General Strategic Planning as the Starting Point for Going International for New Markets

Abstract

General strategic planning may show that the served markets do not represent a basis for the further development and future success of the company. The markets of many Western European and North American companies are saturated. As new competitors from emerging markets are entering these markets, competitive intensity is high. Entry into growing markets, especially in emerging countries, represents a way to create a future for the company. This chapter shows how general strategic planning can lead to the analysis of new markets and to the planning of market entry into attractive new markets. Portfolio analysis provides a picture of the current situation. An extended version of the Ansoff matrix enables to identify growth opportunities in a systematic way. Finally, the different opportunities for growth are compared. This comparison shows that geographic diversification through the development of new markets is an attractive option.