10Sz
Column 15 · Global Marketing Strategy · Era 1, Foundations (to 1969)
Standardization Question
Formulation, content · Major · Cluster VI, Context
Description
Buzzell asked whether multinational marketing programs can be standardized across countries, weighing the economies of standardization against differences in markets, and set the terms of the standardization-adaptation debate.
Managerial Implications
Across countries, standardize what customers do not see or care about and adapt what they do. The decision is a cost-benefit calculation, element by element: product core, brand name, positioning, pricing, channels, and communication can each be standardized or localized separately. Make the choice explicit for each market entry rather than defaulting to headquarters' preference or the local manager's.