THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO

School of Management
Spring 2015
_________________________________________________________________________________________
MGM 683-S1M (Class # 11477)
Prof. Ram Bezawada
International Marketing
Office: 215G Jacobs
Class Time: Mon/Wed 2:00 3:20 pm
Contact: 645-3211, bezawada@buffalo.edu
Class: Alfiero 104
Office Hrs: Mon/Wed 11.00 am-12.30 p.m.
Course Web Page: UBLearns Blackboard
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COURSE OBJECTIVES
(1) Develop familiarity with the problems and perspectives of marketing across national boundaries
(2) Acquire analytical ability to make marketing decisions facing firms engaged in international business
(3) Gain knowledge of tools and approaches to structure and control marketing programs on a global basis
PREREQUISITES
MGM 625 (i.e., Marketing Management) is the established prerequisite for this class.
INSTRUCTION MATERIAL
Text: Customized textbook based on select chapters of Global Marketing (8th Edition) by Keegan and Green. The
book should be available in the UB bookstore. The book also contains cases that will be used for this course. The
exams in the class will be open book. Hence it is necessary to have the book.
Journal Articles: The articles should be purchased from the Copy Center in Jacobs (2nd floor).
Business Articles: The articles should be purchased from the Copy Center in Jacobs (2nd floor).
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION
The course will follow a lecture, discussion, case analysis, and video-presentation formats. Students are
expected to attend all classes and be fully prepared and actively participate in class discussions.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
On successfully completing this course you should be able to:
Understand the nuances of marketing in an international environment
Assess cultural, economic, political and legal aspects related to international marketing
Conduct international market segmentation, targeting and product positioning in the target market
Be able to develop strategies with respect to the four Ps, i.e., product, pricing, promotion, and
place/distribution and other relevant marketing factors that will allow for success in international
markets
Be able to develop strong competitive positioning in the global marketplace for firm/products
Develop a set of criteria to continuously monitor international marketing opportunities, to measure
marketing success and to determine strategic adjustments
ACCESSIBILITY RESOURCES
In case this is applicable to you, information about UBs accessibility resources office is available at
http://www.student-affairs.buffalo.edu/ods/ . It is important to register with that office in order to receive
accommodation for physical and learning disabilities.
EVALUATION
Your course grade will be determined as follows:
Method
Points
1

Mid-Term I
Mid-Term II
Group Project
Case Presentations
Article Presentations
Class Participation
TOTAL

15%
15%
20%
20%
15%
15% (5% attendance + 10% participation)
100%

Your scores in the above components will determine your final grade. I will use a straight scale for
allocating the final letter grades consistent with university policies. All students should complete all the
above components to receive a final passing letter grade (for example a student cannot miss Mid-Term II
completely and still expect a passing grade for the class regardless of how well he/she does on the other
components). In some cases, situations may warrant that you receive an Incomplete grade. You may
refer to UBs Incomplete Grade Policy for further details in this regard (http://undergradcatalog.buffalo.edu/).
NOTE: The University policy on academic integrity will be fully enforced for all the above evaluation
components (Please see the Student Handbook for the policy). Moreover, the University policies will be
enforced for all other aspect including your conduct in this class. Please refer to the University
Handbook of rules in this regard.
EXAMS
Exams will consist of essay and multiple choice questions. The exams are designed to test your knowledge,
comprehension, and application of the concepts presented in the text and other material discussed in the class.
These exams are scheduled well in advance and students are expected to arrange their personal schedules to be
present.
GROUP PROJECT
Objectives
To help students integrate the concepts learned all semester and apply them in writing an in-depth marketing
plan for a brand's entry in a foreign country. The project will also help students develop skills to work in
groups. Please note that you cannot do a project on a product that is already marketed in that foreign country.
Each group will include about 5members.
Project Description
The project will consist of three parts: (a) Country Outlook, (b) Industry Outlook, and (c) Brand/Company
Marketing Strategy. It will be helpful if you pick the country first (based on some preliminary analysis), then
choose an industry/product category (based on some preliminary analysis). However, if you are very familiar
with a particular industry or a brand (done some previous projects) then you can start with the industry/brand
and then explore which country you would like to market your product in.
(a)Country Outlook (4% points)
Choose a country other than U.S./Canada and an industry in that country. You can also investigate a
business idea that you may want to initiate in a foreign market. You cannot do a project on a product
that is already marketed in that foreign country. Do a detailed study of the country. This should
include information on (i) demographics (size of the population & its growth rate, age, gender, and
geographic distribution of the population; (ii) economy and economic trends (income distribution, per
capita income, key exports and imports etc); (iii) political & legal environments (democracy or other,
any restrictions on foreign companies); & (iv) cultural & social factors relevant to your industry.

