Cross Cultural Management Case Study 1500words exc Essay

Cross Cultural Management Case Study 1500words exc. ReferencingBibliography - Essay Example The decision to enter markets outside the home country depends on a company's resources, managerial mindset and the nature of opportunity and threat. Mattel's best-known brand Barbie and its enviable global position has resulted in part from the company's willingness and ability to back its flag ship product with a strong local marketing effort. Mattel has positioned its brand 'Barbie' as a global brand, independent of any country of origin link. Barbie is a Barbie wherever it is made. Mattel has adopted a geocentric orientation i. e., it is adopting a worldview that sees similarity and differences in markets and countries and seeks to create a global strategy that is fully responsive to local needs and wants. Mattel's global marketing strategies for Barbie converges to market needs and wants, technologies advancements and socio-culture integration. A global marketing strategy is built on an information system that scans the world business environment to identify opportunities, trend s, threats and resources. A truly global company leverages its skills and focuses its resource to create superior perceived value for customers and achieve competitive advantage. Mattel has adopted the above strategies to become successful in global market. 2. As Theodore Levitt (1983) in his article" the globalization of markets" in the Harvard Business review argued that around the globe using standardized high quality world products and market then around the global using standardized advertising, pricing and distribution. But most of the organization found it, just a bunk. However success is not solely based on a standardization of marketing elements. To be successful in different market could be achieved only by spending a great deal of time and money to become an insider. That is, the company built a complete local infrastructure with its sales force. Now exactly the same path Mattel has adopted to become successful in Japanese market. Initially Mettle's Barbie has failed is John W. Amerman former CEO of Mattel state 'they did not know what that product was, and it didn't work" (Golab, 1994). Even availing the services of the consultant and modification of product looks do not have sufficient effect. Even the second partnership wi th Bandai didn't worked property. Finally in 1991, Mattel's own sales and marketing staff and office plays the trick and after spending more time and money, in 1994, Mattel has achieved some success and made profit in Japan with sales almost doubling since reintroduction (Golab, 1994). Mattel introduced its own American Barbie with long hair " Star princess Barbie" which becomes one of the top selling dolls in Japan (Thornton, 1994). Apart from time and marketing infrastructure development Mattel has conducted a consumer research in the Japanese market to understand the actual likings of the target customers. To survive in this new globally competitive world we had to modernize. Information technology is the glue for everything we do. For global marketer, information is one of the most essential requirements for decision-making (Reid, 1995; Green and Eric, 1975; Mullen, 1995). So market