Adaptation vs. Standardization in International Marketing – the Country-of-Origin Effect

International marketing or business is uniquely different from the local market because the product price, place and promotion is vastly different from what is been offered to local customers (Johansson, 2000) With the emergence of the information technology, cross border marketing has never been a distant dream. However, it has never been easier even for giant multinational companies to face challenges that come in international business. The biggest challenge comes from the culture which varies from country to country.

Today, firms have to deal with a global marketplace; marketers have no other choice. Participation in global marketing has begun to shift from a mere “option” to an imperative. The world is becoming more homogeneous. Distinctions between national markets

International marketing – Ethnocentric Orientation In this kind of orientation a firm assumes that the process of home country is superior to the rest of the world. They consider that all markets are similar and assume that products and practices that succeed in home country will be successful anywhere. Multinational Marketing – Poly centric Orientation In this kind of orientation firm believe or assume that every country in which a company does business is unique. In order to succeed, they adopt the policy of applying business and marketing strategies differently in different countries. Global Marketing – Geocentric Orientation In this kind of orientation firms view the entire world as a potential market and attempt to develop integrated global strategies. A global company can

The article is divided into four parts. First part focuses on the traditional perspective on international marketing strategies focusing on the dichotomy between standardization and adaptation. The second part examines key assumptions underlying the philosophy of global standardization. The third part focuses on the constraints to implementation of global standardization. The last part of the article concludes on the bases of its review that a more general approach is suitable which incorporates various degrees of standardization or adaptation strategies. It is an important article as it concludes that an effective global marketing strategy does not guarantee the marketing of standardized products and global brands worldwide. It might work for some companies but cannot work for all.

A firm 's international marketing program must generally be modified and adapted to foreign markets. This international marketing program uses strategies to accomplish its marketing goals. Within each foreign nation, the firm is likely to find a combination of marketing environment and target markets that are different from those of its own home country and other foreign countries. It is important that in international marketing, product, pricing, distribution and promotional strategies be adapted accordingly. In order for an international firm to function properly, cultural, social, economic, and legal forces within the country must be clearly understood.

1. To what extent is a global approach to international marketing appropriate to firms in the Asia-Pacific?

Dicken, P. (2007). Global Shift: Mapping the Changing Contours of the World Economy, 5th. Edition. SAGE Publications

In the business industry, if businesses want to export their goods and services to other countries, they must become familiar with and adopt international and global strategies. Consequently, there are three types of international and global business strategies. The first type is international, which entails conducting a significant amount of activities outside the home country, yet its focus remains on the home market (Fung, 2014). The second type is multinational, which consists of operating in multiple countries, yet the headquarters is in its home country, not to mention that the competitive advantage will vary by country (Fung, 2014). The third and final type is global, which is when the organization treats the whole world as one market and one source of supply, not to mention, that its competitive advantage is contingent of common brands, standardized products, and global scale production (Fung,

With the advancement in communication technology, transportation and other technologies the world has shrink into a global village. Products developed in a country are now widely accepted in other regions of the globe as well. Many companies have been developing marketing strategies to fulfill the need, in an increasingly globalize market, for several years. There are a number of companies that are being recognized by and whose brand names are familiar to most of the people in every region of the world. With the span of time, the global competition is becoming more and more intense and is affecting businesses in almost every part of the world. Those domestic companies who have been doing business in a specific region for

With respect to product, standardized marketing differs from its opposite extreme concentrated marketing as products are introduced to a foreign country without any change*. Although the strategy is

4.0 4.1 4.1.1 4.1.2 4.1.3 4.1.4 4.2 4.2.1 4.2.2 4.3 4.3.1 4.3.2 4.3.3 4.3.4 4.3.5 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 Introduction Cultural factor Language Education Value and Attitudes (Customer Perception) Consume Behaviour/Pattern Physical Condition/Demographic Climate & Ethnic Urbanisation Factor Economic Factors GNP & GDP Inflation Rate & Interest Rate Exchange Rate Balance of Payment The Stage of Development Political/Legal Factors Competitive Factors Technology Factor Stage of Product Life Cycle Organisational Factor The Nature of the Product

International marketing is the application of marketing principles to more than one country. The intersection is the result of the process of internationalization. Many American and European authors see international marketing as a simple extension of exporting, whereby the marketing mix is simply adapted in some way to take into account differences in consumers and segments. It then follows that global marketing takes a more standardized approach to world markets and focuses upon sameness, in other words the similarities in consumers and segments.

The marketing strategy pursued by a company is dictated by many factors, including size, product category, competition, and organizational structure. Strategy as defined in the text is “a planned set of actions employed to make best use of a companies core competencies to gain a competitive advantage”. (1) Implementing a successful internationalization business strategy is not confined to large MNEs, increasingly small to medium enterprises find them selves operating in a global market. A business must clearly understand the value added by its product or service to capitalize on their competitive advantage globally. It is useful to consider the internationalization-responsiveness (IR) framework when discussing the key differences between global, multidomestic and transnational strategies. (2) The framework compares the strengths and weaknesses of each strategy relative to the goal of global integration or local responsiveness. In terms of the IR framework a global strategy emphasizes global efficiency, multidomestic strategy emphasizes the local market and a transnational strategy balances both end goals.

Each orientation utilizes standardization or adaptation, or both, in its DNA. Ethnocentrism uses standardization, polycentrism uses adaptation, and geocentricism exercises both standardization and adaptation. How does standardization and adaptation affect the marketing mix? A comparison of the dichotomies is illustrated.

Doole and Lowe (2004) stated the key problem faced by international marketers is dealing successfully with the multi-dimensionality and complexities of the international environment. By understanding the environment, companies can implement a successful marketing strategy enabling them to make relevant decisions regarding entry modes and the marketing mix.