International Business: The New Realities, 5th Edition

Standardization and Adaptation: A Balancing Act

A managerial decision about standardization and adaptation is not an either-or decision but, rather, a balancing act. There are good arguments and outcomes that favor both options; it is up to senior marketing managers and the global new-product planning team to sort out the trade-offs, given the distinctive environments where the firm operates.

Smartphones, tablets, and other popular consumer electronics have a worldwide following and require little adaptation from country to country.

Source: Brezina123/123RF

Perhaps the most important distinction between standardization and adaptation is that ...