a) Your bosses at Sony have told you that a primary objective for the company is to build brand equity. Does this affect your decision on whether or not to standardize the marketing of your HDTVs? Comment on the pros and cons of standardizing the product offering and comment specifically on the extent to which you would standardize advertising across markets.

b) In today's global business environment, the impact of "Country of Origin" labeling is sometimes debated. Discuss what research tells us about country of origin effects and how firms should use this information. Also, comment on if, and where, you would include COO information on the labeling and advertising of Sony HDTVs in the scenario above.