GM-Challenge 1 – Exploring Export+

Overview

GM-Challenges are intended to help you appreciate the resources available and challenges associated with global marketing.  These assignments have you assume the role of an assistant international trade specialist for a specific company.  In this capacity, you will engage in research and evaluation of various global marketing topics.  Your efforts will focus on a specific country (i.e., YOUR COUNTRY) and a specific US state (i.e., YOUR STATE) both of which are assigned to you for the course.  In addition, you will have a specific company (i.e., YOUR COMPANY) and a specific product (i.e., YOUR PRODUCT) derived from the Journey Prep Assignment.  

GM-Challenges involve your responding to memos from your manager.  Your responses will require the collection, analysis, and concise provision of the information requested of you in a business memo format.  The rubric for this assignment is provided.  

YOUR COUNTRY/YOUR STATE PORTUGAL RHODE ISLAND

The list with the country (PORTUGAL) and US state (RHODE ISLAND) which you have been assigned for the course is in Module 1.

GM-Challenge 1 – Exploring Export

Your manager’s memo to you is below.  In it your manager is giving you tasks to perform.  You are not expected to already know the answers, just be able to find and use the resources available to develop a thorough and accurate response.      

Your response should use a standard business memo format.  A standard business memo with its parts can be found in Module 1.  An example of a partial GM-Challenge memo is provided HERE Download HERE. 

To start, your memo should state its overall purpose.  This reminds the manager what s/he requested you to do.  Next, respond to the assigned tasks. 

Each written response should briefly restate what you were asked to do.  That should be followed with a thorough and accurate written response that summarizes the source information you found.  Your written response should then be supported with (A) images that show the specific source info you used, and (B) a weblink directly to that info below the image(s) so your manager knows how to retrieve and review that info later.  Number your responses and respond to the tasks in sequence.  Finally, you may choose to provide a conclusion to your memo.

Details on how to insert a supporting image into your GM-Challenge using the screenshot or screen clipping tools can be found HERE.

Important notes regarding supporting images: Supporting images do not replace your written response, they only show the source info used.  Supporting images should be visible, not be provided as files.  Screen clip them and paste them into your response.  Supporting images should be readable so stretch them to make them large enough to be legible. 

To: You
From: Your Manager
Date: January 15, 2024
Subject: Exploring Export to YOUR COUNTRY 

YOUR COMPANY is considering greater global marketing efforts.  They are specifically interested in YOUR COUNTRY.  They want to better understand what this activity would involve, sources of assistance, and relevant info resources.    

You have been tasked with helping locate and provide some info for the management team to aid in this evaluation.  Finding quality information is very important as it will serve as the foundation for YOUR COMPANY’s decisions.   

Your efforts will focus on the specific tasks below.  Respond using the numbers and in the sequence provided.  As in all of your prior memos, your responses should follow the Russian proverb, “Doveryay, no proveryay” translated, “Trust, but verify.”  Thus all your responses require supporting images of the specific info used and a weblink direct to that info.  A selection of sources you might find helpful are included. 

1. YOUR COMPANY is exploring the potential of exporting YOUR PRODUCT.  Provide an image of YOUR PRODUCT.  Identify the Harmonized System (HS) Code the US government uses to classify YOUR PRODUCT for export.
A. Provide the name, physical address, and website of YOUR COMPANY.  (YOUR COMPANY is the one assigned to you in the “Comments for this Attempt” area of the “Journey Prep Assignment.”)  

B. Provide the name and an image of YOUR PRODUCT.  (YOUR PRODUCT is the one imported by YOUR COUNTRY that YOUR COMPANY manufactures.)  
C. The US’s multi-digit HS Code for goods can be found for YOUR PRODUCT using the Schedule B Search Engine HERELinks to an external site..

2. State the name of the industry for YOUR PRODUCT to be exported.  Identify a relevant trade/industry association that may be useful for companies in this industry.  Provide the website for the association and briefly explain what help the association provides companies in its industry.  
A. The US government classifies all industries.  Identify the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the industry of  YOUR PRODUCT.  A list is HERELinks to an external site..  
B. Trade/Industry associations bring together companies within an industry to benefit that industry. They may provide resources that could help an exporter.  A list with some industry trade associations can be found HERELinks to an external site..  There are many more that can be found with an Internet search.  

3. Identify an international trade show relevant to YOUR PRODUCT.  Indicate when the next show is tentatively scheduled and where.
A. Trade shows are events which companies attend to make connections with other firms in their industry.  It is a place for potential buyers or suppliers to meet. Identify an international trade show that would attract buyers of YOUR PRODUCT that YOUR COMPANY manufactures.  Provide the website for the trade show.

