...to insulate their headquarters from operations in emerging markets. Sure, they welcome the opportunity to save money by manufacturing in China or managing customer service out of India, and they’re especially pleased when they make profits selling to customers in such markets. But regardless of their global footprints, American, European, and Japanese companies remain fundamentally American, European, and Japanese. The home country’s executive offices too often have an “us” and “them” mind-set and encourage a one-way flow of ideas and directives—from us in the home country to them in emerging markets. Local initiatives are expected to stay local. Companies do this to minimize cost and risk, and because they believe that their brands already hold enough cachet to woo emerging-market consumers. Multinationals may bein global markets, but they’re often not of them; therefore, they’re unable to expand their products’ appeal to broader audiences around the world. It’s surprising, then, when an established giant goes to an emerging market seeking the usual benefits of cheap labor and low manufacturing costs and comes back a changed company. That’s what has happened to Panasonic in China over the past decade. After the Japanese company’s leaders saw growth slow in China, they realized that they needed to engage more deeply with customers there. Panasonic’s desire to do that was rather remarkable because of the historical animosity between Japan and China, which can suddenly flare up....
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...Article 4 – Trade By: Michael Blanton My article is from December 2012 of the Harvard Business Review and is entitled What Panasonic Learned in China. This article showcases the transformation that Japanese company Panasonic made by approaching China as a source of consumption for its products as opposed to just a manufacturing base for its products. Until recently, Panasonic had many of its products manufactured in emerging market countries and would then sell these products to developed markets such as America, Europe, and in their home country of Japan. Knowingly or unknowingly, this way of doing business fostered an “us” and “them” mentality, or the haves and the have-nots, where emerging economies were not viewed as a meaningful source of sales for developed countries’ products. However, as evidenced by the success of Panasonic’s competitors, Panasonic recently acknowledged that it can no longer ignore China’s very rapidly growing middle class society and 1.3 billion people. The challenge for Panasonic was in determining how to assimilate their products into the Chinese local markets. In the past, the product design and manufacturing of Panasonic’s baseline products of washing machines, kitchen dishwashers, and refrigerators were only slightly altered for different geographic markets, almost all of which were developed economies/markets. The obstacles that Panasonic faced were no different than those of other consumer products companies that compete worldwide: how...
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...offer individuals the opportunities to "test the water" before entering into any permanent commitment, giving the ability to explore their options fully. The valuable experience gained by internships can not only improve but also extend our individual potential. Businesses gain access to talents they may otherwise not have discovered while individuals gain valuable employment experience, a diverse range of skills and abilities and even long-term earning opportunities. Internships are more than a short term contract, instead they are challenges and adventures that people will remember for the rest of the lives. Internships are able to help to develop skills and abilities impossible to learn from the books. In years to come when you look back at your career, whether you remain in China or not, you will know that internships provided you with resilience adaptability and interpersonal skills that made you a success. Success might mean seniority at work, it might mean running your own company, it could be simply being a more rounded and experienced person. I consider internships first explore the various types of internships available and determine whether a paid or non-paid opportunity fits best with my personal circumstance. Many internship opportunities offer either small or no monetary compensation. Internships are not always the most viable way to gain entry or re-entry into the workforce when a steady, livable wage is necessary. Such opportunities are usually best suited...
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...Publishing, Richard Ivey School of Business Foundation, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 3K7; phone (519) 661-3208; fax (519) 661-3882; e-mail cases@ivey.uwo.ca. Copyright © 2011, Richard Ivey School of Business Foundation Version: 2012-07-06 Mikio Katayama was the president of Sharp Corporation, a company that in the last 10 years had become recognized as a top-notch competitor in electronics products, leaving behind its image as a second-rate player. Sharp could brag about its leading positions in the Japanese cell phone handset and TV set markets as well as its worldwide reputation as a leader in liquid crystal display (LCD) technology. Despite these successes, however, the outlook for Sharp was far from optimistic. In the spring of 2009, Sharp reported its first loss since 1956, the year its shares began trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. At the subsequent annual shareholders’ meeting, Katayama apologized for “causing great anxiety and trouble to shareholders,” and also announced that the firm’s dividend would be cut.2 With slowing sales due to the deepest worldwide recession since the 1930s, Sharp’s competitors were also facing hard times. However,...
