Global Issues Project -Roles

Global Issues Project –Country Notebook This project is assigned for the purpose of helping students better understand the issues an international marketer faces when introducing products into international markets. Ea ...

Global Issues Project –Country Notebook This project is assigned for the purpose of helping students better understand the issues an international marketer faces when introducing products into international markets. Each of the 6 Groups will first conduct extensive background research on the cultural and economic characteristics of a selected country. Based on this analysis, Groups will choose a product [Life Straw, Ethiopia] and develop a new product for introduction into the country. The project deliverable is a written report (double-spaced, 25 page text limit. The Table of Contents and Executive Summary DO NOT COUNT towards page total.) detailing the team’s findings. The final report will be evaluated based on coverage of topics, composition, depth and quality of research, and creativity. The following sections are required: Table of Contents o Executive Summary (Only one executive summary is needed at start of the report.) o Table of Contents o A Cultural Analysis Section. This should be an interpretive report, not just a dumping of facts and statistics. The report should be written in paragraph form. It should also include up­to­date information on recent or emerging social trends in the country based on a GALILEO news and periodical search. o Economic Analysis Section. Again, the report should be interpretive in nature and written in paragraph form. o Market Audit and Competitive Market Analysis Section. Availability of competitor information will vary depending on product selected. o Appendices One single bibliography (APA or MLA format) containing at least 10 references is required. The first stage in the planning process is a preliminary country analysis. The marketer needs basic information to evaluate a country market's potential, identify problems that would eliminate a country from further consideration, identify aspects of the country's environment that need further study, evaluate the components of the marketing mix for possible adaptation. Many companies, large and small, have a country notebook for each country in which they do business. The country notebook contains information a marketer should be aware of when making decisions involving a specific country market. As new information is collected, the country notebook is continually updated by the country or product manager. Whenever a marketing decision is made involving a country, the country notebook is the first database consulted. New-product introductions, changes in advertising programs, and other marketingprogram decisions begin with the country notebook. It also serves as a quick introduction for new personnel assuming responsibility for a country market. The Country Notebook is comprised of three separate sections and guidelines for each section are presented here to aid in the collection and analysis of market data and preparation of the country notebook: (1) guideline for cultural analysis, (2) guideline for economic analysis, (3) guideline for market audit and competitive analysis. These guidelines suggest the kinds of information a marketer can gather to enhance planning. The points in each of the guidelines are general. They are designed to provide direction to areas to explore for relevant data. In each guideline, specific points must be adapted to reflect a company's products and/or services. The information in this analysis must be more than a collection of facts. The decision as to the appropriateness of specific data and the depth of coverage depends on company objectives, product characteristics, and the country market. Some points in the guidelines are unimportant for some countries or some products and should be ignored. Guidelines for Global Issues Project – Country Notebook Cultural Analysis 1. Person 1 Introduction ­ Include short profiles of the company, the product to be exported, and the country with which you wish to trade. a. The mission of the Life Straw is to provide safe drinking water space through technology innovation and product quality and design. In doing so, their work is driving sustainable access to safe drinking water by engaging governments, donors, and individual consumers to understand the problem and become an active part of the solution. We are planning to introduce the Life Straw to Ethiopia, a country in Africa bordering Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan, and Kenya. The Life Straw has a parent company called Vestergaard that is publicly traded. Vastergaard manufactures and produces many other products that aid in the dissolution of diseases. 2. Person 1 Brief discussion of the country's relevant history a. Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world. Landmarks of the country date back to Old Testament Biblical times. In addition, the Greek historian Herodotus, of the fifth century BC, describes ancient Ethiopia in his writings. From the 1700’s, for roughly 100 years, there was no central power in Ethiopia. It was a mass of local rulers fighting over resources. It stayed this way until about 1869 when Emperor Tewodros unified the leaders under one control. As of now, Ethiopia has a central government that is democratic, established under President Meles Zenawi (ethioembassy.org.uk).3. Person 1 Geographical setting a. Location i. Ethiopia is located at the horn of Africa, which is the easternmost part of the African landmass (worldatlas.com). b. Climate i. Ethiopia has tropical monsoon climate wide topographic-included variations. It is usually hot and humid, with cooler conditions in the central mountains. Average temperatures for the country are 68-77 degrees F throughout the year. (worldatlas.com). c. Topography i. Its topography ranges from deserts along its eastern border, the Choke and Mandebo mountains ranges in its central core, and tropical forests in the southern reaches. It is dominated by a vast highland complex of mountains, plateaus, and lakes, all divided by the Great Rift Valley that’s surrounded by lowlands and steppes. The highest point of Ethiopia is Ras Dejen at 14,928 ft; the lowest point of the country is the Afar Depression at -410 ft. (worldatlas.com) 4. Person 1 Social institutions a. Family i. The nuclear family 1. Families tend to be rather large with 7-8 children in more rural areas. In the city, families usually have 2-3 children and practice forms of contraceptives (ethnomed.org). ii. The extended family 1. Family ties are strong. In times of crisis, the extended family will take full responsibility for the family’s problem. Disputes are settled by the elderly of the community. A great deal of interdependence is needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem (ethnomed.org). iii. Dynamics of the family 1. Parental roles 1. Women are viewed as subordinate to their husbands and are expected to stay at home with the children. Husbands are sole providers for the family in most instances (ethnomed.org). 2. Marriage and courtship 1. In rural areas, girls are allowed to marry at the age of 12- 14. Although some are married at age 9. In urban areas the acceptable age has always been 18. Men are permitted to marry at the age of 18 as well. iv. Female/male roles (changing or static?)