Making Strategic DecisionsIntroductionFirm-Related DeterminantsMarket-Related DeterminantsMarket Entry Strategy OptionsExporting as an Entry StrategyPartnerships as an Entry StrategyForeign Direct Investment as an Entry StrategySummary7 Creating a Value Chain: Connecting with Your CustomerIntroductionThe Global Buying Market: Understanding Your CustomerThe Role of Information in the International Value ChainWhat Makes an International Value Chain Unique?International Value Chain StrategyRelevant Issues in Constructing an International Value ChainKeys to Success When Dealing with International Value Chain MembersSummaryPART III GOING INTERNATIONAL8 Making Your Business Viable: Creating an International Product StrategyIntroductionProduct Concept DeterminationProduct Design StrategyProduct Management StrategySummary9 Making Your Product Viable: Creating an International Promotion StrategyIntroductionPromotion Is CommunicationThe International Promotional MixFormulating an International Promotional Mix StrategyStandardizing Your Message: Choice CriteriaStandardizing Your Message: TransferabilityCoordination of Product and Promotional StrategySummary10 Putting It All Together: Creating an International Business PlanIntroductionObjectives, Strategies, and Tactics: Making the DistinctionAssessing the EnvironmentThe Sociocultural ImperativeMaking Strategic Decisions to Enter an International MarketSummaryAppendix: A Toolkit for Developing an International Business PlanDoing an Exporting SWOT AnalysisWhere to Get HelpWhat about Foreign Trade Zones?BibliographyIndex