Culture and International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Culture and International Business - Essay ExampleYet, McDonalds own brand also gave the companionship problem that is more pronounced than any other american brands. Perhaps there are no other the Statesn brands which had been plainly labeled and stereotyped as a symbol of American imperialism than that of McDonalds. This bang is magnified by the fact McDonalds typically becomes a target (usually by vandalism) everytime there are protests against the American government abroad. The irony of it is that perhaps there are no other loyal food ambit in the merchandise that exerts that much bowel movement than McDonalds to assimilate with the local culture where it operates. Its franchises outside of North America are non even out run by Americans but by the locals who took pains to customize its offerings effective to cater to the local preference. But no matter what it does, McDonalds will always be associated with American imperialism. This misconception around McDonalds i s not only limited to cultural labeling but extends to social status as well. Section II McDonalds, cheap yet classy? McDonalds is also having a social stratification issue on how it should localisation itself in the market. Shall it serve the mid section and upper section or the upper section of the market? Market response is ambivalent that it proves difficult to categorize which market should McDonals concentrate. In emerging markets such as Russia, China, even including South Asia, McDonalds is considered to be a restaurant that is a class above the rest and exceedingly esteemed as a brand. Eating at McDonalds can even be considered as a status symbol. Yet in its major market in the United States and Europe where it derives two thirds of its revenue, the fast food chain is considered to be a cheap food, something to be eaten just to survive not to quote unhealthy. As a food, McDonalds does not take the respect in its major market compared to the esteemed it have in emerging markets. In UK, it even came to a point that McDonalds will be taxed alleging that it is damaging commonwealths health and costs the health care substantial amount. In the United States, parents are even suing the company for misleading them over its nutritional value. These ambivalence of markets reaction towards McDonalds makes it difficult for the company to adopt a universal market strategy to penetrate the global market. What it does is to constantly adapt to the eccentricities of its local market whose magnitude of its assimilation may have already wobbled the company itself. Section 3. Who influences who with McDonalds? In its effort to assimilate with the preferences of its local markets, McDonalds customizes its visiting card in a myriad of ways to the point of departure to its master copy menu. In Germany, McDonalds can be served with beer. In Israel, McDonalds burgers does not have cheese. In India, its patties are not made of beef. In UK, traditional supersize meals are no longer welcome and is replaced by healthy offerings. The contestation goes on and on with the changes McDonalds have implemented just to cater to the differing taste preference of its local market. These change is not only limited to McDonalds food offerings but also extends to its suppliers. Along with the changing menu is also the change of suppliers to make such change in menu possible. These change in suppliers makes it patently un-McDonald because a