Abstract

International marketing strategy involves formulating marketing strategy across a

range of countries. A number of different approaches have been taken in studying
international marketing strategy, including the transaction cost perspective,
standardization/adaptation, configuration/coordination perspective, international
integration perspective, and the evolutionary perspective. Typically, each focuses
on

different

decisions

or

aspects

of

international

marketing

strategy

and

corresponds in many respects to differences in the experience of the firm in

international markets. Depending on the degree of experience in international
markets, the firm must deal with issues related to beginning operations in
international markets, refining and developing international marketing strategy, or
consolidating/integrating international strategy. In beginning international market
operations, the firm needs to decide which international markets to enter and how
they should be entered, as well as the timing and sequencing of international
market entry. As the firm expands within international markets, attention shifts to
deciding how far to tailor various elements of the marketing mix to local market
characteristics. Attention is then required to coordinate and integrate marketing
strategy across countries and regions. The design of international marketing
strategy is thus a continually evolving and adaptive process requiring an ability to
respond to new demand and competitive factors as well as changing international
environmental conditions and pressures.