Each of the four components is worth 1% points.

(b)Industry Outlook (4% points)
Study the chosen industry in the country on following aspects:
(1)
(2)

Size of the market, its growth rate, and its long-term potential.
Major product lines/types to be found in the chosen market (e.g., restaurants American
family; American fast food; Ethnic family; Ethnic fast food (e.g., Taco Bell).

(3)

Major consumer/business segments: If you have selected a consumer product industry, you
could segment the market in many different ways. For example, demographics, lifestyle,
benefits sought, behavioral usage rate, user status, purchase occasion, loyalty status, buyer
readiness state, & attitude toward the product. If you have selected an industrial product, you
could segment the market in various ways: end-industry, company size, geographic location,
customer
technology, user status, customer capabilities, purchasing function organization, functional
dominance, purchase policies, purchase criteria, attitude toward risk etc.
The nature of competition: Major competitors and their approximate market shares. Their
strengths and weaknesses, segments in which competitors are strong, segments in which they
are vulnerable, areas in which you may have a competitive advantage etc.

(4)

(5)

Channels of distribution and their availability to a new entrant: What channel(s) are used by
current players? Do foreign entrants face the problem of locked-up channel? Does the product
category face the problem of gray market and briefly, how do companies address it?
Each of the five components is worth 0.8% points.

(c)Brand/Company Marketing Strategy (5% points)

Prepare a detailed marketing plan for entering the chosen industry in the chosen country based on the
following information:
(1)

If available, entry strategies (e.g., exporting, licensing, joint venture) used by other recent
entrants to the market, what can be learned from these, and whether these can be copied. 0.5%
points

(2)

Feasibility, strengths and weaknesses of alternative modes of organizing the business: buying
needed technology vs. developing it yourself, exporting vs. manufacturing in the new country,
whether to use a joint venture, whether to acquire a company in the new country, & listing
availability of capital, labor, & material sources. Any legal restrictions that might have a bearing
on the feasibility of the proposed project. 0.5% points

Based upon the above information, you should develop a marketing plan covering:
(3)

Market coverage strategy: Whether the whole market is to be covered, or only specific
segments. If the latter, a list of which segments are to be sought and why. 0.8% points

(4)

Strategies for reaching each segment: Please provide specific details with respect to each of 4
Ps and how these will change through the life cycle of the venture
(i) Product do you recommend any changes in the product formulation/ composition and/or
product packaging and why? Which specific pack sizes and product flavors (if applicable) you
plan to offer and why?
(ii) Channels which existing channel(s) of distribution you plan to tap into? Which channel(s)
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you would like to avoid and why? Do you plan starting any new channel e.g., Pizza Hut in
hotels and if yes, why? What strategies you recommend for your product/service if your
distribution is likely to face the problems of locked-up channel & gray market?
(iii) Price what pricing strategy you recommend and why? What specific prices you want to
set for different pack sizes (if applicable)? How do these prices (relative to competition)
compare with the prices in US market?
(iv) Promotion how do you plan to position your product? What specific ad media you plan
to use (e.g., TV, radio, magazines etc) and why? Which specific media vehicles you plan to use
(e.g., Friends and Amazing Race on TV; Reader's Digest and National Geographic in
magazines) & why? What trade and consumer promotions (e.g., in-store product demo,
coupons) you plan and why?
Each of the four components in (4) is worth 0.8% points.
(d)Report Aesthetics (e.g., color charts, binding etc.) (0.5% points)

