Abstract
This research looks into the introduction of new products and services to another county by a native Alabama country’s company. It is a paper which looks into the whole process of product introduction in the market, and the process of introducing the new products into the market. This research focuses on the Westervelt Company, based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in a process of introducing its new services to another country, that is, Canada. The research also looks into the whole process of marketing of the Westervelt products, as well as the entire process of the company’s management in the Canada.
Introduction
Company Description
The Westervelt Company was started in the year 1884, by a man known as Herbert Westervelt. The company’s initial name was Prairie States Paper Corporation, whose principal activities were to deal with the production of paperwork. The company and its associates, especially the family of Herbert Westervelt paid a lot of attention and detail to the conservation of the environment. The family started an initiative that aimed at conserving the environment and taking care of it. The company made a major transition, from just a paper manufacturing company to a large organization, whose core value and the main aim was environmental conservation for sustainable growth (Westervelt Company, 2015). The company specializes in activities such as manufacturing of the Southern Yellow Pine lumbers, the production and provision of renewable energy, the process of ecological restoration, and the process of intensive wildlife management (Westervelt Company, 2016).
Reasons for going international
The reasons as to why Westervelt Company had to go international are because of the need to advance its operations and enhance its sales. The company chose to improve its operations by opening new offices and branches all over America, and other parts of the world. The Westervelt Company had established a branch in Canada, as a way of developing and expanding its activities. The company had the initiative to develop new technologies and introduce new products in Canada, where its operations had not reached yet.
The reason behind the expansion of the Westervelt Company’s activities into the Canada was because of the absence of any company that operates and runs operations that are related to the woodwork, and crafted items. The company had a high investment of its technologies in Canada, such as the production of crafted items, among other activities.
The Westervelt Company also looked into the whole issues of business management and the rules that govern the entire process of business organization. The company also wanted to be a better provider to the international quality access paraphernalia. The opportunities were a major advantage and a call for the expansion of the activities into the Canadian country. The company also wanted to provide quality goods and services to the customers and the society as a whole. The provision of a two- way dialogue, which gives the clients and the company the chance to air their views, complaints and ideas, so as to enhance the business operations, was also established as a way of determining what the client wants, and the areas where the company can rectify its business processes.
Rationale for the choice of the products
The selection of products, and services that were to be based on the Canadian country was to be selected by quality, and the time that the goods would be durable in the market.The company was to provide specific commodities, and services such as proficient forestry, vindication and maintenance banking, ample wildlife management, and the ecological refurbishment services.
The business also targeted the establishment of a strong business in Canada which dealt with the protection and the provision of nature- provided commodities in the market. The firm also targeted the provision of products whose quality would keep it running in the market. Based on the absence of the Westervelt Company’s activities in Canada, the delivery of a forestry management, as well as the timberland management would act as a good way of establishing and running its operations smoothly.
The activities and the services that would be selected were based on the ability to expand and even enhance environmental conservation and continuous productivity. The Westervelt firm was driven by the fact that it was interested in the welfare of the environment. The introduction of the wildlife protection activities in Canada by Westervelt Company would act as a way of restoring the endangered wild animals.
Product and service description
The Westervelt Company was interested mostly in the provision of two services in Canada. The delivery of the ecological restoration services and the comprehensive wildlife management were the primary areas of concern for the company in Canada. The two services aimed at providing the Canadians with the ability to conserve their indigenous and even foreign animals in their area. The provision of these services was in connection with the Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forestry Initiative, who had licensed the Westervelt Company to start its operations.
The company’s operations and its ability to operate in Canada were based on the facts that, the company had the capacity to take care of wildlife, and its motives in the business were genuine. The activities were recognized by the state and federal natural resource agencies, whose actions were inspired by the Grasslands Mitigation Bank (GRMB), a Westervelt Company’s initiative to protect and even re-instate the Giant Garter Snake (Thamnophis gas), on an area of 281 acres of land, to make its environment the best, based on its ecological requirements.
The targeted customers
The target customers for the Westervelt Company operations were the people who loved art, and wildlife. The Canadian Company’s operations would be based on the creation of awareness and the provision of wildlife conservation measures to the people who loved animals. The target customers are the tourists, who come to see the wild animals and give revenue for their visit.
The International Management Factors
Strategy for marketing of the products
The process of marketing the Westervelt goods and services was based on various factors. Many factors determine the marketing process of a commodity. The company would have to employ the marketing mix, which vases its activities on the Product support, the price support, the Promotion and the selling support, inventory and the distribution support, as well as the service and the financial support (Koch, 2001).
The marketing strategy was also based on some factors such as the Company’s overseas market selection strategy, the competitive advantage of the foreign market. The company’s strategic plans for the marketing, the ability of the company to compete internationally, as well as the internalization stage, as well as the risks that the company might incur.
The marketing was also to be based on other factors such as the potential of the host country’s market, the resources possessed by the company, the company’s strategic goals and objectives as well as the networking ability of the firm. The factors are grouped into both internal, external and the mixed strategies (Sansare, 2013).
