| Abstract |
The objective of the project is to study the question of standardization versus adaptation of the international marketing mix in multinational firms. The degree of standardization-adaptation is an important managerial issue for global marketers as it affects the firms' costs, competitive position and performance in international markets. Although the standardization-adaptation issue has been discussed in the international marketing literature, empirical work in the area has been scarce, especially in addressing the standardization-adaptation question in the context of multinational firms. Most empirical studies largely focus on the product and promotion elements of the marketing mix, while ignoring other important aspects of the market programme such as positioning, price, and place, as well as the marketing process such as marketing research, policies and procedures, and human resource management. This study aims to investigate the extent to which MNCs adapt their international marketing activities to serve the diverse needs of customers around the globe. |