The essentials of international marketing in the context of a UK-based firm, Directa Ltd - Essay Example

? Global Marketing number/ assignment number] Introduction The world today has become a global village. Information exchange can occur within a matter of milliseconds over thousands of miles. Technology has revolutionized every field, from arts and education to organizational management. It has also opened up new vistas of business management that were not plausible a few decades ago. One of the most important revolutions of globalization has been global marketing. Internationalization and global marketing strategies has not only garnered the attention of large corporations but small and medium sized enterprises are also considering marketing across national borders. This tends to highlight the role globalization is playing in the contemporary business arena. In order to comprehend the processes underlying and factors influencing global marketing, one needs to gain an insight into the operational dynamics of marketing on an international level. Moreover, marketing across borders is not limited to the domain of multinational organizations, as was conventional few years ago. Globalization has offered businesses opportunities to expand its consumer base and to profit from international demand. This paper will explore the essentials of international marketing in the context of a UK-based firm, Directa Ltd. It will discuss the marketing opportunities available to the firm and chalk out a marketing plan keeping in consideration its competitors, consumers and the market. Company Background Directa (UK) Ltd is a UK-based organization and deals with the distribution of industrial products. The company is located in the city of Essex and has a workforce of more than 80 people (Business Link, n.d.). It was established in 1971 and four decades since its inception, the company has become one of the leading distributors of tapes, signs, abrasives and adhesives along with other industry-related good and products. The company offers products from a number of leading brands such as 3M, Duracell and Velcro and has also launched its own products such as Deemark, a safety marking product, and Sparks, a PVC tape. The company has an online ordering service whereby customers can select from a range of more than 10,000 products and pay via SAGE. Moreover, the company has a functional ordering service on the phone too. Directa does not disregard its responsibility towards the environment and believes in sustainable business production. The company links up with Green Recycling Ltd and approximately 98% of the waste product is recycled. The company works in alignment with the Waste Electrical of Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive whereby it encourages the recycling and reuse of electrical equipment. For instance, Directa has launched a take-back scheme which encompasses recycling of used up batteries which are to be disposed otherwise by the customer (Directa, 2012). Previously the company was only a catalogue-only supplier. However as the business grew, the pressure on margins also rose (Jadu, 2012). This, coupled with flat sales, led the business towards a revision of the business model it employed. The issues highlighted, after the company heads and managers came together to discuss the progress of the company, included usage of the resources below an optimum level, lack of proper leadership to guide the growth initiative and the boasting of sales by competitors by using internet for marketing. The company responded to this by setting up an e-commerce website that allowed customers to do business with Directa online. The marketing manager at Directa, Ciaran Crowley, was in charge of this initiative (Jadu, 2012). He not only focused on the use of warehouses and other resources of the company to develop new products but also realized the potential of telesales. Subsequently, an official website of the company was launched after considering a range of business frameworks and analyzing the organizational structure. Furthermore, the company spent time and resources not only developing, testing and launching the website but also marketing it on Google’s pay-per-click system (Business Link, n.d.). The company chose to market online because it was a non technical, quick to implement solution, providing a substantial return on investment (Jadu, 2012). The improved results obtained after the launch of the website are reflected in the fact that the sales of the company have been augmented and customer exposure increased. The company has supplied products to organizations from different fields including education, performing arts and construction. The Market Market for industrial goods has a number of competitors both in the UK and abroad. Companies such as Top Up Water Products, Mezzanine Floor Engineering Limited, Alexander Industrial Supplies and Plastic Mould Tool Makers compete with Directa in UK. Overseas, China has established itself as a leading producer and distributor of industrial items such as PVC tapes and adhesives. Moreover, companies such as ISP and Scapa have also established themselves on the global market. An insight into the marketing strategies of these companies provides one with useful information about breaking into markets overseas. The marketing strength of Scapa lies in targeting particular segments of the market. The company specialised itself into delivering goods for specific industries. From health care and electronics to industrial and consumer products, Scapa delivered products that were tailored to suit the specific need of its customers. Similarly, ISP also offers specialty products to its customers, the number exceeding 500, and is able to make annual sales of more than $1.3 billion. Its success is also attributed to its resourceful marketing teams and partnerships with suppliers and buyers (ISP, n.d.). Likewise, Directa can use its competitive capability, by focusing on online marketing and services, to develop a niche in the overseas market. Regarding the market for industrial products such as adhesives and sealants, reports document that it is much fragmented. The homogenous market divides itself into a number of smaller segments based on their particular requirements and consumer