Mktg1417 a2 _ Assignment 2 Country Analysis Part of BrandLaunch Project

The deliverable for the Country Analysis is a fleshedout outline regarding the countries you selected, covering the points listed below. The report should be wellresearched, with recent sources (ideally no more than 5 years old) and information from all sources cited in correct Harvard citation style and including a correctly formatted reference list. You need to demonstrate your proposed brand is appropriate to launch in the chosen country. You should approach your research with your brand in mind and be thinking about how the cultural factors and other environmental factors you discover will affect the launch of your brand. While the deliverable will be in outline form, it must follow all rules of correct grammar, syntax, spelling, and writing mechanics. Introduction (appx.250 words) You should identify: 1. Company (E.g. Loreal) 2. Specific brand of focus (E.g. Lancome) (Tips: Positioning, Mission, etc.) 3. Leverageable strengths of brand 4. Brand vulnerabilities 5. Opportunity assessment: What is your rationale for launching this brand in the new host country? EconomicGeographic Environment (appx.300 words) The natural infrastructure (such as rivers and seaports) and physical infrastructure (transportation and communication systems) of a nation provide the foundation for economic development. Considerations for research are: Geographic factors (climate, terrain, waterways, etc.) that influence business activities in the country. (In some countries, for example, mountains make movement of raw materials and production supplies difficult and expensive.) Geographic distance should be considered as long distances affect costs in a significant way. Major products (natural resources, agricultural products), major industries, and importexports in the market area. Note that you should focus on the current output, import and export value of products in the particular industry of your brand and some related industries if any. Do not cover all types of nonrelated industries. Current economic conditions related to GDP, inflation, interest rates, currency value (exchange rates), personal income, and employment that may attract or deter foreign investment. Infrastructure of a country with regard to availability of transportation, communication, and utilities. As an example, in some countries, wireless (cell) phones may be more cost efficient rather than build infrastructure for landlines. SocialCultural Environment (appx. 300 words) A country’s business environment may be influenced by the importance of family, religious beliefs, and demographic trends. Interviewing a person who has lived in, worked in, or traveled to a country that you are researching will be beneficial in understanding what influences business there. Considerations for research are: Demographic trends (birth rates, literacy rates etc.) that might influence business activities (e.g., lower birth rates result in an aging population with expanded demand for health care). Cultural analysis of language, customs, traditions and beliefs of a country that are related to your product category. (Religious beliefs may make the sale of certain products inappropriate in some countries.) Most importantly, you should include research on the cultural aspects of the buyer behaviors specifically related to the product category of your brand. Country of Origin impact should also be researched on if possible. Social institutions analysis that influence business (i.e., family, church, labor organizations). Informal trade barriers created by social and cultural factors (communication styles and negotiating tactics vary around the world resulting in the need to adapt to the host country’s culture). PoliticalLegal Environment (appx.300 words) Political stability is commonly related to the type of government and degree of corruption present in a country. A company may face various business regulations when conducting international business. You should identify political and legal factors that could affect global business decisions. Considerations for research are: Government and politics describing the type of government and recent political developments that could influence the economic and business environment (i.e., events in the Middle East contributing to an uncertainty when doing business with some countries; or the communism influencerestrictions in China). Political and trade relationships between host country and home country should be looked at to see if there are any particular issues or advantages. Formal trade barriers (tariffs and other taxes, foreign exchange controls, ownership restrictions) that might require a company to adapt its business strategy. Promoting global business analysis – how is the host country attracting foreign investments? (Some nations offer tax incentives to attract foreign capital.) Intellectual property (brand names, copyrights, patents, software, music, videos) protection and regulation by countries. Some countries (i.e., China) do not regulateenforce, which allows for pirating that results in lost profits for companies. Evaluation (appx. 250 words) Conclude with core issues you have discussed then propose two standardization and two adaptation factors (e.g. product, or price, or target customer segment, etc.) that the company should consider when launching the brand in your chosen country.