Assignment 1: Discussion Questions—Marketing, Operations, Financing, Human Resources

Marketing, operations, and human resource management are core areas of business. An international setting provides unique challenges in each of these areas.

Research the topic using your textbook, University online library resources, and the Internet. Respond to the following:

• For a foreign company marketing its products in the U.S. market, analyze the complexities of one of the following:
• Developing product strategies (including cultural differences)
• Assessing the promotional strategies
• Developing distribution methods
• Assessing pricing strategies
• Considering operational issues in the U.S. market, analyze the complexities of one of the following:
• Production strategies
• Accessing physical resources and managing inventory
• Maintaining quality
• Financing the operations

From the perspective of a small company venturing into international operations for the first time, discuss what you feel are the three most difficult issues that must be overcome in recruiting, selecting, and training foreign workers. Explain how each difficulty might be overcome. From the textbook, International business: The challenges of globalization (5th ed.), read the following chapters:

o    Developing and marketing products

o    Managing international operations

o    Hiring and managing employees

·         From the Internet, read:

o    Spar, D. (1995, December 1, revised 1999, February 25). Toys “R” Us Japan. Harvard Business School. HBS Number: 9-796-077.

Write your response in 300-400 words . Apply current APA standards for writing style to your work. All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.

By Thursday, February 21, 2013, submit your assignment to the appropriateDiscussion Area..

Assignment 2: Case Analysis—Toys “R” Us Japan

A business must be able to adapt to the market conditions in the host country. The case in this assignment provides an interesting examination of how Toys ”R” Us attempted to gain access to the Japanese toy market dominated by small retailers and distributors.

Read the following case study:

• Spar, D. (1995, December 1, revised 1999, February 25). Toys “R” Us Japan.Harvard Business School. HBS Number: 9-796-077.

Analyze the case. In your case analysis, address the following:

1. Summarize the basic situation in the case including a discussion of the business strategy of Toys ”R” Us.
2. Discuss the Japanese toy market along with the retail market, including its structural features. In your opinion, what are the primary differences compared to the U.S. toy and retail markets?
3. Discuss the changes that occurred in the Japanese retail market in the 1980s and beyond.
4. Explain the efforts by Toys ”R” Us to enter the Japanese market.
5. From your assessment, what seem to be the two most important factors that make entry into the Japanese retail market challenging and potentially risky for a U.S. firm?

Submit your work in a 4-page Word document. Apply current APA standards for writing style to your work. All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.

By Sunday, February 24, 2013, deliver your assignment to the M7: Assignment 2 Dropbox .