international market selection and segmentation week 7
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International market selection and segmentation
Week 7
Learning objectives
• International market selection and identify the problems in achieving it
• International market segmentation and selection process
• Distinguish been preliminary and fine-grained screening
• Distinguish between alternative market expansion strategies• Distinguish between concentration and diversification in
market expansion
Definition
• International market selection (IMS) is the process of – opportunities evaluation – leading to the choice of foreign markets in which to compete.
Albaum & Duerr (2011)
Reasons for identifying right market• Factor of success or failure• This decision influences the nature of foreign
marketing programme in the selected countries
• Geographic location of selected markets affects the firm’s ability to coordinate foreign operations.
IMS: SMEs Vs LSEsSME LSE
• Reaction to a stimulus provided by change agent such as unsolicited order, government agencies, chamber of commerce.
• Exporter simply responds to an opportunity in a given market.
• IMS is based on following criteria:1. Low psychic and cultural distance2. Low geographic distance• First choice for the SMEs are their immediate
neighbours• Compared to old SMEs (estd. Before 1960) ,
young SMEs (estd. In 1989 or later) are internationalizing more rapidly because they are sub- suppliers to large firms.
• Basically they are pulled out to international market by their large customers and their international network.
• LSEs with existing operation in many countries decide in which of them to introduce new product.
• LSEs can be more proactive because they have access to more accurate information in the form of primary data
Potential determinants of the firm’s choice of foreign markets
International market segmentation
Steps 1 and 2: Criteria for effective market segmentation
• Segments ideally should possess the following set of properties:– Identifiable( measurable): per capita income– Substantiality/profitability: the degree to which segments are
sufficiently large and/or profitable for e.g. market size– Accessible: the degree to which the resulting segments can be
effectively reached and served for e.g. road conditions, internet access, storage
– Stable: socio-political factors– Actionability: make things happen for e.g. sufficient resources
to formulate effective marketing programmes
8Source: Kotabe and Helsen (2011), Hollensen (2011)*
Basis of International Market Segmentation
General characteristicsGeographicLanguagePolitical factorsDemographyEconomyIndustrial structureTechnologySocial organizationReligionEducation
Specific characteristicsCultureLifestylePersonalityAttitudes and tastes
High degree of measurability, accessibility, and actionability
Low degree of measurability, accessibility, and actionability, but high degree of relevance
Hollensen (2011)*
General characteristics
General characteristics
General characteristics
General characteristics
Specific characteristics
Step 3: Screening of markets/countries
Stage 3.1Preliminary Screening
(based on external screening criteria)
Stage 3.2 Fine-grained
Screening(firm’s competitive power)
The Business Environment Risk Index (BERI) is a useful tool for coarse-grained, macro-oriented
screening of international markets
Purpose - Identify prime markets
Hollensen (2011)*
Preliminary screening
• Number of markets is reduced by coarse grained, macro oriented screening methods based on criteria such as:– Restriction on export of goods from one country
to another– Gross national product per capita– Cars owned per 1000 of the population
Stage 3.1: Preliminary screening: Criteria included in the overall BERI index
• Economic Political stability• Growth• Currency convertibility• Labour cost/ productivity• Short-term credit• Long-term loans/venture
capital• Attitudes towards the foreign
investor and profits
• Nationalisation• Monetary inflation• Enforceability of contracts• Bureaucratic delays• Communications: phone, fax,
internet access.• Local management• Professional services
Preliminary Screening
BERI
Business Enviroment Risk Index (BERI) Germany
Criteria Weigths Rating*(0-4) Overall BERI
Political Stability 3 4 12Econimic Growth 2.5 2 5Currency Convertability 2.5 3 7.5Labour Cost/Productivity 2 2 4Short-Term Credit 2 4 8Long-Term Loans/Venture Capital 2 4 8Attitude Towards the Foreign Investor 1.5 4 6Nationalization 1.5 2 3Monetary Inflation 1.5 3 4.5Balance of Payments 1.5 4 6Enforcebility of Contracts 1.5 4 6Bureaucratic Delays 1 2 2Communications: Phone, Fax, Internet Access 1 4 4Local Management and Partner 1 4 4Professional Services and Contractors 0.5 4 2Total 25 82
Germany
BERI Index• 0= unacceptable: 1= poor: 2= average condition: 3= above average
conditions: 4= superior conditions• Total points greater than 80
– favourable environment for investors, advanced economy• 70-79
– not so favourable but still an advanced economy• 55-69
– an immature economy with investment potential• 40-54
– a high risk country probably an LDC. Quality of management has to be superior to realize potential
• Less than 40– very high risk. Would only commit capital if there were some
extraordinary justification.
Stage 3.2: Fine-grained Screening
• BERI index – focuses only on the political risk of entering new markets, – therefore the approach that includes the competences of the firm is
needed.
