International Business Strategies

Week 6: International Business Implementation Strategies

Topic 2: Technology's Impact on Importing and Exporting

Question 3: Compare and contrast these websites from the view of the seller to the buyer

Alibaba has a Chinese focus an emphasis; Trade India is dedicated to India and Europages to Europe. Alibaba has four easy steps for sourcing: find products, screen results, contact supplier and trade with confidence. Alibaba has 1.5 billion products for buyers to choose from. Trade India uses more direct access to product catalog for some products, but Trade India and Europages do not have the certification features of Alibaba. Alibaba's contact templates are much more user friendly than both Trade India and Europages. Europages is the only site that is available in 26 languages and has a multilingual search engine. Trade India is the only site that offers trade shows. Of the three sites Alibaba is the most user friendly and has the broadest appeal.

Question 4: Do you think most trades between countries and companies might eventually take place through sites like Aliba.com? If so, does that influence your interest in importing and exporting?

As a result of the rapid growth of the use of these sites and the corresponding increase in trade among countries and companies, I certainly believe that eventually trade between countries and companies might eventually take place through sites like Alibaba.com. My interest in exporting and importing is certainly impacted positively especially with such powerful tools and convenience at my disposal. I have actually purchased hair from China from Alibaba.com and it was a great experience.

Question 5: How transparent do sites like Alibaba.com make import-export transactions? Would you still worry about fraud?

Sites like Alibaba.com definitely create greater transparency in import and export transactions. Buyers have more detail information about suppliers as company details are listed on the site. A third party credit agency is used to verify the authentication of companies on the site; upon on successful verification these companies receive a Trust pass designation. Alibaba.com also engages in verification of trustworthiness of companies. The tests and verifications that Alibaba.com engages in certainly reduce the possibility of fraud but do not eliminate it completely. In my opinion since these companies are conducting business over the internet there still exist the possibility of fraud.

Discuss the pressures for local responsiveness and global standardization faced by each firm. Which experiences the greater pull toward local responsiveness? Why? Which faces a greater need for global standardization? Why?

I have chosen two companies that I am familiar with for this week's lesson, as a beauty advisor I work with Shiseido products and my family operates a flooring company and Mohawk