International Business: Adapting Products for Export
The major problems facing companies, especially smaller ones, in resolving product-adaptation issues are things that can differ in different cultures such as the taste of the product, the style, the color, or symbols, language, but also more specific like differences in technology, environmental differences, religion etc.
The taste of a product is very important for the food, drinks and cigarette industry. Style is more important in car and fashion industry, which also includes the color and symbols. The meaning of a color or a symbol can differ from culture to culture.
The package of the product can also need adaptations. Special symbols and the language need to adapt to the country/culture. Some symbols can be offensive in one culture and be normal symbols in another culture. There is also a possibility that a symbol is not commonly used in a culture and will be misinterpreted. Language differs of course; many things can go wrong concerning languages or translations. The packaging also has to be adapted to the conditions of a country; storage conditions (size of the product), climate, moisture, etc.
Technology can also make a difference if the product is going to be successful on a new market or not. Measurement systems vary between countries and often components need to be modified to adhere to local standards, which can also include the size of the product. Environmental differences are probably more logic; selling ski jackets in warm countries is not likely to be profitable. Some products may malfunction, when they are exposed to extreme heat or cold. Religion or special norms and values can also make a product fail.
2. Comment on the statement, "It is our policy not to adapt products for export."
Perhaps what the company is trying to avoid are the conformity requirements and regulatory mandates. Adapting products for export would normally require adapting higher standards of quality. This in turn might require upgrading of facilities and
The taste of a product is very important for the food, drinks and cigarette industry. Style is more important in car and fashion industry, which also includes the color and symbols. The meaning of a color or a symbol can differ from culture to culture.
The package of the product can also need adaptations. Special symbols and the language need to adapt to the country/culture. Some symbols can be offensive in one culture and be normal symbols in another culture. There is also a possibility that a symbol is not commonly used in a culture and will be misinterpreted. Language differs of course; many things can go wrong concerning languages or translations. The packaging also has to be adapted to the conditions of a country; storage conditions (size of the product), climate, moisture, etc.
Technology can also make a difference if the product is going to be successful on a new market or not. Measurement systems vary between countries and often components need to be modified to adhere to local standards, which can also include the size of the product. Environmental differences are probably more logic; selling ski jackets in warm countries is not likely to be profitable. Some products may malfunction, when they are exposed to extreme heat or cold. Religion or special norms and values can also make a product fail.
2. Comment on the statement, "It is our policy not to adapt products for export."
Perhaps what the company is trying to avoid are the conformity requirements and regulatory mandates. Adapting products for export would normally require adapting higher standards of quality. This in turn might require upgrading of facilities and
Links: assess how this problem is being tackled. World Trade Organization: This problem is being addressed by the World Trade Organization through the TRIPs (Trade Related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) agreement in the WTO treaty. In the ten years since the conclusion of the Uruguay Round of the WTO, and the concomitant adoption of the TRIPS Agreement, there has been tremendous improvement worldwide in countries ' legal framework for copyright protection. By incorporating the substantive copyright obligations of the Berne Convention, and supplementing them with civil, criminal, and border enforcement obligations, TRIPS established a minimum standard against which all countries ' copyright regimes could be judged. Since 1995, the number of WTO member countries has nearly doubled. By including the TRIPS Agreement in the WTO obligations, and thus subjecting the obligations therein to international dispute resolution, we have been able to advance copyright protection in all 148 WTO member countries further and faster than would have been possible without it. Business Software Alliance (bsa.org): The Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is an organization dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital world. Its members include Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, Avid, Bentley Systems, Borland, CA, Cadence Design Systems, Cisco Systems, CNC Software/Mastercam, Corel, Dell, EMC, HP, IBM, Intel, McAfee, Microsoft, Monotype Imaging, PTC, Quark, Quest Software, SAP, Siemens PLM Software, SolidWorks, Sybase, Symantec, Synopsys, and The MathWorks. How it addresses the problem of software policy is clearly evident in its public policy statement. The steps it has taken are as follows: 1) Lobbying for the swift passage of comprehensive patent reform legislation that will modernize the existing US patent system which will promote greater innovation and productivity. 2) Actively supporting a call for productive dialogue with China on critical trade issues such as stronger enforcement of copyright protection for software and Chinese government procurement. 3) Calling for the elimination of trade barriers and discouraging the adoption of discriminatory public procurement practices. 4) Promoting software innovation.