Assignment

Write 600-800 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

Deborah, the CEO of your company, wants to determine if a global strategy is a good fit for the organization. In addition, Deborah has heard of project management in other organizations. She would like project management to be integrated into your organization, beginning with a project to develop a marketing plan.

Deborah has designated you as the project manager for this project. A project charter has been created and signed by Deborah, who will function as the project sponsor.

As the project manager, you will work with your team to develop a marketing plan for your organization. Although you do not have experience in managing projects, Deborah has sent you to a 1-day project management overview course through the local Project Management Institute chapter. You will attend other courses over the duration of this project and integrate project management concepts as you learn them.

You begin your research in deciding if and what the global strategy should be. You get your team together and begin to discuss a plan on how you will research this possibility.

You start the meeting by saying "Let's brainstorm and start to get a plan together for a possible globalization strategy. Tiffany, I'd like you work with me to begin researching possible locations."

Tiffany says, "I think we need to research some locations, but I think there is more to it than that. There still needs to be a decision on the type of strategy or approach we are taking. Would we use a multidomestic approach, a global approach, or a transnational approach? I'm still not entirely convinced a global strategy is the answer."

"Great point, Tiffany. It is obvious to me as well that we need to explore a strategy that will put us in a better position to handle the economic downturn. We have to provide the board with the facts. They seem to be leaning in the direction of a global strategy, but I'm not sure it's the right move either. That's why we need to do research."

Discuss the following:

• How do you define a global strategy?

• Are there other international strategies, and how do they differ?

• Identify a minimum of 3 possible countries and location options for globalization. Research each of these locations in the furniture industry, and document both the pros and cons of using these in global strategy.

• What country would you choose? What evidence can you provide in support of your choice?

• What evidence might somebody else, who does not agree with you, provide to support his or her choice?

• What could you tell somebody else to show he or she is wrong?