Working in your existing groups you are to develop a market entry strategy for a specified publicly traded[1] (The Hudson’s Bay Company – Hudson’s Bay department store) company. The company could deliver a tangible product and/or a service and operate in any industry (retail store in Shanghai, China). You will need to:

( a )     Select a target region for foreign market entry. Any region (North America, Europe, Asia, Africa or the Middle East is acceptable). Your selection must be justified by providing data on the economic and political environments, cultural factors, development indicators etc. The criteria used in the selection of the region must be stated. The objective of the firm in foreign market entry must be discussed (i.e. is it proactive or reactive).

( b )     Select a specific country within the region. You must develop the criteria for country selection and provide data to support the decision. Consider whether the company’s firm specific advantages (FSAs) will allow it to perform well in the country you selected. The company you selected must not now operate in the country you plan to enter.

( c )     Select and justify a mode of entry. Discuss all possible options available to the firm[2].

( d )     Discuss the specific market and industry factors that need to be considered in foreign market entry. Discuss the competitive and regulatory environments and how these may affect the firm’s entry strategy. Discuss market size and attractiveness.

( e )     Describe the risk factors that the firm must address in implementing the foreign entry strategy and identify possible measures to mitigate these risks.