When a firm expands abroad using a home replication strategy it typically uses a transnational strategy for its organization?

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Inhaltsverzeichnis Show

International Strategy
Multi-Domestic Strategy
Global Strategy
Transnational Strategy
Section Video
Key Takeaway
Image Credits
Video Credits
Is Home replication an international strategy?
What international strategy usually is practiced with global product division structure?
Which organizational structure is the most appropriate for transnational strategy?

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Term	Definition
Integration Responsiveness Framework	An MNE management framework for simultaneously dealing with the pressures for both global integration and local responsiveness.
Local Responsiveness	The need to be responsive to different customer preferences around the world.
Home Replication Strategy.	A strategy that emphasizes duplication home country based competencies in foreign countries.
Localization (or multi domestic) Strategy	A strategy that focuses on a number of foreign countries/ regions, each of which is regarded as a stand-alone local (domestic) market worth of significant attention and adaption.
Global Standardization Strategy	A strategy that relies on the development and distribution of standardized products worldwide to reap the maximum benefits from low-cost advantages.
Center of Excellence	An MNE subsidiary explicitly recognized as a source of important capabilities that can be leveraged by and/or disseminated to other subsidiaries.
Worldwide (or global) Mandate	A charter to be responsible for one MNE function throughout the world.
Transnational Strategy	A strategy that endeavors to be simultaneously cost efficient, locally responsive, and learning driven around the world.
International Division	An organizational structure that is typically set up when a firm initially expands abroad, often engaging in a home replication strategy.
Geographic Area Structure	An organizational structure that organizes the mNE according to different countries and regions.
Country (or regional) Manager	The business leader of a specific country (or geographic region).
Global Product Division Structure	An organizational structure that assigns global responsibilities to each product division.
Global Matrix	An organizational structure often used to alleviate the disadvantages associated with both geographic area and global product division structures, particularly when adopting a transactional strategy.
Subsidiary Initiative	The proactive and deliberate pursuit of new opportunities by a subsidiary to expand its scope of responsibility.
Organizational Culture	The collective programming of the mind that distinguishes members of one organization form another.
Knowledge Management	The structures, processes, and systems that actively develop, leverage, and transfer knowledge.
Explicit Knowledge	Knowledge that is modifiable (that is, can be written down and transferred with little loss of richness).
Tacit Knowledge	Knowledge that is non-codifiable, whose acquisition and transfer require hands-on practice.

A firm that has operations in more than one country is known as a (MNC). The largest MNCs are major players within the international arena. Walmart’s annual worldwide sales, for example, are larger than the dollar value of the entire economies of Austria, Norway, and Saudi Arabia. Although Walmart tends to be viewed as an American retailer, the firm earns 35% of its revenues outside the United States. Walmart owns significant numbers of stores in Mexico, Central America, Brazil, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Botswana, and Argentina. Walmart also participates in joint ventures in China and India. Even more modestly sized MNCs are still very powerful. If Kia were a country, its current sales level of approximately $21 billion would place it in the top 100 among the more than 180 nations in the world.

Multinationals such as Kia and Walmart must choose an international strategy to guide their efforts in various countries. There are four main international strategies available:

International
Multi-domestic
Global
Transnational

(Figure 9.2). Each strategy involves a different approach to trying to be sensitive to (1) costs and efficiencies on one hand and trying to be responsive to (2) variation in customer preferences and market conditions across nations. Responding or not responding to these two pressures of cost and local cultural conditions determines which of the four types of international strategies will be pursued.

Figure 9.9: Four International Strategies

International Strategy

Firms pursuing an international strategy are neither concerned about costs nor adapting to the local cultural conditions. They attempt to sell their products internationally with little to no change. When Harley Davidson sells motorcycles abroad, they do not need to lower their prices or adapt the bike to local motorcycle standards. People in other countries buy a Harley particularly because it is different from the local motorcycles. Buyers want the American look and the sound and power of a Harley, and will pay for that differentiation. Belgium chocolate exporters do not lower their price when exporting to the American market to compete with Hershey’s, nor do they adapt their product to American tastes. They use an international strategy. Starbucks and Rolex watches are other examples of firms pursuing the international strategy.

