Unit 50: International Marketing assignment Sample

Introduction of Unit 50: International Marketing Assignment

International marketing is termed as a process of promotion and selling of services and products to foreign consumer base. There are multiple reasons behind global market expansion such as increased sales and growth, wider exposure to market opportunities and strengthen brand image and competitiveness. This assignment will be based on different vocational scenarios that comprises of case studies of Mountain Hardwear, Gap Inc., Adidas and Pepsi-Cola based on the international marketing concept. This report will analyse about effectiveness of marketing to international business strategies along with the selection of international market entry strategies and key success factors. Apart from that, debate on local vs. Global market will be conducted along with the discussion of elements of marketing plan. At last, different marketing approaches for global, multinational and transnational context will be analysed in this assignment.

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Meaning, scope and concepts of international marketing

International marketing is defined as the process of selling and promoting services and products to global customer base (Geeks for Geeks, 2024). In other words, it is defined as exchange of services and goods across national borders to fulfil requirements of global customers. It involves the process of distribution, advertising and promotion of goods and services in international market. Exporters, service companies, importers and multinational corporations (MNCs) are the major participants in international marketing (Katsikeas, Leonidou and Zeriti, 2020).

There is a wide scope of international marketing as it encompasses with the key areas of market entry strategies and market research. International marketing offers divers range of information that is crucial for the export planning within global market. It involves with analysing conditions of global markets, crucial for making informed decision making for Mountain Hardwear (Paul, 2020). It is a premier brand, established in 1993 has specialization in high performance in outdoor gear and apparel. With adequate market research, Mountain Hardwear can seek an effective strategy for the market expansion in global market. Along with that, brand analyses and evaluates strategies of franchising, exporting, joint venture or licensing. 

Besides that, scope of international marketing involves process of promotion and communication with the development of effective marketing strategies and campaigns (Ali and Anwar, 2021).

This enables the Mountain Hardwear to resonate with the global customers by understand their needs and interests, helps in maintain brand image and consistency. Along with that, scope of international marketing comprises of determination of pricing strategies to maintain its power, cost and position in the competitive global market. This can enable Mountain Hardwear to solidify its market position as a leading international player within outdoor gear market with the formulation of effective pricing strategies (Ipek, 2021). At last, international marketing has a wide scope of product adaption that enables the Mountain Hardwear to modify its services and products based on the needs, preferences and interest of the global customers. To accomplish this, brand can adopt and modify changes as per the regional needs to attract diverse range of foreign customers (Kumar, 2024).

The key concept of international marketing involves identification of customers need, promotion and communication strategies and understanding of market culture and trends. International marketing concepts comprises scope of market research that enables the Mountain Hardwear to identify and understand needs and preferences of customers (Rana et al, 2021). Furthermore, it guides the organization to enhance its outdoor experience through superior craftsmanship. Besides that, concept of international marketing further allows the Mountain Hardwear to adopt communication and promotion strategies with the implementation of effective marketing strategies to attract diverse range of customers (Paul, 2020). Through maintain interpersonal communication with global customers, Mountain Hardwear can identify and divides international market into different market segments.

In addition to that, international marketing concept enables the Mountain Hardwear to promote its brand through leverage of sustainable business practices by reducing the adverse environmental impact (Onyusheva, 2020). This leads to promote positive brand image within global customers, leads to promote competitiveness and number of customers.

Rationale for marketing internationally

There are multiple reasons behind market expansion of Mountain Hardwear, which are as follows:

• Improve revenue opportunities: With the international business expansion, Mountain Hardwear can grab an excellent opportunity of enhancing its profitability in global business market. International market expansion offers Mountain Hardwear a chance expands its target audience reach by conquering new market territories (Kozlenkova et al, 2021). This leads to increase number of sales, results in improved revenue turnover.
• Increase competitive advantage: with the market entry in foreign diversified market, Mountain Hardwear has an opportunity to enhance its competitiveness. This could be a reason behind international market expansion as it provides the benefits of minimized cost of products and services, hiring of new talent (Hewett, Krasnikov and Hepworth, 2021). Along with that, it facilitates more extensive base of customers as compare to its domestic market country.
• Global demands and trends: Mountain Hardwear can adapt the global trend such as digitalization and sustainability that leads to promote market relevance. This could be a reason behind market expansion as brand has an opportunity to cope with the current global market trends and demands (Atieno et al, 2023). This leads to promote economies of scale and strengthens its market position in the global business market.