Administrative Details
Names of Country and Brand Due March 4
Final Project Due May 8
The final report should be typed and in double-space. Further, it should not exceed 10 pages (excluding graphs
and exhibits). Including an executive summary (that will summarize your report in one page) and table of
contents in your report is compulsory. To be fair with other groups in the class, late submission of typed reports
will result in the following penalties: a 20% deduction of the project grade. Further, there will be a 10%
deduction for each day's delay in submitting the projects.
Groups with good working relationships and equitable contribution from members tend to produce the best
reports. Managing relationships with peers is an extremely important business skill. If your group is missing
one of the above characteristics, it is your responsibility to work at finding a solution that everyone in the group
is comfortable with. Please let me know as soon as you can if the problem is serious (e.g., a group member
feels that s/he is prevented from taking part in the project) or the problem persists despite repeated attempts by
the group to sort it out. Don't bring this problem to me toward the end of the semester. Every semester, there
are one or two groups who have serious problems among their members.
Therefore, I advise the groups to
* start early so any problems with either the project or group members could be sorted out early in the
semester
* divide the responsibilities pertaining to the project among group members early in the semester. This will
provide more time to each group member to complete her/his part of the project. Further, if the group is not
satisfied with the written part of any of the members, starting early will provide another opportunity for the
member to improve her/his written part
* attend all group meetings and when you can't attend one, show responsibility and contact group members
to fill you in.
* maintain healthy and regular interactions with each group member, so that you know if you are meeting
the expectations of other group members.
* get a rough idea from your group members about how many points they plan to allocate to you at the
time of peer evaluations.
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* If you think the group members are not fair in their peer evaluations, try sorting out the issue with them.
I don't want surprises at the end of the semester.
* To help avoid above problems, I want the group to regularly work on the project throughout the semester
and not scramble toward end semester. It is always a good idea to complete your project at least a week or
two before the deadline.
Oral Presentation: Towards the end of the semester, each group will make an oral presentation not exceeding
20-25 minutes. The presentation should cover the highlights of the typed report and you can be creative in
taking advantage of the audio-visual mediums.
The 6.5% points for oral presentation will be divided as follows:
Individual Component (3.5% points) Group Component (3% points)
Clarity (1% points)
Clarity (1% points)
Confidence (1% points)
Quality of Slides/Overheads (0.8% points)
Eye Contact (0.5% points)
Extra Initiative(0.6% points)
Posture (0.5% points)
Handling Questions (0.6% points)
Voice Modulation (0.5% points)
After the typed report has been graded, an individual group member's grade for the typed report will be
determined on the basis of her/his contribution (effort + quality) to the project.
Evaluation
The group project will be graded as follows:
Points
Typed Report 13.5%
Oral Presentation
6.5%
TOTAL
20%
CASE PRESENTATIONS
There will be 7 full-length Harvard cases included in your case packet. We will discuss two of these cases
collectively in class. The other four cases will be presented by individual groups. The objective of group case
assignments is to enable students to apply the concepts learned in the class to real life marketing problems. The
composition of groups will be identical to that of group project. Each group will present the case and discuss
the relevant questions that are assigned. For all the 7 cases each group will submit a 2 page report
summarizing the case.
On the due day, I will discuss the case. I expect everyone in the class to be prepared for the discussion. Please
note the due dates for each case:
Case
Due Date
Case
Due Date
Case 1 (Stella Artois)
Feb 23
Case 4 (Colgate)
Apr 13
Case 2 (Real Madrid)
Feb 25
Case 5 (Coca-Cola)
Apr 20
Case 3 (Samsung)
Apr 13
Case 6 (Lenovo)
Apr 20
Case 7 (7-Eleven)
Apr 20
ARTICLE PRESENTATIONS
There will be 8 Journal articles which need to be obtained from the copy center. The objective of these articles
is to understand current issues pertaining to global marketing that may not covered in standard textbooks. The
composition of groups will be identical to that of group project. Each group will present the Journal article
assigned. For all the 8 Journal Articles each group will submit a 2 page report summarizing the Article
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CLASS PARTICIPATION
This is a very important element of the course. Attendance (5% points) and participation (10% points) for the
lectures, case discussions, and especially the guest lectures will determine your class participation grade.
_________________________________________________________________________________
List of Journal Articles
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Market Opportunity
(1) Emerging Giants- Harvard Business Review October 2006
From the Book Business Solutions for the Global Poor- 2007(Good Background Reading: Serving the
World's Poor, Profitably- Harvard Business Review September 2002 )
(2a) Understanding Consumers and Retailers at the Base of the Pyramid in Latin America
(2b) Marketing Programs to Reach Indias Under served
(3) Cracking the Next Growth Market: Africa-Harvard Business Review-May 2011
Global Marketing Strategy
(4a) How Local Companies Keep Multinationals at Bay Harvard Business Review March 2008
(4b) Competing with Emerging Market Multinationals Business Horizons April 2012
(5) Diaspora MarketingHarvard Business ReviewOctober 2013
(6) Better marketing to developing countries: Why and How Business Horizons September 2010
From the Book The Quest for Global Dominance- 2008
(7) Lessons from the Globalization of Walmart
(8) Retail Doesn't Cross Borders: Here's Why and What to Do About ItHarvard Business ReviewApr 2012
Additional reading: What Panasonic Learned in China Harvard Business ReviewOctober 2012
CASE ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
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The Global Branding of Stella Artois
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(1) Does it make sense for Interbrew to develop a global brand?
(2) Does Stella Artois appear to be the right choice as the companys flagship brand?
(3) Interbrews strategy has focused on developing cities as markets rather than the more traditional view
of countries as markets-what are the pros and cons of this approach?
(4) What would Interbrew have to do to better succeed with Stella in a major urban market like New York
City? How about Buffalo?
(5) What role should the internet play in developing Stella Artois as a global brand?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Real Madrid Club de Futbol
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(1) What is Real Madrids business model? Is it unique?
(2) Who are Real Madrids customers? How is the market segmented?
(3) Who has more power, Real Madrid or the players?
(4) What risks does Real Madrid face?
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Samsung Electronics Company: Global Marketing Operations

