Executive Summary

When deciding whether to go abroad, a company needs to define its international marketing objectives and policies, weigh the risks, decide which and how many countries to enter, and determine the mode of entry (indirect exporting, direct exporting, licensing, joint ventures, or direct investment). Each succeeding strategy entails more commitment, risk, control, and profit potential. Firms going global have to decide how much to adapt their marketing strategy to local conditions. Country-of-origin effects can influence both consumers and businesses.

Internal marketing emphasizes that satisfying customers is the responsibility of all employees, not just those in the marketing department. Marketing departments can be organized in a number of ways: functionally, geographically, by product or brand, by market, or in a matrix. Companies must practice social responsibility through their legal, ethical, and social words and actions. Cause marketing can be a means for companies to productively link social responsibility to consumer marketing programs. Social marketing is done by a nonprofit or government organization to directly address a social problem or cause.