In a short essay, describe how managers balance standardization with adaptation. Provide examples to illustrate your answer

What will be an ideal response?

Often, managers will engage in standardization and adaptation simultaneously, at varying degrees. Some marketing mix elements are standardized, some are localized, and others require a compromise among corporate, regional, and local decision makers. For example, IKEA will maintain product design uniform across markets while making modifications to furniture sizes in individual countries.

Some firms will pursue standardization as part of a regional strategy, where international marketing program elements are formulated to exploit commonalities across a geographic region, instead of across the world. For example, General Motors markets distinctive car models for each of China (for example, Buick, HRV), Europe (Opel, Vauxhall), and North America (Cadillac, Chevrolet). Convergence of regional preferences, regional economic integration, harmonization of product standards, and growth of regional media and distribution channels, all make regional marketing more feasible than pursuing global marketing approaches.