The Westervelt Company had to employ all the necessary elements in its marketing process to ensure that there was a better marketing for its activities. The business activities were therefore based on the ability of the marketing teams to come up with strategies that would offer the best market for the company.
Market entry strategy
There are various steps and strategies that businesses can use as a way of market entry. The strategies employed are very helpful in the process of developing the set business agendas. Some of the market entry strategies include the exporting of new and good quality products, the process of Piggybacking, and business consolidation, the process of counter business trading, the licensing process, as well as the creation of joint ventures (FAO, c.2012).
The Westervelt Company employed the use of the various market entry evaluation mechanisms, which are measured against the market entry mode, which is usually based on the export orientation, the market subsidiaries, the creation of the joint ventures, the creation of the fully owned businesses, as well as the licensing process.
The Westervelt Company chooses the Greenfield investment strategy. This is an approach that requires the company to buy its piece of land, develop it and make it a more productive area. The company usually has to make all the required arrangements and incur the costs of transportation, construction of houses and even production.
Reasons for the choice of the marketing strategy
There are various reasons why Westervelt Company chose to use the Greenfield investments strategy. The procedure is usually expensive regarding financial and time investment. It is an approach that requires people or firms to buy their piece of land, develop it, and start their business operation. It is highly costly and requires many financial resources. It is also associated with the strict rules and regulations of the host country’s business operations.
However, Westervelt Company chose the strategy because it is highly productive, and its operations could not be mixed with any other company. The business also had a lot of confidence in its operation because there was minimized the level of competition, which increased its levels of productivity and profitability.
The business organization and structural operation systems
The Westervelt Canadian branch that would be organizing and even managing the business would be arranged in a system that would be able to accommodate all the activities into one, so as to minimize the costs and time wasted. The business activities would be organized into a calendar he gives the employees’ time to work and even time for their families. The company would be based on the time frame that would be operating from Mondays to Fridays. The workers are expected to arrive at the station by seven o’clock in the morning and leave the premises by five o’clock at twilight.
The organization would be lead by a group of individuals based on their ranks in the organization. On top of the body would be the manager, whose main work would be the daily organization of the firms activities. Below the manager would be the financial accountants and the secretary, then the supervisors, whose primary task would be to make sure that there is a smooth operation and that all business activities were carried out as planned.
The business would then be organized into the lowest levels of production, to the levels where the organizations’ set goals and objectives would be easy to undertake and achieve. The management of the team would be ranked through experience, educational qualification, and merit, based on the years of work experience with the organization.
The staffing philosophy
Since Westervelt Company is a big organization, whose activities should be based on outcome and the production levels, using the minimum cost. The staffing policy is also set straight. The people employed in the organization should be able to have certain qualifications so as to achieve the organizational set goals and objectives.
For anyone to qualify as a worker in the Westervelt Company, they need to have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in environmental science or related field, marketing, engineering, or in business administration. The candidates should also have a minimum of three years’ experience in the commercialization fields, and other areas (Kornegay, 2015).
Summary of the long-term business strategy to ensure a good relationship between the company and the host country
The company provides that there is a positive correlation between the government and the business. The company adopts certain policies that ensure that it has an excellent reputation, both internally and externally. Equal and equitable remuneration of workers are key in setting the organizational priorities. In most cases, the government taxes and any other levies should be paid on time to ensure that the business and the government are in real terms.
The organization also takes strict actions on any employee found misusing or even using illegal commodities within the organization such as drugs, and illegal weapons. The workers must be brought to law, and judged for their actions. This is meant to create a good name for the business and the government.
Conclusion
The business ability to set up a new business branch in Canada is a significant step in the realization of the organizations set goals and objectives. The new branch would serve as a new source of revenue for the business, base its activities on the business opportunities that lie in the Canadian country. The Westervelt organization would, therefore, be one of the indigenous companies of Alabama to establish their brand in Canada, selling their quality services and products.
The success of the organization would, therefore, be based on the marketing strategies used, as well as the market entry strategy, which would be used to sell the products and market the company. The administration of the company also plays a major role in its success. For the organization to be successful, there must be a strong foundation, based on the leadership qualities, and strategies.
References
FAO, (c.2012), Market Entry Strategies, Global agricultural marketing management. (Marketing and Agribusiness Texts) (http://www.fao.org/docrep/w5973e/w5973e0b.htm)
Koch, A.J. (2001), Factors influencing market and entry mode selection: developing the MEMS model , Marketing Intelligence & Planning (http://www.econ.uniurb.it/materiale/7326_MEMS%20model.pdf)
Kornegay, S., (c.2015), THE WESTERVELT COMPANY, Retrieved from http://careers.wildlife.org/jobseeker/job/27826314/
Sansare, V., (2013), Market entry strategies (http://www.slideshare.net/vineetsansare/market-entry-strategies-16784323)
Westervelt Company, (c. 2015), Sustainability of Wood Products: The Westervelt Company (http://www.westervelt.com/westervelt-environmental-policy/sustainability-position-westerveltco.pdf).
Westervelt Company, (c. 2016), THE WESTERVELT COMPANY (http://www.westervelt.com/about-westervelt/)
