Strategy and globalization

 

Abstract

When a cooperation expands into a foreign country, there a number of problems that it is likely to encounter such as contrast in culture. Culture includes differences in language, religion, population and social standards. The more a cooperation knows about the mode of approach, the more likely they are to achieve success in foreign geographical market. In the past research has been carried out on how to handle new emerging markets as well as the specific way of dealing with launching of products for the first time in foreign market. The authors who carried out this research include Geert Hofstede and Hollensen (2007) among others.

 

 

1

I am consultant for a food and beverage Cooperation that is interested in expanding its market in India. One of the strategies that I have put in place to ensure that the food and beverage company becomes a success on entry into the Indian market is culture considerations that the products should meet in order to launch successfully in the foreign market. I have looked at culture and divided them into preferences, language, regional practices and behavioral patterns to help in the modification process.

Language

Language can act as a barrier if not handled correctly and needs to be translated to mean exactly what it was meant to mean without any distortions. Indians speak both English and Hindi therefore I should translate and advertise in both languages. In rural areas where English is not spoken and understood by many, the advertisements can be in form of pictures and less of English words as compared to areas where English is well spoken by the majority. This approach will surpass language by enabling both visual and language understanding (Hofstede, 2000)  

Preference

Another modification that I should make is based on preference. What do the people of India prefer when it comes to food and beverages? Are most of them vegetarians or do they love meat and vegetables in equal measure? If the answers to these questions are positive, quick adjustment should be made accordingly. For example in India, beef is viewed as forbidden therefore, it is wise to put in place changes that will accommodate more regional and vegetarian  type of food and beverages ( Hofstede, 2000).

 

Regional practices

They can be brought into existence by a group that speaks a different language from the citizens creating different practices in culture .In India, difference in regional practices can be brought about by the modern and conservative societies. Modern Indians can consume any food and beverage as long as it has been well presented and cooked to them. Conservative Indians are more likely to be inclined towards more traditional foods such as vegetables .Therefore, when marketing, I should consider regional practices. Locations where conservatives are likely to be more, the marketing strategy should be geared toward vegetables and more locally Indian food and vice versa. Hofstede, 2000)

 

Behavioral patterns and age

Behavioral patterns and age shapes and influence cultures of the world. I can use behavior and age to strategize and know personality of the population. Before marketing food and beverages cooperation in India begins, I need to decide whether the society is a liberal society or a collective society where a group has the most command on buying food and beverages. Hofstede, 2000)

 

2

 

Expatriates should first understand the language of the country they are in, in this case, India. It will make communication easier and enable cross-cultural communication with other Indian employees. Learning the language gives the basis for the interpretation of body language among other face to face none verbal cues associated with the language .Communication gives direction to the functions performed at an organization. For the food and beverage company to be successful in India I need to come up with efficient and effective external and internal communication systems. Expatriates should also consider code of conduct and good ethics. They should avoid bribery, sexual abusive language and harassment of the locals. This will help in creating a conducive atmosphere for conducting business thus increasing productivity. Good ethics creates a level playing field for doing business that enable the company to succeed. (Wankel, & Malleck, 2012)

 

 

Human resource policies can be integrated with the local polices. The most fundamental step to integration that I should encourage, is treating everyone equally. The managers should be treated equally and not favored based on the cooperation‘s country. The mentality of ‘us against them’ can be disadvantageous to the company as people who feel discriminated against may not give their best. Equality will help in fighting xenophobia and give other nationals a chance to sit at the board and give a different perspective of the host country to other board members. Where human polices cannot be integrated, training programs can be conducted to suit the workforce of the cooperation. Training programs help to strengthen and build new talents that will see productivity increase. The exchange of knowledge and good company practices will be cost effective and help me in reducing the expenses associated with the process of hiring. Local policies that allow the cooperation to grow within the foreign country together with the employee, I should adopt and execute them strategically. This will help the cooperation to grow in the foreign country and gain success (Iles, 2013).

 

3

Recommendations

Blending with the local culture is an important aspect of gaining mileage in the Indian communities but I should handle it with a lot of care. I must not completely act like the locals’ but should be flexible enough to cater to the needs of the local market without any hindrance. When a company acts global it sends a message that they are seasonal business people hence creating a unique atmosphere that allows locals to engage in .I should indulge with the foreign market based on the quality of the product I offer more than the effort I put to be assimilated into the community. In any society, quality   surpass any language barrier. The best approach for a food and beverage company to succeed in India is through franchising. Franchising will be less costly and will easily adopt into the environment with less expatriates. Franchising will peak easily compared to starting the business a fresh (Trompenaars, & Hampden-Turner, 2012).

 

 

Conclusion

Culture of any foreign market can be concurred by understanding their language, preferences, behavioral patterns and age. By understanding the culture, the product can easily be sold to the market and gain traction with time. Expatriates should practice equality and good ethics that will give the cooperation good public relations image.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

Browaeys, M.-J., & Price, R. (2015). Understanding cross-cultural management. Harlow, England.

Hofstede, G. H. (2000). Culture's consequences: International differences in work-related values. Beverly Hills, Cal. [u.a.: Sage Publ.

Iles, P. (2013). International human resource management: A cross-cultural and comparative approach. London: Chartered Inst. of Personnel and Development.

Trompenaars, A., & Hampden-Turner, C. (2012). Riding the waves of culture: Understanding diversity in global business. London: Nicholas Brealey.

Wankel, C., & Malleck, S. K. (2012). Ethical models and applications of globalization: Cultural, socio-political and economic perspectives. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.