Opportunities and challenges in marketing internationally

International marketing comprises of diverse range of opportunities and challenges that affect expansion of Mountain Hardwear, are as follows:

Opportunities: international marketing offers opportunity of market expansion that leads Mountain Hardwear to access new base of global customers within international market (Strobell, 2021). This leads to enhance growth potential and product sales of Mountain Hardwear. Along with that, brand can grab the opportunity related to high economies of scale through expansion of distribution and production within global business market. This result in minimizing overall cost that offers benefit of improved financial position and efficiency of Mountain Hardwear (Katsikeas, Leonidou and Zeriti, 2020).

Challenges: Mountain Hardwear can face challenge of regulatory compliance during market expansion in international market. It seems difficult for the brand to navigate diverse range of regulations, tariff policies and trade laws. This leads to maximization of cost and complicates the process of business operations (Siswati and Rapitasari, 2024). Along with that, Mountain Hardwear may face complexities related to cultural differences as it is termed as quite time consuming and challenging process.

Marketing mix in international context

Elements of marketing mix	India	UK
Product	Adidas can apply quality strategy for its product offering as customers India are more concerned about the quality of product.	In UK, Adidas can apply differentiation strategy by offering diverse range of athletic footwear due to its increased demand in UK.
Pricing	Adidas can apply the competitive pricing strategy by setting an economic cost for its products based on the prices charged by its competitors	On the other hand, in UK, Adidas can apply value-based pricing strategy for its unique offerings.
Promotion	For the promotion of products in India, Adidas can adopt promotion strategy of sales promotion, general advertising and sponsorships to attract diverse range of customers towards brand.	On contrary, in UK, Adidas can implement digital promotional strategy with the use of social media platforms, content marketing or e-mail marketing to promote its products.
Distribution	In India, Adidas can implement the intensive distribution strategy that aims to penetrate diverse range of local market	In UK market, Adidas can select the selective distribution strategy to offer customized shopping experience to its customers

Adoption of marketing mix in Adidas

Adidas could implement the marketing mix within international context with selection of adequate strategies within elements of product, price, promotion and distribution. For the product element, brand can apply the differentiation strategy that provides basis of differentiation from the competitor’s product (Ipek, 2021). This will enable customers to identify the difference between different products and helps to develop loyalties towards brand. On the other hand, Adidas can implement competitive pricing strategy by setting an economic cost for its products. This price is primarily based on the prices charged by its competitors within competitive global market, leads to promote positive reputation. In addition to that, Adidas can adopt the digital marketing strategy with the application of social media platforms (Kumar, 2024). This will enable brand to reach wider audience and helps to establish emotional connection with brand. At last, Adidas can adopt intensive distribution strategy that aims to penetrate diverse range of local market within global market.

Justification about application of marketing mix in international context

The international marketing mix comprises of product, pricing, promotion and distribution strategy. Adidas could adopt the differentiation product strategy that was justified within concept of international marketing mix as it helps to establish a factor of differentiation between brand’s products with competitor’s product (Rana et al, 2021). On the other hand, competitive pricing strategy offers the benefit on increased sales and customer base within competitive global market. For example: Walmart adopts the competitive pricing strategy by offering products at minimized prices as compare to its competitors, leads to attract customers (Paul, 2020). Adoption of digital marketing strategy is justified as it enables Adidas to wider reach to target audience. At last, Adidas can adopt intensive distribution strategy as it leads to enhance market coverage and promotes loyalty and brand recognition within global market.

Different approaches for international marketing with relevant examples

In this today’s dynamic and competitive business environment many organisations has adopted and implemented the international marketing approaches and merge. Like Pepsi-Cola and Frito-Lay many companies choose merger strategies to expand and grow business. There are many different approaches related to international marketing used by the firms which are explained below:

• Multinational – It refers to the procedure of publicising and selling goods or services to the target audience worldwide. It allow the companies to expand their business in new markets through competitive pricing, internet and international distribution. For instance – top fast food chains like KFC has adopted the multinational approach and focus on their menu in every country to meet the local tastes (Recker, 2023). The company uses the radio, TV advertisements and social media platforms to market their products.
• Global – A global international marketing strategy refers to the plan to facilitate an organisation develop from a global business that sells goods and services in many other countries. This strategy emphasises the requirement to achieve economies of scale through selling fundamentally the similar goods and services in all market. For instance –Microsoft, a leading technology company which is known for their software products provides the same software programs in all over the world but make adjustments in the programs so that they can match languages.
• Meta-national –In this meta-national approach of international marketing, a business do innovation from day one across the world and expansion of business takes place across new foreign market, new consumers or new segments. For example –McDonald’s, a largest fast-food firm has used the meta-national strategy that has enabled the company to acquire the large market share (Shoham, 2021). The restaurant has tailored its food products as well as marketing techniques according to the tastes, preferences and interests of the local people.

