This report focuses on Poland, a country which has experienced significant economic reforms and privatization in the wake of political changes taking place after 1989. Poland has enjoyed rapid growth in its private sector, but has also encountered a sharp increase in unemployment. The transition from a centralized system to a more democratic society and a free market economy, coupled with a shift from state to private ownership has created new investment and marketing opportunities in Poland. The purpose of this report therefore, was to examine PolandÆs history, particularly recent events shaping the country, along with a cultural and economic profile to establish the background within which a marketing strategy could be positioned.
Based upon an analysis of PolandÆs economy, the product selected for marketing in Poland consists of automobiles and trucks, specifically those of U.S. headquartered Ford Motor Company. Poland is a mixed economy in which the multiple price points of Ford products is likely to resonate. Many automakers, including those of Germany and Japan, are examining Eastern European markets as they seek global expansion and the development of new market share. Ford is ideally positioned to do the same, and itself is in need of a new thrust into Europe; Poland, as a former Eastern bloc nation, may be particularly viable for Ford. Facilitating such a move are income increases among workers in newly privatized industrial and commercial sectors in Poland.
Before describing the specific product, pricing, placement, and promotional strategy developed for Ford, a general overview of marketing activities in Poland is presented. Since privatization, Poland has enjoyed the development of new trade relations with foreign firms and consequently created a marketing consulting sector which has been used to good effect by foreign firms planning to enter the Polish market. Indeed, one of the most striking features ...