Determining the level of standardization and differentiation of market offers

Abstract

In this chapter, the focus is on the market offer, the most visible part of a company’s international strategy. The market offer is shaped by the marketing of the company. Marketing can be defined as an organizational function made up of a set of processes for creating value, and for communicating and delivering this value to customers together with processes for managing customer relationships (Keegan/Green, 2008, p. 4). Marketing is implemented via the marketing mix which is often referred to as the 4 P’s: product, pricing, promotion and place. Within marketing, the main topics of this chapter are the product offer and the company’s brands. While the other elements are also of relevance, product and brand are usually the core of the marketing mix.