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Considerations include market leadership, stability, and global reach -- or the ability to cross both geographic and cultural borders. The final result values the brand as a financial asset. BusinessWeek and Interbrand believe this figure comes closest to representing a brand's true economic worth. (Business Week, Aug, 2007 (http://www.businessweek.com/pdfs/2007/0732_globalbrands.pdf)
Among the top 100 brands the U.S. has the largest representation with a full 52 brands on the list. This is comparable to no other nation. The U.S. also boast the highest rankings in high tech brands, producing electronic support systems, like software and PCs and/or support functions for them, as well as food and beverage provider brands, while Japan and Germany have a greater representation among auto brands than other nations.
7. According to the Mercer Cost of Living Survey the top 10 cities in the cost of living index are as follows:
Rank March 2008 Rank March 2007 City Country Cost of living Index March 2008 Cost of living Index March 2007 1-1 Moscow Russia 142.4 134.4-2-4 Tokyo Japan 127.0 122.1-3-2 London UK 125.0 126.3-4-10 Oslo Norway 118.3 105.8-5-3 Seoul South Korea 117.7 122.4-6-5 Hong Kong China 117.6 119.4-7-6 Copenhagen Denmark 117.2 110.2-8-7 Geneva Switzerland 115.8 109.8-9-9 Zurich Switzerland 112.7 107.6-10-11 Milan Italy 111.3 104.4
Cost of living is an important factor in indicating the price that should be set in any given market for a product or service. The cost of living indicates the nature of the value of certain items, both essential and non-essential and then stresses the importance of the market on setting prices strategically and wisely, when entering or maintaining a product in any given market. In areas where cost of living is high and wages are low moderate or stagnant setting prices for superlative items or services or support services, for those needing to work long hours to maintain their home and lifestyle is essential. In areas where cost of living is low, it is not uncommon for wages to remain low but for prices to be set accordingly. Each aspect of the cost of living of a city or region is essential to the development of a strategic pricing analysis for any international market. To engender price competitiveness one must identify similar products and create a competitive pricing strategy, including initial findings on cost of living, which can include broad categories including some types of products or services, such as what is compiled by Mercer on a year by year basis. (Mercer's 2008 Cost of Living rankings (http://www.mercer.com/costofliving#Cost_of_living_top_5_ranking_cities_by_region)
8. According to Mercer HR consulting the quality of living of any given city is determined by several factors, and is based upon the quality of living for an immigrant i.e. expatriate of another nation from the outside looking in; the political and social environment (e.g. stability, crime, law enforcement, etc.), the economic environment (e.g. currency exchange regulations, banking services), socio-cultural environment (e.g. censorship, limitations on personal freedom), health and sanitation (e.g. medical supplies and services, infectious diseases, sewage, waste disposal, air pollution), schools and education (e.g. standard and availability of international schools), public services and transportation (e.g. electricity, water, public transport, traffic congestion), recreation (e.g. restaurants, theatres, cinemas, sports and leisure) consumer goods (e.g. availability of food/daily consumption items, cars), housing (e.g. housing, household appliances, furniture, maintenance services), and finally the natural environment (e.g. climate, record of natural disasters). The total number of factors, only some listed above include 39 key factors which are grouped according to the above categories and compared based on a baseline.
50 cities: Quality of living
Base City: New York, U.S. (=100)
Rank 2008 Rank 2007 City Country Index 2008 Index 2007 1-1 Zurich Switzerland 108-108.1-2-3 Vienna Austria 107.9 107.7-2-2 Geneva Switzerland 107.9 108.0-4-3 Vancouver Canada 107.6 107.7-5-5 Auckland New Zealand 107.3 107.3-6-5 Dusseldorf Germany 107.2 107.3-7-8 Munich Germany 107-106.9-7-7 Frankfurt Germany 107-107.1-9-9 Bern Switzerland 106.5 106.5-10...
= 100)
Country and City
Survey
Exchange Rate1
Local2
U.S.
Government3
Foreign
Unit
Number
Per U.S.$
Relative
Index
Australia:Canberra
Dollar
Peru:Lima
New Sol
Table 2. Quarters Allowances, January 2008
Exchange Rate
Annual Allowance by family status and salary range
Country and City
Survey
Effective
Foreign
Number
Family
Less Than 51,739 to 81,093 and Unit
Per U.S.$
Status
Above
Australia: Melbourne
Nov-07
Dollar
Family
Single
US Department of State Indexes Living Costs Abroad Quarters January 2008, (http://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=186&menu_id=81#2008)
References
BP Statistical Review of World Energy, 2008, retrieved 8, 15, 2008:
http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/reports_and_publications/statistical_energy_review_2008/STAGING/local_assets/downloads/pdf/statistical_review_of_world_energy_full_review_2008.pdf
Business Week, Aug, 2007, retrieved 8, 15, 2008:
http://www.businessweek.com/pdfs/2007/0732_globalbrands.pdf
CIA World Factbook, 2008, retrieved 8, 15, 2008: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/xx.html
http://earthtrends.wri.org/pdf_library/country_profiles/bio_cou_032.pdf
http://www.mercer.com/costofliving#Cost_of_living_top_5_ranking_cities_by_region
http://www.mercer.com/referencecontent.htm?idContent=1307990#Top50_qol
UN World Population Prospects, 2006, retrieved 8, 15, 2008: http://esa.un.org/unpp/p2k0data.asp
UNCTAD Handbook online, 2008, retrieved 8, 15, 2008: http://stats.unctad.org/Handbook/TableViewer/tableView.aspx?ReportId=1925
http://www.dol.gov/asp/media/reports/chartbook/2008-01/chart2_3.htm
US Department of State Indexes Living Costs Abroad Quarters, January 2008, retrieved 8, 15, 2008: http://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=186&menu_id=81#2008
Perhaps they're put off by the cracked floor tiles or the cobwebs on the headless, foam-rubber mannequins. Whatever the reason, the store's rock-bottom prices and helpful service clearly aren't pulling in many shoppers" (Fairlamb and Cohn, 2003). After nearly a decade of trying to penetrate the German market, Wal-Mart counted its losses and exited Germany. A Wal-Mart spokesman argued that, despite the million dollar losses, the experience was a positive
S.$36 million) for immediate expenditures; and redefining "priority sector" expenditures to include spending on security. For its part, the World Bank responded to Chad's renegging on its ageements in 2006 by suspending disbursement of $124 million in loans to Chad, and froze the country's $125 million in assets in the London-based Citibank escrow account (Zissis, 2006). In effect, the World Bank has ceased its involvement in Chad. However, the Chad oil
Global Business Strategies Vincent The aftermath of World War II has seen the evolution of economic regionalism as a means for fostering foreign trade thereby economic growth of participating countries. Economic regionalism was a conscious attempt to manage the opportunities and constraints created by international economic tie-ups after World War II through institutional arrangements facilitating free flow of goods and services and coordination of foreign economic policies. It embraced free trade areas,
business culture and expansion trends that exist for American companies within New Zealand. The paper focuses on answering the following questions: 1. What are the major elements and dimensions of culture in this region? 2. How are these elements and dimensions integrated by local conducting business in the nation? 3. How do both of the above items compare with U.S. culture and business? 4. What are the implications for
business culture and expansion trends that exist for American companies in India. The paper focuses on answering the following questions: 1. What are the major elements and dimensions of culture in this region? 2. How are these elements and dimensions integrated by local conducting business in the nation? 3. How do both of the above items compare with U.S. culture and business? 4. What are the implications for U.S.
International Lending and Financial Crises There has been remarkable growth in the gross and net external positions and international capital flows in the last two decades. This represents growth of nearly three times among industrialized or developed countries and has led to large effects on the valuation of asset price and exchange rates have also changed considerably with these countries having larger external assets and liabilities. This increase in international capital