International strategy

1. Developing International Strategy David Elliott B.A.
(Lon), M.B.A. (Executive Management) Hull, MCIM
2. Agenda • What drives International performance? • A
suggested model. • Some thoughts. • Some experiences.
3. What drives International performance • Product
adaptation. • International experience. • Partnerships with
Distributors.
4. There are fewer models to support export marketing
than there are to give guidance for domestic ventures.
Growth orientated domestic firms must clearly address the
opportunities which increasingly globalisation offer, and
therefore it is appropriate and sensible to suggest a
framework which might support export marketing, to the
extent that this is substantiated in the literature.

5. A suggested Model Cavusgil & Zou (1994 & 1996) have
defined three key areas -: 1) Export marketing strategy The
major consideration is \"to adapt or not to adapt\". The
Company must, prior to applying its scarce resources,
decide how much it is going to change its basic format. 2)
International Competence This is inextricably linked with
its decision whether to \"adapt or not\". An organisation
which is competent in an international context ( and this
is a very different story from being competent in a
domestic situation) is able to make the important decisions
which key into an appropriate export marketing
6. A suggested Model 3) Managerial Commitment Export
marketing is enhanced if senior management is committed to
the venture, allocates appropriate resources and creates an
international environment within the organisation for the
long
7. A suggested Model This indicates an interesting
virtuous cycle which can be illustrated as follows -:
Management commitment Product Adaptation International
Competence International
8. A suggested Model • This will require a long-term
approach to export marketing which will build an
organisation a growing appreciation of the specific demands
of international markets which in turn enhance strategy and
create products which are appropriately adapted to the
demands of the different market places. • This approach
will avoid the short-term opportunistic approach to
9. A suggested Model • Having defined an export
marketing model it is however important to put this
together with a management model which recognises that
managers operate not only in the external environment but
also in the internal environment of the various departments
in the Company. Fayol offers the basis for a simple
management model which can be incorporated as follows…
10. A suggested Model Export External Marketing strategy
A management model • Planning • Organizing • Staffing •
Leading • Controlling Internal International Management
competence commitment
11. Planning • This involves selecting missions and
objectives and the actions to achieve them. By selecting
future courses of action from among the many alternatives
which may be open to a Company it is able to choose where
it wants to be in the future and is able to encourage group
effort by allowing people to know what they are expected to
accomplish. • This is more likely to encourage success and
prevent a Company from drifting into situations which it
cannot control.
12. Organising • This involves that part of managing
which involves establishing an intentional structure of
roles for people to fill in an organisation. The objective
is to create a structure to ensure that all tasks which are
necessary to achieve goals are covered an given to those
who are best equipped to fulfil the various tasks in an
organisation. • The structure should also create a formal
system of roles that people can perform so that they can
work together to achieve the Company's objectives. Those
modern approaches also address the informal links which
make any organisation function well.
13. Staffing • This involves filling, and retaining
positions in an organisation. • This is achieved by
identifying work force requirements, reviewing the people
available, recruiting, selecting,, putting people into the
appropriate positions, planning careers, rewarding,
training or otherwise developing both current and potential
job holders to accomplish tasks effectively and
efficiently.
14. Leading • This has been described by Koontz &
Weihrich as that task which influences people so that they
will contribute to organisation and group goals, largely as
the result of the interpersonal aspects of management which
relate to motivation, leadership styles, and approaches and
communication.
15. Controlling • This relates to the measuring and
correcting of activities to ensure that events conform to
plan. Performance will logically be measured against goals
and plans, show where any deviations might exist, and then
put management into place corrective action to make certain
that plans are achieved.
16. At the heart of control activity is the measurement
of achievement and correction is achieved via activities
which are conducted by people. Unless it is known who is
responsible for results which are different from what has
been planned it will not be possible to take the necessary
steps to improve performance. By definition therefore
outcomes are controlled by controlling what people do.
17. Thoughts • No quick fix. • Do you mean what you say?
• Build trust.
18. Experiences • Be flexible. • Be patient. • Be strong.