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...TU-53.1360 Cross-Cultural Management Assignment 1.12 Mister Y Mister X Mister Z Mister W Mister Q Table of Contents 1. Introduction................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Group Members and Dynamics of Team............................................................................... 2 2.1. Mister Y ...................................................................................................................................................... 2 2.2. Mister X ...................................................................................................................................................... 2 2.3. Mister Z ...................................................................................................................................................... 2 2.4. Mister W ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 2.5. Mister Q ...................................................................................................................................................... 3 2.6. Dynamics of the team .................................................................................................................
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... Research Sample Executive Summary Today’s Li-ion batteries are under intense pressure to evolve, leading to longerrunning electronics, cheaper electric vehicles, and a market for stationary storage; through our analysis, we find that: The biggest growth in batteries will actually come from gradually evolving Li-ion batteries, through incremental innovations like higher-voltage cathodes and electrolytes, paired with higher-capacity active materials like silicon-containing composites Next-generation batteries must wait until nearly 2030 to gain noteworthy market share – around then, solid-state batteries will win about $3 billion in transportation and $2 billion in electronics; lithium-sulfur will capture market share, too, though its growth will be slower Early adopter markets will be key – we recommend focusing on military, wearables, IoT 100% 80% Battery type 60% market share in 40% transportation 20% 0% Li-ion Advanced Li-ion Lithium-sulfur Solid-state 2 Research Sample Table of contents Landscape 4 Evolving Li-ion will be tough to beat, thanks to advanced cathodes and more 6 Applications will continue to demand more than what advanced Li-ion can provide 9 Next-generation battery options are many, and vary by application type 13 Analysis 20 Next-generation batteries will first start to make an impact after 2025 22 Despite Seeo and Sakti3 acquisitions, many good targets remain 29 Niche applications...
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...AUGUST 25, 2008 JORDAN SIEGEL Lincoln Electric Introduction John Stropki, CEO of Lincoln Electric, returned home from Mumbai to company headquarters in Cleveland, having sampled the local Maharashtran delicacies while studying opportunities in the Indian market. From his vantage point in 2006, Stropki looked back on his company’s more than 100 years in the welding equipment and consumables industry with pride, wondering whether a strong push into India should be the next step in his company’s globalization. An India expansion had been considered for several years, but thus far the company had focused on growing its operations in China and elsewhere around the globe. If Stropki were to approve a significant allocation of resources toward an India expansion, he wondered what would be the best way to enter. He had a wealth of company lessons and experiences to apply to the India investment decision, as his company had had international operations since the 1940s, had struggled internationally in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and had gone on to regain its global competitive advantage in the late 1990s and early 2000s. During Stropki’s tenure as CEO since 2004, the company had further expanded globally and by 2006 owned manufacturing operations in 19 countries across five continents. Most recently, the company had enjoyed increasing success in China as a result of its aggressive expansion through both a joint venture and set of majority-owned plants. As Stropki opened...
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...learn from the pathbreaking experience of South Korea’s Samsung Group, arguably the most successful globalizer of the previous generation. Twenty years ago, few people would have predicted that Samsung could transform itself from a low-cost original equipment manufacturer to a world leader in R&D, marketing, and design, with a brand more valuable than Pepsi, Nike, or American Express. Fewer still would have predicted the success of the path it has taken. For two decades now, Samsung has been grafting Western business practices onto its essentially Japanese system, combining its traditional low-cost manufacturing prowess with an ability to bring high-quality, high-margin branded products swiftly to market. The two sets of business practices could not have seemed more incompatible. Into an organization focused on continuous process improvement, Samsung introduced a focus on innovation. Into a homogeneous workforce, Samsung introduced outsiders who could not speak the language and were unfamiliar with the company’s culture. Into a Confucian tradition of reverence for elders, Samsung introduced merit pay and promotion, putting some young people in positions of authority over their elders. It has been a path marked by both disorienting disequilibrium and intense exhilaration. Like Samsung, today’s emerging giants—Haier in China, Infosys in India, and Koç in Turkey, for instance—face a paradox: Their continued success requires turning away from what made them...
