Franchising is a style of business which has a lot of different but same branches throughout the world. Franchising business is an arrangement for a continuing relationship in which one party – a franchisor provides an accredited opportunity to another party – the franchisee to do business using its trade name and offers assistance in organizing, training, producing, marketing and managing a good or service in adherence to certain specifications, in return for monetary exchange. The franchisee usually pays a one-time franchise fee plus a percentage of sales revenue as royalty, and in turn gains instant name and recognition, tried and tested products, standard infrastructural design and interior decor, detailed techniques in running and promoting the business, training of employees and on-going help in promoting and improving the product The advantages of franchising from the franchisee’s point of view are myriad. First, the franchisee can benefit from the widely recognized Continue reading
International Business Basics
Inventory Management Practices in Multinational Corporations
Inventory in the form of raw materials, work in process or finished goods is held; to facilitate the production process by both ensuring that supplies are at hand when needed and allowing a more even rate of production and to make certain that goods are available for delivery at the time of sale. Although, conceptually, the inventory management problems faced by multinational firms are not unique, they may be exaggerated in the case of foreign operations. For instance, MNCs typically find it more difficult to control their overseas inventory and realize inventory turnover objectives. There are a variety of reasons: long and variable transit times if ocean transportation is used, lengthy customs proceedings, dock strikes, import controls, higher duties, supply disruption, and anticipated changes in currency values. Advanced Inventory Purchases In many developing countries, forward contracts for foreign currency are limited in availability or the nonexistent. In addition, restrictions often Continue reading
Steps in Conducting a Foreign Market Analysis
International businesses have the fundamental goals of expanding market share, revenues, and profits. They often achieve these goals by entering new markets or by introducing new products into markets in which they already have a presence. A firm’s ability to do this effectively hinges on its developing a through understanding of a given geographical or product market. To successfully increase market share, revenue, and profits, firms must normally follow three steps, Assess alternative markets Evaluate the respective costs, benefits, and risks of entering each, and Select those that hold the most potential for entry or expansion. 1. Assessing Alternative Foreign Markets In assessing alternative foreign market a firm must consider a variety of factor including the current and potential sizes of the markets, the levels of competition the firm will face, their legal and political environment, and socio-cultural factors that may affect the firm’s operations and performance. Information about Continue reading
Types of Marine Insurance Policies
Marine insurance is a contract by which the insurer, in consideration of payment by the insured of a specified premium determined under tariff rates or otherwise, agree to indemnify the latter against any loss incurred by him in respect of the merchandise exposed to the perils of the sea or to the particular perils insured against. In a c.i.f. contract, marine insurance is obligatory, and the policy must be one which is usual in the trade and is in a negotiable form. The policy must be stamped and bear a date not later than that of the bill of lading; and if the export is under a letter of credit, it must conform to the terms and conditions laid down in it. Types of Marine Insurance Policies 1. Single Cargo Risk / Open or Blanket Policy A marine insurance policy may be a “single cargo risk” policy, i.e., a policy Continue reading
Competitiveness for Globalization – Country and Company Competitiveness
Strategic management of a global company requires an understanding and analysis of international business environment in order to assess opportunities and threats. The management has to formulate alternative strategies to exploit the opportunities provided by the environment by using company strengths. Many MNCs having the strength of technology and the environment of developing countries provide the opportunities of high quality and low priced products. Therefore, it is necessary to study the competitiveness of global business. The comparative cost theory concludes that the countries can specialize in producing certain products in which they have the competitive advantage of producing goods at low cost. It means that the customers in all the countries can have the goods at low price. Comparative cost theory also indicates that the countries which have the advantage of raw materials, labor, natural resources in producing particular goods can produce the goods at low cost with good quality. Continue reading
How Do Firms Internationalize?
The simple facts remains that firm internationalize for many reasons or the other; be it, profit motive, the expansion to new horizon, exploring and tapping new markets or for reasons less known, that is to say for competitive advantage or labor mobilization and last but not the least, the cost factors. Moreover, by going international, firm can also take center stage to reaps the benefits of global exposure, and the opportunity cost that can be reaped from international business is also rather more in a sense that diversity is also exemplified, plus the means that internationalization provides towards new markets beyond national boundaries is also what’s excites and interest organizations in going international. Add to it, supply chain and its management is also more broadened when firm indulge themselves in international business. Thus, the above mentioned facts in brief list some of the factors and the notion as to why Continue reading