Comparison between home and international orientation

Home Orientation – Home orientation basically pay attention on observing and understanding the various competitors in the domestic markets. This approach undertakes that domestic market is main competition source and opponents from other regions are less relevant.

International Orientation – International marketing is explained as performing business operations within more than one country. The competition in this kind of marketing is intense and organisations need to cope up with domestic as well as international competitors. The companies who operate globally generate more profit than firm that operate locally, so it is good marketing approach.

	Ethnocentric approach	Polycentric approach	Geocentric approach
Key elements	The ethnocentric method of a company considers that the goods and marketing strategies along with the ways valid in the home market are same to that within foreign market.	When a company applies polycentric approach to international markets, it tries to manage their global marketing functions on region-to-region base.	In this approach, a company adopts a worldwide approach related to marketing and target foreign people with same interests and tastes.
Effectiveness	In this kind of company, all global marketing functions are planned and executed with little difference in product designing, pricing tactics and distribution.	This approach works excellent between countries that have considerable cultural, political as well as economic differences.	It is effective method bas it enables firms to adapt flexibility to the local conditions and thus exploit local opportunities.
Advantages	This method is extremely flexible and multinational companies can enhance a pool of upper management and senior executives across the world.	The major advantage of this approach is that cultural factor of the company could be transferred to their subsidiary firms.	If organisations follow this approach, then they can improve their productivity because it needs sufficient knowledge regarding host market (Korinnyi and Holianchuk 2018).
Example	Offerings of Walmart, an American global retail organisation remains same in all countries.	McDonald’s determining their products according to country like McItaly in Italy or McLobster in Canada.	Coca-Cola, a global beverage company has adopted and applied the geocentric approach in order to handle its global operations.

Implications of each approach

Home orientation – It can restrict a limit of firm’s understanding of international competitors and developing global markets. It can obstruct opportunities for business expansion and development. Through concentrating only on local competitors, firms can avoid possible threats from global competitors who can enter into the local market or target same audience.

International orientation – It offers a wider perspective on opponents, industry and market trends. It allows firms to find out new opportunities and adapt to ever-changing business dynamics. Evaluation of global competitors needs extra resources and proficiency. It can include dealing with different economic, legal and cultural elements that can increase difficulties for organisations.

Advantages and limitations of international marketing approaches

	Benefits	Limitations
Multinational	It will enable firms to explore the techniques and methods of operating in complex circumstances in the world. It allows firms to source cheapest raw materials and save the operational costs.	Like profits, it also involves losses. The company can experience any type of loss that can reduce their market position and share. Firm can face difficulties to determine market availability.
Global marketing	Global approach increases the reach of the business and economies of scale (Katsikeas, Leonidou and Zeriti, 2020). It also helps firms to develop strong business network.	Different customer interest, cultural differences, language barriers and different rules and policies can negatively impact the business operations.
Meta-national	These approaches pay attention on consumers which make them feel more valued. The costs of manufacturing and distribution are less which can benefit business.	In this approach, the competitive advantage is not good so the organisations cannot gain any advantages from this procedure.

Recommendations for organisation structure

The structure of the companies must be developed in a way that all upper management team stays aligned towards accomplishing common objectives.

The roles and duties of each department and workers should be clearly explained and each person must stick with job roles (Meyer, Li and Schotter, 2020).

The organisations can focus on the environment so that they can reduce problems and challenges.

It is crucial for the organisations to use strategies and develop open communication system so that it can reduce the conflict situation.

Conclusion

It was concluded that international marketing played a pivotal role in success and growth of organisation in today’s competitive world. This assignment summarizes different vocational scenarios that comprises of case studies of Mountain Hardwear, Gap Inc., Adidas and Pepsi-Cola based on the concept of international marketing. Effectiveness of marketing to international business strategies along with the selection of international market entry strategies of franchising, outsourcing and joint venture was discussed. Apart from that, debate on local vs. Global market was conducted with help of which it was identified that global operations is a better strategy. At last, Ethnocentric, Polycentric and Geocentric marketing approach for global, multinational and transnational context was analysed in this assignment.

