2    Gerber in Costa Rica
   You are producing baby foods and juices there to send to the U.S.
   How can climate, geography, topography, water purity affect your product?
   Heat and humidity
   Altitude
   Purity of Water - contamination?
   Length of time in transit - heat in warehouse? Reorder points? Safety Stock?

3    First, learn to use websites!
   Current maps - borders
   Current indicators of geographical characteristics:  which could affect your
               product?
   Current indicators of climate:  how can it affect your product?
   Current indicators of water supply:  product effects?

4    Effects of Climate
   Packaging must be developed which can withstand temperature variations,
               which affect shelf life
   Packaging plus containers must be developed which maintain quality in
              transportation and warehouses
   Directions must be developed which match the country's water
   See Central European Countries - e.g. air in east Germany - bronchitis

5    An increased emphasis on the Environment
   Should trade include restrictions on pollution?
   How does industrialization contribute to pollution?
   A past which did not include controls - e.g. rivers are full of chemicals
   Relate to population patterns and changes

6    Maps can also tell you about...
   Rivers and waterways
   Natural barriers to trade
   Infrastructural development in roads, railroads, ports
Various political and historical changes

7    Pursue Characteristics of each: be careful with definitions in assessing a country's
      infrastructure
   What is a road? What is a highway?
   Length? condition? paving?
   What is a railroad? How reliable is it? Is it safe? How long does it take?
   Where are the ports? Are they well-developed?  E.g. Costa Rica , South Africa

8     History:  Impact on Business
   People from another country have a shared history, which is meaningful to
               them in the decisions they make and the market-related behaviors which they
               undertake
   People from another country have shared historical figures, traditions,
               country formation knowledge, political insurrection knowledge
   E.G. Students to S Africa - knowledge of Apartheid necessary, knowledge of
               trading background of various ethnic groups necessary

9     How Does This Relate to Marketing?
   Products: any historical connotations of products? logos?
   Promotion: any historical meanings or personalities? symbols?
   Place: any special places in collective history? any traditions in shopping?
   Price: any price controversies?

10   For instance ...
   Who is the most popular historical figure in France?
   What is the leading book which high school students read?
   Which historical event is celebrated with specific goods and foods?
   What types of foods are traditionally related to historical events in France?

11   Let's Look at Bosnia and South Africa
   Take a look at the various mapping web sites to understand the changes that have taken place
   Try to determine any specific linkages with geography
   How about history?
http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

 

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