Jessica Wooten

FASM 420

Importing to the US

Darling Owla: Business Plan

•  Mission Statement: ““Darling Owla seeks to offer quality merchandise by offering unique and eclectic designs within a varying price range. Darling Owla creates one of a kind silhouettes, while, keeping social good and ethical practices in mind when outsourcing.””

•  Sourcing : Women’s woven tops from El Salvador

•  Sub-classifications: Cotton blouse, Crop Button Up Top, Short Sleeve Blouse, ¾ Short Sleeve Button Up.

•  Paying for goods: Letter of credit.

•  Goal MU of 65%

BWA, Inc

•  Full service apparel company

•  American owned

•  Continuously improve manufacturing resources to maintain highest level of quality, productivity & competitiveness

•  Majority of product they ship to the US is imported duty free under CAFTA-DR

•  Social compliance is their highest priority.

•  Believe in well being of employees in the factory (Medical clinic, daycare, educational facilities (free of charge)

BWA, Inc & El Salvador’s Relationship with the US

•  Location : Carretera a Santa Ana, KM 26.5. La Libertad, El Salvador, C.A.

•  Relationship with the US :

•  El Salvador offers an open market for US goods & services

•  Tariffs are low due to the implementation of CAFTA-DR.

•  US & El Salvador have a bilateral commercial relationship

•  The US is El Salvador’s #1 investor & leading trade partner.

•  Majority of El Salvador’s imports come from the US and nearly 50% of El Salvador’s exports go to the US

Traits: El Salvador

•  Political: According to the US department of Senate, El Salvador has a democratic republic type of government. In the past there have been issues of human rights violations and war reforms.

•  Economic: GDP (purchasing power parity) : $44.78 B

•  Growth rate: 2%

•  GDP per capita: $7600

•  Industries: Apparel, Agriculture & Services

•  Geographic location: Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras

•  Transportation: Airways, Roadways, Railways, Waterways

Business Etiquette

•  Masculine or Feminine: Depends, women are making a lot of decisions, but in some areas men are the only ones working

•  Negotiation Styles: : Decisions, are typically made by the person in a senior level position. Decisions are based on strengthened relationship. Decisions made with intuition rather than fact.

•  Type of communication: Salvadoran’s •  prefer indirect communication

•  Appropriate business attire:: Formal business attire

Business Etiquette Cont’

•  Introductions: Presentation of business cards: Exchanged during introduction. One side of business card needs to be translated in Spanish.

•  Greetings: Handshakes but not too fim. Eye contact. Use of professional titles. First name basis comes later in the relationship.

Code of Conduct

•  Mission Statement

•  Compliance

•  Labor

•  Human Rights

•  Safety

•  Labor Contacts

•  Grievance System

•  Environment