When considering international marketing, companies must take into account their own internal structure, the role of the governments of the countries considered, and the way in which the company would operate in the foreign nation (whether directly, as part of a joint venture, or through some licensing effort). Political situations must be considered, and the labor situation in the foreign country (as well as in the domestic country) must also be taken into account.
Increasing numbers of companies throughout the world are marketing on an international basis. There are two primary reasons why they do this: competition and markets. The competition facing companies domestically is increasingly from foreign firms. Competition comes not only from recognized industrial nations, but also from developing nations and the former Soviet Union.
The other major reason that companies consider the international economy is the availability of markets. Market opportunity and growth is certainly present in foreign countries, although purchasing power can vary greatly. For many products and services, companies are turning to the diversification that international marketing brings. By marketing to a variety of nations, a company is not so severely affected by a downturn in any one country's economy. Introducing and marketing products abroad increases the company's overall market share, and is thus a competitive decision that many companies are turning to (Vernon Wortzel & Wortzel 128).
International Marketing Considerations
It is important that a company undertake international marketing with the same care and consideration that it uses when introducing a product domestically. This means that the company needs to understand the key features of the target market. Such features include the size of the market and its anticipated rate of growth, the stage of development that the market is in, the stage of the pr
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