Comparison on the Impact of Standardization and Adaptation on International Marketing

Abstract

Study of the transformation of marketing solutions in the process of internationalization of a company acknowledge that the structure of marketing strategy in international markets is an evolutionary process and companies face a particular choice: to standardize or to adapt strategic marketing solutions. Seeking for successful international performance companies do not have to adopt one extremity. The objective of the international marketing strategy is to find an ideal combination of integration and rationalization of operations and solution systems in a global market. The goal of this article is to position international companies on a linear continuum revealing their overall approach towards standardization/adaptation, study the reasons influencing international companies' tactical attitude towards it, and lastly presents the primary managerial implications of the results. Furthermore, it identifies the reasons pulling towards adaptation or standardization into significant and peripheral; and present helpful insights towards practical application. This article provides marketing researchers and practitioners with an overview of the major factors that influence marketing tactical attitudes in international markets. This paper investigates the relationship between strategies of standardization and adaptation of the marketing mix and performance in an international context. Among the adaptation choices, price should be the first element of the marketing mix to be adapted, followed by promotion, product and distribution. This research also analyze degrees of adaptation to be applied to different segments, regions, and sectors, among other suggestions.