The Diverse People of Africa

Posted on June 13, 2012 by bermanevansretail
Nielsen recently conducted a major research project on the diverse population of Africa. It concluded that: “Despite the exciting opportunities and considerable promise of the African continent, doing business here also comes with significant challenges. Aside from political turmoil, wide income disparities, and infrastructure shortfalls, one of the biggest issues facing marketers in Africa is its diversity.”
The highlights of Nielsen’s African research project may be found by clicking the chart.

Posted in Global Retailing, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Etsy: A Different Kind of Online Retailer

Posted on June 13, 2012 by bermanevansretail
Here’s how Etsy describes itself: “Etsy is the world’s handmade marketplace. Our mission is to empower people to change the way the global economy works. We see a world in which very-very small businesses have much-much more sway in shaping the economy, local living economies are thriving everywhere, and people value authorship and provenance as much as price and convenience. We are bringing heart to commerce and making the world more fair, more sustainable, and more fun.”
Click the image to visit Etsy.

Posted in Global Retailing, Online Retailing, Part 2: Ownership, Strategy Mix, Online, Nontraditional, Social Media and Retailing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Wal-Mart Bribery Case

Posted on June 13, 2012 by bermanevansretail
Earlier in 2012, Wal-Mart faced a barrage of negative publicity and possible legal actions regarding the long-term behavior of some executives in Mexico. At the very least, ethical improprieties were involved; at the worst, some laws were violated.
Consider this excerpt from a Knowledge@Wharton online article: “In a case that continues to reverberate across borders, Wal-Mart Stores, the world’s largest retailer, announced recently that it has started its own probe into allegations that executives at its Mexican operations made hundreds of illegal payments — worth more than $24 million — to help expedite the opening of new stores. According to a report in the New York Times, Wal-Mart officials in the U.S. learned about the bribery allegations in 2005, but failed to alert U.S. or Mexican officials at the time. The charges have cast a dark cloud over Wal-Mart, which is also the largest retailer in Mexico and the country’s top private-sector employer. According to news reports, Wal-Mart’s own probe of possible bribery could force the firing of some of the firm’s executives, and bring serious fines from the U.S. government if investigations reveal that the company’s senior managers knew about the illicit payments but did not take sufficient action.”
Click the photo for the full Knowledge@Wharton article. 

Posted in Global Retailing, Part 1: Overview/Planning | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment