Competing On a Global Basis
Many companies have been global marketers for decades—firms like Shell and Toshiba. But global competition is intensifying in more product categories as new firms make their mark on the international stage. In a global industry, competitors’ strategic positions in major geographic or national markets are affected by their overall global positions.2 A global firm operates in more than one country and captures R&D, production, logistical, marketing, and financial advantages not available to purely domestic competitors.
To sell overseas, many successful global U.S. brands have tapped into universal consumer values and needs—such as Nike with athletic performance. Global marketing extends beyond products. Services represent the fastest-growing sector of the global economy and account for two-thirds of global output, one-third of global employment, and nearly 20 percent of global trade. For a company of any size or type to go global, it must make a series of decisions (see Figure 18.1).
FiGURE 18.1 Major Decisions in International Marketing