preferences. It must be noted that marketing techniques need to be specific and particular when entering a fragmented market. Fragmented markets do not sustain or recommend mass marketing measures and often make it difficult to maintain the loyalty of the brand. The market has not become saturated or reached a standstill; rather the market grows at a rate that is proportionate to the increase in GDP in foreign markets. The market for adhesives and sealants shows an average growth rate of 4.4% according to a research company; their international merchant market, keeping out resins utilized in plywood and factories which cast metal, is assessed to be at $25 billion (Best of the Globe, 2003). With the exception of Europe, Japan and USA, the market for sealants and adhesives is expected to grow at an annual rate of 8.9% (Best of the Globe, 2003). When analyzing the demand and sales of product categories of adhesives and sealants in emerging markets like Brazil, it can be seen that the commodity segment (i.e. the consumer) has a lot of demand. In US and other emerging markets, demand in segments such as electronics, medical and pressure-sensitive tapes and labels is increasing faster than the average growth rate of the general adhesives and sealants market. Thereby these segments represent “high-growth areas” (Best of the Globe, 2003). Market trends also show that with advances in technology and its influx into various professions is increasing the demand for industrial products. Global warming and sustainable business practices have become a hotbed of debate and there is a general trend towards environment-friendly production. Extending into categories that are environment-friendly is also generating an increase in the market value of these products. Although the market of industrial goods production and distribution has a number of suppliers, there are certain segments that allow for a new supplier to break in. There is an increased need for adhesives and sealants that can be developed in a shorter span of time, have smaller product life cycle and can be custom produced. Furthermore, customers are also looking for technical support by suppliers (Best of the Globe, 2003). Moreover, the use of raw materials at best prices can also bring down the cost of goods produced, not only allowing for a greater profit margin but also reducing the market price, giving the company a competitive edge. This is one of the strategies followed by Scapa. Having gained an insight into the international market for industrial products, the next step in the process of global marketing is choosing countries to launch the company. Before doing so, the strengths of Directa should be highlighted. Directa Is a distributor of industrial goods; Offers the facilities of ordering online as well as via the telephone; Is an authorized distributor of a number of leading brands such as Velcro and 3M under one roof Offers a quick delivery service Provides wholesale rates and reasonable quotations Encourages recycling and sustainable production For global marketing, Directa can choose Brazil and India. Competitors The market in India is not yet saturated. However there are several suppliers of industrial products in India, for example Huntsman, 3M India, National Light, Pidlite, Sika and Seagull Industries. Of these, Pidlite has the maximum sales- which totalled over 900 crores in 2006. The company grows at an annual rate of 20%. Competitors of Directa in Brazil include Saint-Gobain Abrasives Inc, Arinos Quimica Ltda and Elektra. Market The global industry for adhesives and sealants accounts for a sales values of more than $30 billion. Sealant industry has a share of more than one-sixth in the total sales. The demand for industrial products in fields like construction and partitions is rising at a fast rate. Particularly sealants composed from silicone have an increased demand in the sheet glass development sector, along with uses in the automobile industry. Moreover India is also seeing a demand for specialized products; although this market is not large, the return on investment is high (Apitco,2006). When considering the industry from a general aspect, the market is divided into segments, but there are still opportunities for growth, particularly for the marketing of products such as double-sided acrylic foam tape (Best of the Globe, 2003). Brazil has the largest industrial sectors in Latin America, accounting for over one-third of the GDP of the country. Trends in Brazil show that the market for industrial products is still open for new suppliers. With constructions pacing up after the decrease in Industrial Products Tax, there has been a subsequent increase in the demand for raw materials, which include industrial products. Upcoming government projects in construction, particularly its large residential schemes such as Minha Casa Minha Vida, are also forecasting a demand in constructions products. Another happening in the near future has also accelerated construction. The FIFA football world cup is expected to take place in Brazil in 2014, before which projects related to infrastructure need to be finished. Moreover, Olympics are also likely to increase the demand for concrete and other construction materials. It must be noted that the increase in demand from these events is not long-term (AlfJam, 2012). Customers As mentioned in the marketing trends previously, suppliers who are able to provide products with a shorter life cycle and quicker delivery can develop a niche in the market. Customer preferences are showing a shift towards sustainable production. This gives Directa an edge since it has a full-fledged environmental sustainability policy and makes it more likely to develop a niche for itself. In Brazil, the growing economy has also allowed a large percentage of the poor class to move to the middle class. Thereby, there has been an increase in the number of lower middle class households, adding to the demand for the consumer products industry (Deloitte, 2011). Environment – PESTEL analysis The essentials of breaking into a market are coverage of the market and the development of customer contact. Particularly in the India, companies which deal with distribution of industrial goods are starting to develop another important role, i.e. an active participant