International Marketing

What are the three main ways history influences culture?

Shapes identity & values, creates a national mission/worldview, and affects business practices.

What idea was central to U.S. foreign policy in the 19th & 20th centuries?

Manifest Destiny & Monroe Doctrine.

What caused the Opium Wars?

Britain wanted to fix the trade imbalance with China → sold opium from India.

What were the consequences of the First Opium War (1839–1842)?

Treaty of Nanjing, Western dominance, and the humiliation of China.

What happened during the Second Opium War (1857–1860)?

More freedom for foreign traders, Christian evangelism, and the destruction of Beijing’s Summer Palace.

What major Chinese uprising was linked to foreign dominance in 1900?

The Boxer Rebellion.

Why do Chinese leaders remain wary of foreign influence today?

Legacy of humiliation from Opium Wars & Western dominance; correcting past inward focus → Belt and Road Initiative.

Who said “Culture is the human-made part of the environment”?

Melville Herskovits.

Who said “Culture is to society what memory is to individuals”?

Harry Triandis.

What metaphor describes how people don’t recognize their own cultural assumptions?

“Fish can’t see water.”

What factors make up culture?

Traditions, morals, habits, religion, art, social systems, and language.

How did geography influence American individualism, according to Frederick Jackson Turner?

The vastness of America encouraged independence and self-reliance.

Why is geography important in marketing?

Affects consumption habits, product adaptation, logistics, risks, and competitive positioning.

How does U.S. energy consumption compare globally?

U.S. = 5% of population, consumes 24% of world’s energy.

Where will most population growth occur by 2050?

In underdeveloped regions.

What percent of the world’s population lives in cities today, and by 2050?

55% today; ~70% by 2050.

By 2030, what proportion of the world’s population will live in slums?

About 1 in 4 people.

Name at least two of the world’s largest slums.

Dharavi (Mumbai, India – 1M), Orangi Town (Karachi, Pakistan – 2.4M), Kibera (Nairobi, Kenya – 700K), Neza (Mexico – 1.2M).

What problems are linked to rapid urbanization?

Overcrowding, sanitation strain, water supply issues, slums, and uneven improvements in quality of life.

How has the global elderly population changed and how will it change by 2050?

65–84 yrs = 3x increase, 85+ yrs = 6x, 100+ yrs = 16x → pension & healthcare strain.

How many immigrants will Europe, the U.S., and Japan need by 2050?

Europe ~1.4 billion; U.S./Japan ~600 million.

What barriers exist to solving worker shortages with immigration?

Political and cultural opposition (e.g., immigration debates, Brexit).

How does geography affect product adaptation?

Climate/topography (e.g., seasons, extreme weather) require design and marketing adjustments.

What new trade route is emerging due to climate change?

The Northwest Passage (alternative to the Panama Canal).

Why are communication links critical in international trade?

They allow businesses to know where goods/services are needed and connect markets efficiently.

How has communication technology evolved?

Telegraph → telephone → television → satellite → internet → modern digital networks.

What ESG expectation do investors now have for multinational corporations?

Companies must report environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies and impacts.

How do the U.S. and Mexico view their relationship differently?

JFK (U.S.): “Geography has made us neighbors, tradition has made us friends.”
Mexican view: “Geography has made us closer, tradition has made us far apart.”