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...International Expansion Report Tesla Motors, Inc. November 21, 2011 Rio Consulting Group Michael Dawes James Hadel Daniel Ma Simon Qin International Expansion Report | Tesla Motors, Incorporated | Rio Consulting Group Executive Summary Founded in 2003, Tesla strives to design, develop, manufacture and sell high-performance fully electric vehicles and advanced electric vehicle powertrain components. Currently, Tesla’s presence internationally is limited to dealerships in Europe and a minor production plant in Britain. In order to be best positioned moving forward, we recommend expanding into Latin America and Asia Pacific to better fulfill CEO Elon Musk’s primary goal to commercialize electric vehicles all the way to mass market. As we predict slow growth for the standard auto industry, we believe the electric vehicle industry is extremely attractive for several reasons, including high oil prices, less greenhouse gas emissions and government incentives. Our best estimates suggest the electric vehicle industry will have average growth rates of 35 – 40% over the next 10 years. International expansion, if done correctly, can help improve upon Tesla’s current strategic position in order to become the global leader in electric vehicles. We have determined that the optimal points of entry for the market are in Brazil and Singapore. In addition to gained access to the two fastest growing regions in the segment, the two locations are attractive for many political, economic,...
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...REV: APRIL 3, 2013 TSEDAL NEELEY Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten (A) Our goal is not becoming No. 1 in Japan but becoming the No. 1 Internet services company in the world. By 2050, Japanese GDP as a portion of global GDP will shrink from 12% in 2006 to 3%. As we consider the future potential growth of the Japanese market and our company, global implementation is not a nice-to-have but a must-do. — Hiroshi Mikitani, Chairman and CEO, Rakuten Group With less than a year to go before his self-imposed deadline of migrating to the exclusive use of English at Rakuten, Japan’s largest online retailer, CEO Hiroshi Mikitani (HBS ‘93) found himself seated outside Paris at the May 2011 e-G8 summit1. Seated alongside Internet, political, and business luminaries, Mikitani was among those shaping technology’s future agenda. But his future, his company’s future, was closing in on him. In a matter of days he would announce his acquisition of Ikeda in Brazil, marking another step in his company’s global ascent. And in a matter of months, he would evaluate its most critical stride toward becoming the world’s No. 1 Internet services company: the transition of his 7,100 Tokyo employees from their native Japanese to English, the global language of business. The future of his company lay in the success of his boldest step yet. Mikitani’s vision rested with his Japanese employees, who had fifteen months to respond to his controversial two-year English proficiency...
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...Marketing in China Before the reforms, under the command economy, Chinese companies took order from the state in production and push the products through state-controlled distribution systems. They never had to advertise, to do consumer research, and to think about marketing strategies. For years, even after the opening and reforms, many Chinese still consider marketing western concept of a dubious practice, something that may be not valid or applicable in China. Marketing proves to be one of the most challenging parts of China operations, perhaps more so than other areas such as accounting, finance, or research & development. For several reasons, First, infrastructure in marketing is underdeveloped, including transportation systems, media development, labyrinth of multi-tier distribution channels, and the severe shortage of qualified marketing personnel. Firms attracted to the longterm potential of this vast country must remember to pay sufficient attention to the basics of producing, distribution and marketing a successful product (Country Commercial Guide 1998), Marketing Strategies In the early 1980s when MNCs first came to China, many thought of China as a huge market with a homogeneous culture and felt standardized global marketing would be effective in capturing the opportunities and improving efficiency. These feelings were confirmed by the desire of Chinese to acquire western technologies and their fascination with products from the West. After living in an economy of...
