Assignment: Entry Plan into International Market

This assignment will provide you with firsthand experience in developing a strategic marketing plan for entering a new international market. Choose a global company that you are familiar with for this paper. Note: Do not use a company from a previous assignments or discussions. Use the Internet or Strayer Library to research the following components of the global company that you have chosen:

Company Profile (History & Analysis)
Product(s)
Financial Status
Market Position
Analysis of current global operating environments
Integrated marketing communication (IMC) Strategy
Strengths and Weaknesses Analysis
Sustainable Competitive Advantage(s) enjoyed by the firm
Sources of funds for the project
Pro-Forma Balance Sheet & Income Statement for five (5) years
Cash-Flow Statement

Write an eight to ten (8-10) page paper in which you:

1. Choose a country into which the company you selected may expand. Note: Ensure that the country you chose is currently not doing business with the selected company in any capacity (e.g., exporting, FDI, or contract manufacturing).

2. Develop a brief profile of the country that you have chosen. The summary should include:

Geographic and historical data regarding international business
Political and legal environment for conducting international business
Business customs and practices
Economic environment
Socio-economic analysis which should include the factors of concern (e.g., population characteristics, language, GDP, taxation, personal income, labor, industries, communication networks, imports / exports, and major trading partners' countries).
Note: Refer the following resource to complete this criterion of the assignment:

3. Ascertain the possibility and feasibility of financial, distribution, and marketing partnerships for the company within the chosen country. Your research should include:

Market structure and analysis (e.g., channels- direct or indirect)
Currency considerations
e-Commerce
Impact of regional and global trade integration
Potential volume of trade
The marketing mix components
Key cultural dimensions affecting marketing operations

4. Analyze the key reasons why the entering the market in the country that you have chosen is justified. Include your research and analysis from Criteria 1 and 2 of this assignment to support the response.

5. Determine at least three (3) potential risks of foreign market expansion into the country that you have chosen (e.g., language barriers, regulatory, taxation, expropriation, etc.). Suggest one (1) strategy to mitigate each risk that you have determined using weighted metrics with a baseline number(s).

6. Determine at least three (3) potential benefits of foreign market expansion into the country that you have chosen. Suggest one (1) strategy to maximize each benefit that you have determined.

7. Suggest at least two (2) ways in which you would adapt the operational strategies of your chosen company both to fit the changing dynamics of foreign markets and to foster a competitive advantage for the company.

8. Use at least six (6) academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other similar Websites do not qualify as academic resources.