• Powerful aid to the identification of the ‘best opportunity’ target country is the application of – Market, country attractiveness/competitive strength matrix
Dimensions of market/country attractiveness
• Market size• Market growth• Buying power of customers• Market seasons• Average industry margin• Competitive conditions
• Market prohibitive conditions• Government regulations• Infrastructure• Economic and political
stability• Psychic distance
Dimensions of competitive strength
• Market share• Marketing ability and capacity• Products to fit market demands• Price• Contribution margin• Image
• Technology position• Product quality• Market support• Quality of distributors• Financial resources• Access to distribution
channels
Questionnaire for locating
countries on a market
attractiveness/competitive
strength matrix
Weighting:100%=critical s.f.80%=Prerequisite s.f. 60%=Important s.f.40%= Of some importance20%=Standard
Source: Hollensen (2011)*
Factors 1Very poor
2Poor
3Medium
4Good
5Very good
%Weight factor
Result(grading*weight
)Market size 4 20% 0.80Market growth 3 25% 0.75Trade agreements and tariffs
2 10% 0.20
Consumption habits 3 30% 0.90
Economic stability, inflation rates, currency
2 15% 0.30
TOTAL 2.95
Factors 1Very poor
2Poor
3Medium
4Good
5Very good
%Weight factor
Result(grading*weight)
Product quality 4 25% 1.00Financial resources 3 20% 0.60
Access to distribution channels
4 15% 0.60
Image 2 25% 0.50
Technology 3 15% 0.45TOTAL 3.15
Relative competitive strength: with regard to the strongest competitor
Market attractiveness
The market attractiveness/ competitive strength matrix
Source: Hollensen (2011)*
Categories of Markets• A countries:
– Primary markets offering the best opportunities for long-term strategic development. – Here the company might want to establish a permanent presence and should do
thorough research.
• B countries: – Secondary markets where opportunities are there but political and economic risk is
high to make long term commitments. – Market should be handled in more pragmatic way due to potential risk.
• C countries: – Tertiary markets with high risk. Therefore the allocation of the resources will be
minimal. – Objectives in this countries will be short term and opportunistic. – No real commitment by company and no significant research will be carried out.
Step 4: Develop segments in each qualified country/across countries
• Demographics• popular criteria- easily measurable• Demographic variables- Age, gender, occupation,
population
• Socioeconomic variables
- Per capita income- Socioeconomic Strata (SES) Analysis: upper class, middle-to-
upper class, middle class, lower class, poverty level
27
UK Socioeconomic grouping% of population
Group Social status Occupation of head of households
3 A Upper middle Higher managerial, administrative or professional
14 B Middle Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional
27 C1 Lower middle Supervisory or clerical, junior managerial, administrative or professional
25 C2 Skilled working Skilled manual workers
19 D Working Semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers
12 E Those at lowest level of subsistence
State pensioners or widows, casual or lowest-grade workers
Source: Brassington & Pettitt (2006) Principles of Marketing 4e, Pearson Education.
The major American social classes
Source: Kotler and Armstrong (2012) Marketing: an introduction, 11thed.
International Market Segmentation Approaches 1. Standard country segmentation:
• classify prospective countries geographically based on a single dimension • E.g. per capita income
2. Aggregate segmentation: • classify based on multiple dimensions , such as socio-economic, political, etc.
criteria available from secondary sources ( world bank, UNESCO) • E.g. Nestlé’s
3. Disaggregate international consumer segmentation: • Here the focus is the individual consumer. • First choose one or more segmentation bases ( lifestyle, demographic, values),
then • identify consumer segments in terms of consumer similarities with respect to
chosen bases. Problem: targeting a geographically dispersed consumer segment can become logistical nightmare.
30
Aggregate segmentation:
Nestlé’s Geographic segmentation of the Americas
Source: Kotabe and Helsen (2011)31
International Market Segmentation Approaches 4. Two-stage international segmentation:
Step 1: Macro-segmentation ( classification of countries into different groups);
Step 2- Micro-segmentation ( selecting product/services for each country)
Benefits - Segments more responsive to marketing efforts - More focus on consumer needs rather than on socio-economic or cultural variables - More accessible derived segments
The IMS screening process
Source: Hollensen (2011)
International market expansion strategy
• Two questions:
1. Should we enter markets:
– incrementally?
• Where firm lacks experience in foreign market and wishes to edge gradually or
– Simultaneously?
• entry into multiple markets-requiring substantial and management resources
2. Will entry be concentrated or diversified across international markets?
Market expansion strategy: The ‘Waterfall’ Vs. ‘Shower’ Approaches
Waterfall approach
• Based on assumption that initially a product or technology may be so new or expensive that only the advanced countries can use it or afford it.
• Overtime the price will fall until it is inexpensive enough for developing and less developed countries to buy it.
Waterfall approach
• Firm may decide to enter on an incremental or experimental basis– Entering first a single key market in order to build
an experience in international operations – And then subsequently entering into other
markets one after the another
Waterfall approach
• Entry on an incremental basis into small market is preferable – Where firm lacks experience in foreign markets
and wishes to edge gradually into international markets
– If the firm is entering international market late and faces entrenched local competition
– If the firm is small and has limited resources– If the firm is risk averse
Shower approach
• Entering number of market simultaneously.• Firms does this to leverage its core competences and
resources rapidly across a broader market base to seize an emerging opportunity.
• Enables firms to achieve economies of scale in production and marketing.
• This is desirable if the product or service is innovative or is technologically advanced.
• Should be backed by substantial financial and management resources.
Shower approach- example of Sanex• Sanex – shower gel.• Market basis- growing shower gel market in
Europe• Market expansion strategy- launch the product
simultaneously on a number of European market.
• Reasons for this strategy- to obtain a first mover advantage, benefit financially before other come up with a similar product.
Appropriate expansion strategy for SME
Concentration Vs Diversification
• Concentrate resources on limited number of similar markets? OR
• Diversify across a number of different markets
Concentration and diversification
Market/ customer target group
Concentration diversification
Concentration
Diversification
Country
Few customer in few
countries
Few customer groups in many
countries
Many customer groups in few
countries
Many customer group in many
countries.
ANY QUESTION???
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