of innovation. The country has encouraged the growth of corporate corporations as distributors of industrial goods, a trend that has changed from the conventionally confined, working-capital requiring industrial distributor. The Centre for Economics and Business Research reports that the economy of Brazil has become larger than UK’s economy. Currently, Brazil has been ranked as the 6th largest economy in the world. Moreover, global market trends predict that India will become a larger economy than the top economies of Europe, i.e. France and Germany, by the close of the decade (Redif Business, 2011). India is rated as the third largest economy of the world and speculations are that it will surpass Japan too. Furthermore, the role that distributors played in the channelization of production from the manufacturer to the end-user has become more important for both ends of the chain. Companies similar to Directa are now utilizing a number of different marketing channels, highlighting another change that can be of importance for a company breaking into India or Brazil. Market power has also been augmented along with greater authority over the channels of marketing being used (Yoon and Lilien, 1988). There are laws and regulations regarding imports in Brazil. Brazil is a member of MERCUSOR. Recently, the member countries have held meetings regarding the import pressures they have felt from other companies based in Asia. Consequently, Brazil and other member countries have decided to raise the import tariff rate. It is now to be 35%, implemented on about a hundred industrial goods (Korves, 2011). Currently, the position of the market is such that it favours a rather protected take on the regional demand and supply for industrial goods. However, Korves (2011) observes that this may not be a very favourable position for Brazil since protected economies do not sustain efficiency in the long run. Furthermore, Korves (2011) opines that the global demand for industrial products will allow companies to become more productive in their regional markets, with these increase in sales benefiting both the employees and the country. Thereby, the potential for growth in Brazil lies in trade and in dropping the restrictions that it has put on industrial imports. Moreover, there has been an increase in the number of imports in the start of 2012. This is largely due to the fact that the Brazilian Real has increased in value to the US dollar. In India, the taxation policies are not stringent enough to block a new supplier from entering the market. The tax rate on international companies is 6% more than local companies. The duties levied are the same for all companies. A Sales Tax is levied on the sale of goods amongst states. There is also a Stamp Duty and State Excise, along with Land Revenue (India Government, 2012). However, there is a ban by the Government of India on direct investment in the market by international companies. After China, most of the retailers regard India to be the only main country left that can favour accelerated business growth. The growth in the retail market in India is occurring at more than 30% per year. The policies of the Indian government permit only those retail stores which sell single brands to break into the market. Therefore, many businesses such as Walmart who want to enter the Indian market are making partnerships with local Indian companies. This way, they will not breach the law and still be able to enter the market (Rai, 2006). Companies are entering the Brazilian market through acquisitions. This has been the case for companies such as Univar. Analysts also suggest that breaking into the Brazilian market is easy it the company takes into consideration the culture of the country and blends its activities in local flavour. It also has a growing Internet population. In fact mobile internet is being considered as the most important marketing tool for entering the market in Brazil. The country is ranked number five with respect to the number of people it has who use the Web. There are over 90 million people who have access to the Internet and go online. According to a marketing director of Diageo, a company which broke into the Brazilian market due to its innovation and reliance on the country’s culture, people in Brazil are following a “leapfrogging” trend (Snoad, 2012). This means that the transition is from no exposure to technology directly to smartphones. These changes favour the entry of Directa into both India and Brazil. According to Technica (2012) services, it is necessary for global marketers to penetrate the emerging markets in order to be at par with competitors and adjust to changing times. The increased popularity and influx of information technology allows Directa to use its online web service and to provide customers the facility to place quotations without being physically present. Control over market power and selling tasks of the manufacturer allows a company such as Directa, which deals not only with manufacturers but also produces some products on its own, to effectively corroborate distribution and production activities. Since Directa does not need a very large workforce, it will not have problems recruiting people for work especially in India. However, research needs to be done on work laws such as minimum wage and the particular code of work ethics followed. Directa is primarily a distribution business. By locating itself in the heart of the production of industrial products, it can decrease the costs of transit and transport associated with delivering products from manufacturer to retailer. In order to break into the markets of India and Brazil, Directa needs to play its strongest card i.e. its competitive advantage. This relies in the placing of orders online. Both in India and Brazil, there has been a surge in e-business. Aseem Dhru, MD and CEO at HDFC Securities in India, asserts that businesses which are based online can break even in one and a half to two years (Mahesh, 2008). There is also a forecasted increase in e-business, with total sales increasing by more than 50% in the upcoming four to five years (Mahesh, 2008). End-users and consumers are concerned with the satisfaction of their needs and wants. They can be easily willed into opting for products from a new supplier