Bus 421 International Marketing Dr Shyam Vyas , Ph.D.

Phone 09811030360 (7am-8am)

Email: shyam.vyas394@gmail.com
ASSGNMNT #1 Due : 28th May, 2018
max 100 pts
(Individual Assignment) Please ensure you have a copy of what you submit.
You may be called upon to present/defend/elaborate on this assignment to the class during the class.
BE PREPARED. Please type your paper. No late submissions. Write precisely and to the point only.

TITLE PAGE is REQUIRED

(Should have your name, roll number, contact details (phone, email), assignment number, date due, and date
submitted)__________________________________________________________________
Talk in person with a business decision-maker (Manager or higher) in an internationally
involved company (must be doing business overseas – or must be an overseas company doing
business in India or Canada – located in tri-cities area) .
Ask him/ her the following and make a write-up + get the enclosed questionnaire filled.
Ensure you interview a senior international marketing professional. Approach him/her professionally, dressed in
formal clothes, make appointment, re-confirm the appointment, carry a UFV student ID, paper and writing instrument with
you. Take good notes during the interview session itself.
Ask him the following and make a write-up + get the enclosed questionnaire filled :
Some tips on how to make the write-up for this assignment #1 –
Begin with – whom you choose to talk to (name, designation & company)- and why you selected him / her ?
Ensure the individual is a senior Int’l Marketing professional in a limited or private limited company (responsible for a
specific product’s international marketing efforts– and his / her designation reflects it on business card) – else you will get
no credit. Talk to a meaningful senior int’l marketing /business functionary & not any odd executive.
Major Product(s)/ brand and major competitors of this product / service internationally – the geographies he/she is making
the effort in, with some salients like market size, market share etc. Must provide a paragraph indicating the product(s) the
senior decision-maker is internationally marketing, and relevant details.
Attach any product brochure, firm’s brochure to your assignment submission.
Then begin the write-up as regards what answers/ responses the decision-maker gave to –
Be specific as regards the product category the senior decision-maker is responsible for.

What is the ONE MAJOR bottleneck that restrains the company’s growth in international
markets? (Is it Technology, Is it Production, Is it Finance, Is it Market/Consumer Resistance or lack of correct
information about the specific country / region markets... etc )?
One biggest difficulty in International Marketing he / she experiences _______________________________________________________
What is “What is “International Marketing” ? (Get him / her to tell you and write it down verbatim).
Is it easy or difficult to organize / conduct international marketing effort ?
What major difficulties are frequently encountered ?
What are essentials required to succeed in international marketing according to you ?
How much importance does top management give to international marketing, and what proportion of company
revenues come from international marketing effort ?
Does the company conduct research internationally to understand country culture, regulations & laws,
consumers, competition etc better?
Do executives from his /her company travel frequently to international markets ?
On a scale of 10, how does the respondent senior international manager rate
a) the organisation’s international marketing effort?
b) the listening ability of the firm (ability to predict with reasonable accuracy what are consumer requirements,
and the changes taking place in international markets etc). List the countries your firm is involved / interested in.
c) What is the budget for international marketing in the firm – or is it that there is no specific budget
d) Is there separate International Marketing department in the firm ? Who is responsible for International effort?

What is the importance of / how important is - understanding the country /market and what the consumer there
require - for effective marketing - with reference to the products / services and markets in which his/her
company operates ?
What is / are the mechanism(s) vide which the company furthers its understanding of international market? (Be
specific).
Discuss at least one major decision the firm took / or changed after obtaining a “different” or “changed” understanding of
the international market opportunities / threats and what consumers required .
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Staple the business card of the senior executive you discussed the above with your write-up.
End the discussion with a request that you may want to contact them further as your course unfolds for additional inputs.
I appreciate your time and kind cooperation in sharing with me your opinion on international marketing and
related issues. Kindly provide response by circling selected options where requested. Kindly also staple your
visit card to this questionnaire. Thank you.

What is “International marketing”? Kindly state your personal understanding of what this concept is -
_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

How important is a thorough understanding of “global factors” in current day success of your firm?
a)Very Important b)Important c)Uncertain d)Not
Important e)Not at all Important

Major reason for your response to above question is : Because .. (Kindly circle all applicable)
a)Large ____% of firm’s revenues come from international marketing efforts
b)International market environment is getting to become very competitive
c) World today is very inter-connected
d)International consumer is increasingly becoming more demanding & is more aware
e)companies cannot formulate right market strategies without understanding international opportunities well
f)companies will waste a lot of money and run higher risk of failure if they do not understand global influences
g)companies would not be able to segment the market right without an understanding of global factors
h)All of the above g)Any other ________________________________________________________

Kindly rate your company’s overall understanding of the critical success factors prevailing in
international business environment as regards your company’s target market (s).
a)Excellent b)Good c)Average d)Poor e)Very Poor
What is essential to succeed in International markets ? 1._______________ 2._________________________
3. _____________________ 4. _______________________ 5. ______________________________
What is / are the mechanism(s) vide which your company furthers its understanding of the international
opportunities? (Kindly circle all applicable)
a)conducts market /consumer research through market research agencies
b)obtains feedback through international executives, sales representatives, & dealers / middlemen
c)keeps track of what is printed and available in secondary data sources (newspapers/magazines)
d)we do not have any formalised mechanism but we understand international markets
e)don’t need any mechanism to understand international opportunities - our officers are quite experienced
f)Any other _____________________________________________________________________________
Have there been any noticeable shifts in markets internationally with respect to your company’s product?
(Kindly circle either MORE or LESS on each of the following statements - based on your personal judgement)
a)Governmental rules & regulations have become MORE / LESS demanding. Must adhere to laws – YES/NO
b)Competition has become MORE / LESS difficult to deal with .
c)Making int’l financial & investment decisions and deploying effort has become MORE / LESS difficult
d)Finding the right people to do the job internationally has become MORE / LESS demanding
e)Int’l markets/ consumer has become MORE / LESS demanding in terms of product quality over the years
f) Int’l markets/consumer has become MORE / LESS demanding in terms of service level requirements
g) Int’l markets/consumer has become MORE /LESS demanding in terms of convenience required
h) Int’l markets/consumer has become MORE /LESS demanding in terms of on-time delivery commitments
h) Int’l markets/ consumer has become MORE / LESS price conscious over the years
i) Int’l markets/ consumer has become MORE / LESS aware of what is available (different brands-alternatives)
j)Int’l market/consumer has become MORE / LESS demanding in terms of credit requirements over the years
k)Int’l communications globally have become MORE / LESS problematic over the years
l) Int’l market travel has become MORE /LESS dangerous & difficult. Terror is becoming a problem – yes / no
In your estimation, products from India enjoy what country specific advantages in international markets ?
Indian products are a)low cost b)Good quality c) _________________ d)_____________________
-Are you currently doing any business / exports / imports with (name the country markets) ________________________
-Is your firm interested in any country market ? __________With what product/service ? Briefly state_________
-Would your firm like to obtain a report on international markets concerning your products – at no cost to you ?
a)Certainly yes b)May be – give us more details c)No
Would you like to come to our UFV Chandigarh campus (in sector 32, Chandigarh) and address International Marketing
students enrolled in UFV’s Canadian Business program, and interact with them for a brief 30 minutes only - on any Monday
or Thurs between 9:30am -12:30pm ?
a)Surely – I would like to b)May be – send me a formal invite c)Not really – I don’t have the time
________________________________________________________________Thank you for your time & involvement