Imagine you are the marketing manager for a u. s. manufacturer of disposable diapers. your firm is considering entering the brazilian market. your ceo believes the advertising message that has been effective in the united states will suffice in brazil. outline the possible objections to this. your ceo also believes that the pricing decisions in brazil can be left to local managers. why might she be wrong?

2. within 20 years we will have seen the emergence of enormous global markets for standardized consumer products. do you agree with this statement? justify your answer.

3. research suggests that many expatriate employees encounter many problems that limit both their effectiveness in a foreign posting and their contribution to the company when they return home. what are the main causes and consequences of these problems, and how might a firm reduce the occurrence of such problems?

1) The firm should not use the same advertisements in the U.S. and Brazil because culture plays an important role in advertising, and the cultures of both countries are very different. Something that is culturally acceptable in the U.S. might no be so in Brazil and viceversa, and advertisements usually make use of cultural references to build rapport with the potential customers.

When determining the local prices in Brazil, management should take advice from local managers but it should still try to determine the final prices only after doing extensive market research.

2) I do not agree. On the contrary, it is likely that we will see a trend toward increasing product customization. This is because more countries are becoming wealthier (for example, China and India), and as a consquence, people now have more disposable income than before, and can be more demanding when it comes to the products they buy.

3) Depending on the country, the job experience for expatriates can be very difficult. Language is probably the most common hardship, if the expatriate does not speak well the language of the host country, then he will likely have a very hard time in the workplace.

Cultural shock, lack of personal relationships, and a general lack of knowledge about how things work can also cause problems.

Companies should train employees before they are sent abroad. They should try to send employees who speak the language of the country if possible, and if not, help them learn a few basics at least. Companies should also instruct their employees about the general culture, geography, laws, and customs present in the country of destination.