given that they find obvious advantages in changing the supplier. For Directa, the focus should be on products that it can provide on lesser costs and with faster delivery and a shortened product life cycle. Carrying out marketing for specialized products which meet the specific requirements of different fields such as electronics can help to develop a good customer base. Exploring the market potential for certain goods, such as silicone based adhesives and sealants, the company can market particular goods with a high demand more. SMART global marketing objectives Marketing on an international scale and setting marketing objectives encompasses three basic principles. It is necessary for a firm to develop clear and sound marketing objectives based on these three goals. The first principle is known as the behaviour objective. Behaviour objective focuses on the reaction of the target audience to the marketing campaign (Cheng, Kotler and Lee, 2011). For Directa, this would mean switching from previous suppliers to Directa. The second principle of marketing objectives is the knowledge aspect of the campaign. This entails the notion of the information that is delivered across to the audience. If Directa aims to convey certain information to its audience, it should inculcate it in its marketing campaign. Since having an online web service is the prime competitive capability of the business, the marketing campaign needs to incorporate and expound upon the facility of placing orders online. The third principle underlying a successful marketing campaign is the belief objective. According to this objective, the campaign should be able to instil a certain concept in the minds of the audience that will convince them to opt for Directa. This would entail highlighting the lower costs, faster delivery and product innovation and advantages discussed before. After marketing objectives have been set, next in line is the development of marketing goals. Marketing goals are means of measuring the marketing progress. The marketing goals must be SMART, i.e. specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound, and be able to reflect the three principles underlying marketing objectives highlighted above. For Directa, the first marketing objective would be to establish the company in Brazil and India and to make sales of $4,000 per month within the first 6 months. The objective can be measured by keeping records of the transactions made by the business. The second marketing objective would be that once the desired levels of sales is reached, the business needs to increase its sales at an average of 5% every month for the next 12 months. Again, transactions can provide an insight into the average growth rate. The third marketing goal pertains to the longer-term performance of the company. The company must have had recruited sufficient workforce and developed a niche in the market within two years of establishing itself. Sufficient workforce will mean that the affairs of the company are in order; there are enough managers to supervise different aspects of production, distribution and marketing. Moreover, the number of employees are enough to support the operations of the company, both onsite and online. Global market entry strategy Since there are a number of entry strategies available for penetrating the international market, the choice depends on the target market, the aim of the company, the capital it has and how much is it willing to risk. Looking at the market in India and Brazil and considering that Directa does not have a lot of capital to invest in, licensing seems a viable option. Licensing entails that Directa makes a contract with a local business to provide it with an asset protected by law in return for some compensation offered by Directa. Licensing offers a number of advantages particularly to firms who have limited resources. Licensing allows for a decrease in the risk exposure the company has and the company does not have to commit its capital in foreign operations as its products can be added to the current production processes of the licensee. It would also allow Directa to gain an entry into the market quickly. Licensing is most suitable for firms and organizations who wish to break into a market that is not very permeable (Gillespiem, Jeannet and Hennessey, 2010). However one of the disadvantages that it would have to face would be that the company which would offer it a license can become its competitor. Moreover, enthusiasm can vary between the companies and profit cannot be made by manufacturing and marketing. There are also chances that the company becomes dependent on the royalties produced by the licensee (Gillespiem, Jeannet and Hennessey, 2010). Nevertheless, Directa does not limit its expansion capacity by signing up for a licensing agreement with another company. There are opportunities to opt for a joint venture as well after licensing (Carter, 1997). Once the company has established itself, it can reap rewards directly from the market. Going for a different strategy can allow Directa to increase its sales quickly and to earn greater profits. It can also establish itself as a local manufacturer. Using joint ventures as an entry mode is useful if it does not have the resources to opt for a fully owned subsidiary. However, joint ventures can give rise to a number of problems such as the emergence of parallel firms (Hollensen and Banerjee, 2010). There are two main factors that make licensing a good choice for Directa. Firstly, Directa needs to break into a relatively difficult market. India does not allow firms offering multiple brands to invest directly. Brazil requires that companies add a touch of local flavour as well as pay import taxes for establishing in the country. Media in Brazil is also relatively conservative (Marketing Week, 2012). In such conditions, licensing is an ideal choice since it allows entry through a local firm (Boone and Kurtz, 2011). Secondly, considering that Directa does not have sufficient budget to invest in fully owned subsidiaries or to start local production immediately, it seems wise to enter the market by a licensing agreement. However it must be emphasized that in order to come in a licensing agreement with a company in India or Brazil, Directa would have to spend a lot of time researching and analyzing the options it has for choosing the right licensor. Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning and 4 P's strategy The next step in the marketing plan is determining segmentation, targeting, positioning and the 4Ps strategy. The first phase of this process involves the creation of the company’s value. Segmentation includes an analysis of the base at which the market is divided into segments. For instance, Directa would segment its market according to the demographics or by the demand it has for its products. Segmentation had already begun when it segmented itself according to the national and international market. Directa can divide itself into segments according to the requirements of customers and their business traits. As was observed earlier, there is more silicone based adhesives and consumer products as well as specialized products. Directa can also choose companies from more competitive segments such as automobile and construction in order to cover the maximum product range. Customers which are opting for sustainable products but with a faster delivery can be segmented as well. Targeting allows the company to make reasoned decisions about its resources. Targeting measures inculcate three main components, i.e. cost leadership, focus and differentiation (Ren, 2012). This phase of marketing plan will allow Directa to bring about a reasonable balance between the appeal of a particular market segment and the resources and capital it has. Consequently marketing segments would be analyzed and the one with the most appeal is selected. This could mean opting for the segments whereby customers are looking for companies which sustain their business operations and promote recycling. As in the UK, Directa can continue its operations of electronics recycling. Thereby, Directa can target the electronics segment- in particular customers in need of sustainable products with quick delivery and lower prices. After Directa has decided segmentation and targeting, it needs to focus upon the positioning of the company. Positioning will be concerned with the view competitors and consumers hold regarding Directa. It is an important component of marketing since it depicts the company in the light of certain product qualities. It is these traits that customers relate themselves with and subsequently make the decision of buying from the particular seller (Bygrave and Zacharakis, 2010). Even in this regard, the positioning of Directa lies in a number of traits- online order placing of quality products and fast delivery by a company that practices sustainable business. The marketing mix, or the Four Ps, are the most important part of the marketing plan. These shall be considered one by one. Directa can formulate a strong product strategy by developing a value proposition which targets and fulfils the needs of the end-users. The costs to the customers need to be weighed against the advantages that they will derive from it and a reasonable customer value be drafted. Until the consumers opt for the product based on the advantage they get from it, that particular trait cannot be considered a product benefit (Bygrave and Zacharakis, 2010); till customers are able to benefit from the online order placing, it cannot be considered a product quality. Pricing is also significant in marketing and needs to be fixed at a level whereby the company is able to make revenue and profits as well as not impact the customers’ perception negatively. Place and channel selection should have the qualities of intensive coverage and resolution of friction between channels (Cant, Strydom and Jooste, 2009). Directa not only is a distributor but also has to interact with its customers directly. Therefore, it has to focus both on its online activities as well as onsite. Promotion for Directa would largely be focused on the push communication strategy. Since consumer preferences and market trends are able to determine the demand for products, promotion would be driven by pushing product through distribution channels rather than creating demand. Directa can employ measures such as public relations and advertising for promoting its products. Brazil particularly requires that Directa tries to focus its marketing in the context of the culture of the country. The choice for positioning, and marketing mix strategies depends on the resources at the disposal of the company. The measures described above will allow the company to enter Indian or Brazilian market in a short period of time and utilize its limited resources in the best possible way. However, it needs to be emphasized that strong leadership is necessary to guide the company through each stage of the global marketing process. The managers should not only be apprised of the current market situation but be able to predict future changes and anticipate any significant adverse happening. Conclusion Marketing across borders is not a streamlined process. Despite conducting extensive research on the market and the possibilities of expanding abroad, there would still be unanticipated losses that the company would have to face. However, it can be minimized by shrewd marketing measures and strong leadership. Markets such as India where direct investment by foreign companies is not being encouraged because of the negative effect it has on domestic industries, it is difficult to enter the market directly. Therefore, the company must focus on its competitive capability and make it its strongest card. Directa has the potential to take its business not only to countries such as Brazil and India, but to other countries like Russia where the market is not hard to enter. The wisdom behind choosing India or Brazil as market of entry is because it would keep Directa at par with leading competitors in its industry by tapping into emerging markets. Lastly, the company must also remember that marketing strategies, marketing trends and management are to be reviewed periodically in order to direct sales towards high-growth areas (Mohr, Sengupta and Slater, 2009). Reference List AlfJam, 2012. 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L., 1988. Characteristics of the Industrial Distributor’s Innovation Activities. Journal of Product Innovation and Management, 5, pp.227-240. Read More