References

Books and Journals

• Ali, B.J. and Anwar, G., 2021. Marketing Strategy: Pricing strategies and its influence on consumer purchasing decision. Ali, BJ, & Anwar, G.(2021). Marketing Strategy: Pricing strategies and its influence on consumer purchasing decision. International journal of Rural Development, Environment and Health Research, 5(2), pp.26-39.
• Atieno, C., Ogutu, M., Munjuri, M. and Kagwe, J., 2023. The Influence of Firm Characteristics on the Relationship between Foreign Market Entry Strategies and Financial Performance of Listed Multinational Firms in Kenya.
• Hanaysha, J.R., Al Shaikh, M.E. and Alzoubi, H.M., 2021. Importance of marketing mix elements in determining consumer purchase decision in the retail market. International Journal of Service Science, Management, Engineering, and Technology (IJSSMET), 12(6), pp.56-72.
• Hewett, K., Krasnikov, A.V. and Hepworth, A., 2021. The Impact of Home Market Institutional Conditions on Market Entry Strategies of Firms from Emerging Markets. In BUSINESS PRACTICES, GROWTH AND ECONOMIC POLICY IN EMERGING MARKETS (pp. 5-25).
• Hidayat, C.W., 2021. The Influence Of Mix Marketing On Decisions For Use Of Online Transportation Towards Global Competition. International Journal of Science, Technology & Management, 2(4), pp.1154-1163.
• Ipek, I., 2021. The relevance of international marketing strategy to emerging-market exporting firms: from a systematic review towards a conceptual framework. International Marketing Review, 38(2), pp.205-248.
• KARAKÖSE, S. and AKIN, F.İ., 2024. A New Perspective on Marketing Mix Elements in the Context of International Consumers. TWIST, 19(3), pp.35-43.
• Katsikeas, C., Leonidou, L. and Zeriti, A., 2020. Revisiting international marketing strategy in a digital era: Opportunities, challenges, and research directions. International Marketing Review, 37(3), pp.405-424.
• Khalayleh, M. and Al-Hawary, S., 2022. The impact of digital content of marketing mix on marketing performance: An experimental study at five-star hotels in Jordan. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 6(4), pp.1023-1032.
• Kozlenkova, I.V., Lee, J.Y., Xiang, D. and Palmatier, R.W., 2021. Sharing economy: International marketing strategies. Journal of International Business Studies, pp.1-29.
• Kumar, V., 2024. International Marketing Research: A Transformative Approach. Springer Nature.
• Meyer, K.E., Li, C. and Schotter, A.P., 2020. Managing the MNE subsidiary: Advancing a multi-level and dynamic research agenda. Journal of International Business Studies, 51, pp.538-576.
• Onyusheva, I.V., 2020. Exploring Foreign Market Entry Strategies as a Way of International Business Expansion. Вестник университета «Туран», (1), pp.9-14.
• Paul, J., 2020. Marketing in emerging markets: A review, theoretical synthesis and extension. International Journal of Emerging Markets, 15(3), pp.446-468.
• Raewf, M.B., Thabit, T.H. and Jasim, Y.A., 2021. The relationship between the elements of marketing mix and consumer behavior during environmental uncertainty. Cihan University-Erbil Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 5(1), pp.50-55.
• Rana, S., Prashar, S., Barai, M.K. and Hamid, A.B.A., 2021. Determinants of international marketing strategy for emerging market multinationals. International Journal of Emerging Markets, 16(2), pp.154-178.
• Shoham, A., 2021. Standardization of international strategy and export performance: a meta-analysis. In Strategic Global Marketing (pp. 97-120). Routledge.
• Siswati, E. and Rapitasari, D., 2024. Optimization of Foreign Market Entry Through Adaptation to Changing Market Trends in The Destination Country. International Journal of Science, Technology & Management, 5(4), pp.743-748.
• Strobell, H.W., 2021. The impact of German culture on the decision making process of market entry strategies–a case study of pet care companies from Germany (Doctoral dissertation, University of Worcester).
• Sudirjo, F., 2023. Marketing Strategy in Improving Product Competitiveness in the Global Market. Journal of Contemporary Administration and Management (ADMAN), 1(2), pp.63-69.
• Wichmann, J.R., Uppal, A., Sharma, A. and Dekimpe, M.G., 2022. A global perspective on the marketing mix across time and space. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 39(2), pp.502-521.
• Yusuf, M. and Matiin, N., 2022. Analysis of the Effect of the Marketing Mix on Purchasing Decisions. International Journal of Economics and Management Research, 1(3), pp.177-182.

Online

• Geeks for Geeks, (2024). International Marketing: Features, Scope and Significance. Online. Available through: <https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/international-marketing-features-scope-and-significance/>. 
• Korinnyi S. O. and Holianchuk A. R., (2018). ANALYSIS OF KEY COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES. Online. Available through < https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/320573-analysis-of-key-competitive-strategies-e-700d865a.pdf >
• Recker, B., (2023). 6 effective international marketing strategies by top brands. Online. Available through < https://veracontent.com/mix/international-marketing-strategies/ >