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...Marketing in China Before the reforms, under the command economy, Chinese companies took order from the state in production and push the products through state-controlled distribution systems. They never had to advertise, to do consumer research, and to think about marketing strategies. For years, even after the opening and reforms, many Chinese still consider marketing western concept of a dubious practice, something that may be not valid or applicable in China. Marketing proves to be one of the most challenging parts of China operations, perhaps more so than other areas such as accounting, finance, or research & development. For several reasons, First, infrastructure in marketing is underdeveloped, including transportation systems, media development, labyrinth of multi-tier distribution channels, and the severe shortage of qualified marketing personnel. Firms attracted to the longterm potential of this vast country must remember to pay sufficient attention to the basics of producing, distribution and marketing a successful product (Country Commercial Guide 1998), Marketing Strategies In the early 1980s when MNCs first came to China, many thought of China as a huge market with a homogeneous culture and felt standardized global marketing would be effective in capturing the opportunities and improving efficiency. These feelings were confirmed by the desire of Chinese to acquire western technologies and their fascination with products from the West. After living in an economy...
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...Nike: The Sweatshop Debate 1. Should Nike be held responsible for working conditions in foreign factories that it does not own, but where subcontractors make products for Nike? Answer: Most students will probably agree that Nike should be held responsible for the working conditions in foreign factories where subcontractors make products the company sells. Students taking this perspective are likely to argue that since the workers are there to produce the products for Nike, the fact that the company does not actually own the facilities is immaterial – Nike is the beneficiary of the work done in the factory. Some students may suggest that Nike be resolved of some responsibility if the factories also produce products for other companies. 2. What labor standards regarding safety, working conditions, overtime, and the like, should Nike hold foreign factories to: those prevailing in that country or those prevailing in the United States? Answer: The question of whether of whether to hold foreign factories to the same standards as domestic factories is difficult. Some students might argue that Nike should require all factories regardless of their location to maintain the same standards when it comes to working conditions, overtime, and so on. Other students however, may suggest that it would be completely out of line to pay workers the same wages around the world, or require factories to follow expensive safety procedures. Students taking this perspective might argue that doing so...
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...the history of the company which made its way in the industry by building custom configurations of personal computers. A major theme of this case is Dell’s build-to-order strategy which has been a success in marketing as well as an overall strategy in supply chains across the country. This case details how well Dell has cornered the personal computing home office market and also the manner in which it derives a substantial amount of its revenue from its small business clients. It also addresses potential problems in Dell’s strategic management and possible solutions to help them stay on top. Introduction History Dell was founded in 1984 by Michael S. Dell, a student at the University of Texas, who with $1,000 dollars in capital starting selling custom built computers for customers looking for a lower cost alternative to more mainstream systems. He worked out of his dormitory room, and would later drop out of school to pursue his small, yet profitable venture. After building his company from a shoestring college dorm-room operation into one the largest and most successful computer...
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...Running head: GLOBAL BUSINESS CULTURAL ANALYSIS: JAPAN Global Business Cultural Analysis: Japan Albert G. Rodriguez Liberty University Abstract Japan is very similar and very unlike the US. It was amazing to research so many different aspects of one country. The major elements of this country are its culture and how these affect the country itself. How the people process these elements is very important and this is how the Japanese culture develops. From here we move on to see how this compares to US. We look to see how the US compares in their culture when brought next to Japan. Finally we will see how the US manager can be an international manager in Japan. This is mainly done through sensitivity to the other’s culture. This sometimes includes changing the way we act, and other times it is being sensitive to the other culture that is before us. Global Business Cultural Analysis: Japan Japan is an island cluster off the coasts of Russia, South Korea, and China. It is specifically located to the east of the Sea of Japan. It is composed of four major islands and over six-thousand minor ones. The four major islands are: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. It has thousands of shrines, national parks and even imperial palaces. The country of Japan is often called the Land of the Rising Sun. It has one of the largest populations in the world by country despite being such a small country. It has the highest life expectancy in the world (83.10). The islands are also...
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