Multi-Domestic Strategy

A firm using a multi-domestic strategy does not focus on cost or efficiency but emphasizes responsiveness to local requirements within each of its markets. Rather than trying to force all of its American-made shows on viewers around the globe, Netflix customizes the programming that is shown on its channels within dozens of countries, including New Zealand, Portugal, Pakistan, and India. Similarly, food company H. J. Heinz adapts its products to match local preferences. Because some Indians will not eat garlic and onion, for example, Heinz offers them a version of its signature ketchup that does not include these two ingredients. Outback Steakhouse uses the multi-domestic strategy in the multiple countries where it operates, adapting to local eating preferences but not lowering prices significantly.

Figure 9.10: Baked beans flavored with curry? This H. J. Heinz product is very popular in the United Kingdom.

Global Strategy

A firm using a global strategy sacrifices responsiveness to local requirements within each of its markets in favor of emphasizing lower costs and better efficiency. This strategy is the complete opposite of a multi-domestic strategy. Some minor modifications to products and services may be made in various markets, but a global strategy stresses the need to gain low costs and economies of scale by offering essentially the same products or services in each market.

Microsoft, for example, offers the same software programs around the world but adjusts the programs to match local languages. Similarly, consumer goods maker Procter & Gamble attempts to gain efficiency by creating global brands whenever possible. Global strategies also can be very effective for firms whose product or service is largely hidden from the customer’s view, such as silicon chip maker Intel. Lenovo also uses this strategy. For such firms, variance in local preferences is not very important, but pricing is.

Transnational Strategy

A firm using a transnational strategy seeks a middle ground between a multi-domestic strategy and a global strategy. Such a firm tries to balance the desire for lower costs and efficiency with the need to adjust to local preferences within various countries. For example, large fast-food chains such as McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) rely on the same brand names and the same core menu items around the world. These firms make some concessions to local tastes too. In France, for example, wine can be purchased at McDonald’s. This approach makes sense for McDonald’s because wine is a central element of French diets. In Saudi Arabia, McDonalds serves a McArabia Chicken sandwich, and its breakfast menu features no pork products like ham, bacon, or sausage.

Section Video

Global Strategies [02:45]

The video for this lesson discusses global strategy options.

You can view this video here: https://youtu.be/83rBbT5Qq_E.

Key Takeaway

Multinational corporations choose from among four basic international strategies: (1) international (2) multi-domestic, (3) global, and (4) transnational. These strategies vary depending on two pressures; 1) on emphasizing low cost and efficiency and 2) responding to the local culture and needs.

Exercises

Which of the four international strategies is Kia using? Is this the best strategy for Kia to be using?
Identify examples of companies using each of the four international strategies other than those described above. Which company do you think is best positioned to compete in international markets?

Image Credits

Figure 9.9: Kindred Grey (2020). “Cost pressure v. Local responsiveness pressure.” CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cost_pressure_v._Local_responsiveness_pressure.png.

Figure 9.10: AtelierJoly. “Curried Beans.” CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curry_Beanz.jpg.

Video Credits

pb venkat. (2015, May 14). Global strategies [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/83rBbT5Qq_E.

Is Home replication an international strategy?

The home replication strategy is applied when there is little or no need for flexibility or standardization. This strategy aims to open up additional international markets without major adaptations for products primarily developed for domestic consumers.

What international strategy usually is practiced with global product division structure?

A localization strategy typically uses a geographic area structure for its organization. A firm that uses a global standardization strategy typically establishes a global product division structure for its organization.

Which organizational structure is the most appropriate for transnational strategy?

The global matrix structure supports the goal of the transnational strategy, but in practice it is often difficult to deliver because: a. managers have to deal with two bosses who are often in conflict.