_______________________________________________________________________________________
(1) What are the ingredients of Samsungs corporate turnaround strategy? What are the implications for
marketing?
(2) How strong is the Samsung brand? Can Samsung pass Sony and become a top ten global brand?
(3) How valuable is cross border consumer research in guiding a global brand repositioning strategy?
Please illustrate.
(4) As Chief Marketing Officer, what are Kims roles and responsibilities? How has he built his influence?
______________________________________________________________________________________
Colgate Max Fresh (CMF): Global Brand Rollout
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

Assess the CMF launch in the U.S.

Were Colgate Palmolive (CP) Chinas changes to the CMF marketing launch program justifiable?
Did CP Mexico mange its CMF launch better than CP China?
Evaluate the global roll-out of CMF
What are the costs and benefits of adaptation in case of CMF?

______________________________________________________________________________________
Coca-Cola in Brazil
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(1) Briefly summarize the major characteristics of the Brazilian soft drink market.
(2) Perform a SWOT analysis for the Coca-Cola Company in Brazil.
(3) What are the pros and cons of the several strategies the Coca-Cola Company implemented in Brazil?
(4) What should coke do to be more successful in Brazil?
(5) What recommendations would you make to global brands to help them compete successfully with B
brands in emerging markets?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Lenovo: Building a Global Brand
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

Why did IBM want to sell its PC business? Why did IBM sell to Lenovo?
What explains Lenovos success prior to the acquisition?
What challenges did Lenovo face after the acquisition?
How should Lenovo handle the brand management challenges associated with the acquisition?
In trying to become a global brand, does Lenovo have a problem coming from China?

_______________________________________________________________________________________
7-Eleven in Taiwan
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(1) How has the convenience store concept evolved in the United States?
(2) Is the concept universal across all countries including Taiwan?
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(3) How do 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan compare with their counterparts in the United States?
(4) Has localization of 7-Eleven in Taiwan strengthened (or weakened) the concept of convenience stores?
(5) Does the service differentiation offered by 7-Eleven in Taiwan deliver competitive advantages to the
store chain? If so, how?
(6) Can the operational format of 7-Eleven in Taiwan be expanded to other countries? Why or Why not?

