STANDARDIZING OR ADAPTING MARKETING STRATEGIES ACROSS BOARDERS - A CASE STUDY OF GETINGE AB

• Main Authors: Piirainen, Helena, Seta, Dzejna
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Högskolan i Halmstad, Sektionen för ekonomi och teknik (SET) 2008
• Subjects: standardization; adaptation
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-1585

The purpose of this study is to examine how the social/cultural, legal, economic, political and technological environment in international markets affects a firm’s standardization and adaptation of the marketing mix. This study investigates Getinge ABs actions on the German and the Chinese market. The aim is to see how the company has been forced to adapt the marketing mix in order to penetrate these markets. The study is based on a theoretical framework that includes relevant theories regarding the standardization and adaptation of the marketing mix, and the environmental influences that a firm has to take into consideration. The research has been performed on a Swedish company that provides medical equipment for institutions – Getinge AB. A qualitative personal interview has been carried out with the Vice president of sales and services of Getinge AB and the managing director of the area of infection control – Harald Castler. This study has shown that the environmental factors on the Chinese market have affected the adaptation of the product, price and promotion. The distribution channels have on the other hand only been affected by the social/cultural conditions. On the German market product adaptation has been influenced by the social/cultural, legal, economic and political conditions. Only the social/cultural, legal and economic conditions have affected the price adaptation. Further, the adaptation of the promotion has only been affected by the social/cultural and political conditions. Finally the distribution channels on the German market have been affected by the social/cultural, legal and political conditions. The results have also shown that it has been a challenge for Getinge AB to find a balance between the degree of standardization and local adaptation of the different elements in the marketing mix – a challenge that they have succeeded to deal with. Further more the study shows the importance of adapting the marketing mix to the local situation since it is the key to manage to design offers that will lead to success and increased market shares. The overall conclusion of this study is that Getinge AB needs to think globally, but act locally and take environmental influences such as the social/cultural, legal, economic, political and technological ones, into consideration.