4.  YOUR COMPANY may consider direct export via online sales of  YOUR PRODUCT to international customers.  Evaluate the website as it currently is for this purpose.  
A. Provide an image of YOUR COMPANY’s website.  
B. Does YOUR COMPANY’s website currently offer online sales?  Discuss whether the website: (1) offers website content in various languages; (2) provides prices in different currencies; (3) clarifies international shipping options; and/or (4) provides clear international return/exchange policies.  Justify whether you think YOUR COMPANY is ready for international direct sales to customers and why.  
C. Identify a retail website that has an excellent design for online sales to international customers and explain your reasoning.  Provide an image of that company’s website.  

5.  The US government restricts international sales to some individuals, companies, or organizations.  Are there any individuals, companies, or organizations in YOUR COUNTRY to whom YOUR COMPANY cannot sell?  How many?    
A. The OFAC’s Consolidated Sanctions List HERELinks to an external site. can identify any individuals or entities.  Change the “Country” to YOUR COUNTRY to see whether there are restrictions and specifically how many individuals, companies, or organizations are on the list.

6. Identify the District Export Council and US Commercial Service offices for YOUR STATE that could provide local export assistance to YOUR COMPANY.  Provide their contact information.  Indicate the services each of these organizations could provide to a company interested in marketing a product globally.  Specifically indicate whether the US Commercial Service provides the Gold Key Service.          
A. There are regional District Export Councils (DECs) throughout the US which mentor companies interested in global marketing.  Find the DEC that serves YOUR STATE HERELinks to an external site..  Indicate the types of services the DEC has available to companies.  Provide its address and contact information.  Also, include the contact information for a specific person with that DEC.  If a LinkedIn contact for that person is available, that would be helpful.  
B. The US Commercial Service (CS), which is part of the US Dept. of Commerce, offers US companies expertise in global marketing.  Companies can find assistance locally in more than 100 US Commercial Service offices nationwide.  Find the US Commercial Service office that serves YOUR STATE HERELinks to an external site..  Provide its address and contact information.   Indicate the types of services the US Commercial Service has available to companies.  The Gold Key Service is a matchmaking service for US businesses with potential business partners in a foreign market. 

7.  YOUR COMPANY is considering export sales specifically to YOUR COUNTRY.  The US government provides various resources that might prove useful to global marketing efforts.  Examine each of the three websites below to see the types of general info each provides about YOUR COUNTRY.  Provide a summary for each resource.  Include the following: (1) the name of the resource; (2) a one-sentence description of the type of info available about a country in that resource; and, (3) an image of some info in that resource specifically about YOUR COUNTRY (the supporting image should show the name of YOUR COUNTRY).
A.  International Trade Administration – Country Commercial Guides HERELinks to an external site.
B.  US Trade Representative – 2018 National Trade Estimate Report on FOREIGN TRADE BARRIERS HERELinks to an external site.
C.  CIA – World Factbook HERELinks to an external site.

8.  There are other resources that focus on culture which might prove useful to global marketing efforts in YOUR COUNTRY as well.  Examine each of the three websites below to see what kinds of cultural info each provides about YOUR COUNTRY.  Provide a summary for each resource.  Include the following: (1) the name of the resource; (2) a one-sentence description of the type of cultural info available in that resource; and, (3) an image of some info in that resource specifically about YOUR COUNTRY (the supporting image should show the name of YOUR COUNTRY).
A.  Culturegrams HERELinks to an external site. – The link will take you to CultureGrams thru the Troy University library, with a TROY login along the way.  You can read or download a Full text-PDF file of a country’s Culturegram there.
B. Hofstede Insights – COUNTRY COMPARISON TOOL HERELinks to an external site. – Note: Use a neighboring country if YOUR COUNTRY is not available on the website.
C. AtoZ International Business “Country Business Guides” HERELinks to an external site. – A Troy University Library database.  The link will take you to the Troy University library.  Then scroll down to “Select a database” and choose AtoZ International Business (the last one in the A section). Then click go.  It’ll prompt anyone off campus to log in again (use the same login credentials that were used to access my.troy.edu).  Then it should immediately open to the main AtoZ page, with no actual login for the database itself.  Locate the “Country Business Guides” heading and find the one for YOUR COUNTRY. 

9.   Provide the address and contact information for the US embassy in YOUR COUNTRY.    
A. US Embassies can prove valuable to international trade between the US and other countries.  The websites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions around the world can be found HERELinks to an external site..  

10.  The US Commercial Service has offices around the world.  Identify the US Commercial Service international office that could help facilitate YOUR COMPANY’s global marketing efforts to YOUR COUNTRY.   Provide its address and contact information.  Indicate the types of services this government agency has available to companies interested in marketing a product globally.  Provide the contact info for an individual that works with this US Commercial Service international office.

A. The US Commercial Service (CS), part of the US Dept. of Commerce, offers US companies expertise in global marketing with many countries.  Companies can find assistance in more than 70 international offices.  Find the office in or closest to YOUR COUNTRY HERELinks to an external site..

B. Include the name, title, agency, and contact info for a US Commercial Service representative associated with that international office.  Also, include their LinkedIn account if they have one.  This individual should be located in YOUR COUNTRY (or its region of the world).