CLASS SCHEDULE
_______________________________________________________________________________________
DATE
TOPIC
CHAPTERS
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Mon, Jan 26
Introduction
1
Wed, Jan 28
Introduction
1
International Environment
Mon, Feb 2
Basic Concepts
2
Wed, Feb 4
Economic, Cultural, Political/Legal Envs.
2, 3, 4
Global Strategy & Entering Foreign Markets
Mon, Feb 9
Economic, Cultural, Political/Legal Envs.
2, 3, 4
Wed, Feb 11
Global Marketing Strategy
5
Mon, Feb 16
Global Marketing Strategy/ Global Entry & Expansion 5, 6
Wed, Feb 18
Global Entry & Expansion
6
Mon, Feb 23
THE GLOBAL BRANDING OF STELLA ARTOIS CASE DUE
Wed, Feb 25
REAL MADRID CASE DUE
Mon, March 2
MID-TERM I
Marketing Mix Decisions
Wed, Mar 4
Global Product Decisions
7
COUNTRY/PRODUCT DUE
Mon, Mar 9
Global Product Decisions
7
Wed, Mar 11
Global Pricing
8
SPRING BREAK
Mon, Mar 23
Global Pricing/Global Distribution Strategies
8, 9
Wed, Mar 25
Global Distribution Strategies/Global Promotion and Advertising
9, 10
Mon, Mar 30
Global Promotion and Advertising
9, 10
Wed, Apr 1
Other Topics/Review for test
Mon Apr 6
MIDTERM-II
Wed, Apr 8
JOURNAL ARTICLES 1&2
Mon, Apr 13
SAMSUNG AND COLGATE CASES DUE
Wed, Apr 15
JOURNAL ARTICLES 3&4
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Mon, Apr 20
LENOVO AND COCA-COLA DUE
Wed, Apr 22
JOURNAL ARTICLES 5&6
Mon, Apr 27
JOURNAL ARTICLES 7&8
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Group Projects
Wed, Apr 29
Group Presentations
Mon, May 4
Group Presentations
Wed, May 6
Group Presentations
GROUP PROJECT DUE (Friday, May 8)
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Note: The schedule can change to accommodate Guest Speakers for this class.

Group Project (Written & Oral Presentation)-Peer Evaluation Form

Your Name: ________________Your Group #: ______

Project Name: _______________

To evaluate the contribution of each group member (including yourself) in completing the group project (written
and oral presentation), allocate 100 points among various group members. The points should be allocated according
to a member's contribution. The greater the contribution, the higher the allocation of points.
PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW YOU ARRIVED AT YOUR PEER EVALUATIONS. EVALUATIONS WITHOUT
ACCOMPANYING EXPLANATION WILL BE IGNORED. I MAY SEEK MORE CLARIFICATIONS.
Member's Name

Points Allocated

1. _____________________
(Your Name)
2. _____________________

_________

3. _____________________

_________

4. _____________________

_________

5. _____________________

_________

Total Points

_________

100

PEER EVALUATION EXPLANATIONS (ADD EXTRA SHEETS IF REQUIRED)

(1) YOUR NAME: ___________________
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(2) NAME OF MEMBER 1: ___________________
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PLEASE TURN OVER
(3) NAME OF MEMBER 2: ___________________
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(4) NAME OF MEMBER 3: ___________________
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(5) NAME OF MEMBER 4: ___________________
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Group Case Assignments - Peer Evaluation Form

Your Name: ________________Your Group #: ______
To evaluate the contribution of each group member (including yourself) in completing the group case assignment,
allocate 100 points among various group members. The points should be allocated according to a member's
contribution. The greater the contribution, the higher the allocation of points.
PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW YOU ARRIVED AT YOUR PEER EVALUATIONS. EVALUATIONS WITHOUT
ACCOMPANYING EXPLANATION WILL BE IGNORED. I MAY SEEK MORE CLARIFICATIONS
Member's Name

Points Allocated

1. _____________________
(Your Name)
2. _____________________

_________

3. _____________________

_________

4. _____________________

_________

5. _____________________

_________

Total Points

_________

100

PEER EVALUATION EXPLANATIONS (ADD EXTRA SHEETS IF REQUIRED)

(1) YOUR NAME: ___________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
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(2) NAME OF MEMBER 1: ___________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
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PLEASE TURN OVER
(3) NAME OF MEMBER 2: ___________________
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(4) NAME OF MEMBER 3: ___________________
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(5) NAME OF MEMBER 4: ___________________
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