This allowed McDonalds to be able bringing in a variety of products to include: lettuce, tomatoes and other ingredients. (Cavusgul, 2002, pp. 207 -- 215) What mistakes were made?

There were no mistakes that were made by the company. This is because they were able to augment different cultural factors, with other elements to create a one of a kind product. A good example of this can be seen with McDonald's celebrating the 20th anniversary of opening their first store in Russia. This store served as the testing ground that allowed the company to open over 240 restaurants throughout the country. ("Anniversary of Hamburger Diplomacy," 2010)

Whether this product is still in the marketplace and how it has evolved over time?

The various products and services that are being offered by McDonalds are still in the marketplace. However, they have evolved over the last several years. This is because there has been a company wide effort to address the issues of obesity. As a result, the restaurant has changed their menu by offering healthier products to customers. This is having an effect on the kinds of food that McDonald's is serving. (White, 2006)

Is the product profitable? Has it helped the product to be closely associated with America?

Obviously, the company's strategy has proven to be tremendously successful. This has helped their products to be more closely associated with America. The reason why, is because of the changes that are occurring in many American locations will have an impact on restaurants in Eastern Europe.

Clearly, the basic strategy that McDonald's used to address many of the challenges facing...

As, McDonald's began to: invest heavily in different infrastructure projects that were near some of their stores. This would help the company be able to bring in the necessary ingredients to offer the same kind of products that were sold in the U.S. At the same time, they began adapting their menu with the shifts that were occurring in the eating habits of the general public. This is important, because it is illustrating how the company is continuing to adjust with the changes that are taking place in consumer tastes. In the case of many Eastern European locations, this meant that they would augment their general menu with various cultural factors to create positive images. Once this occurred, McDonald's became a cultural icon that went beyond that of America and became a part of the community inside these counties. In this aspect, one could argue that they are now transcending national boundaries because of these changes.
Bibliography

Anniversary of Hamburger Diplomacy. (2010). About McDonalds. Retrieved from: http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/students/amazing_stories/the-anniversary-of-hamburger-diplomacy.html

Cavusgul, S. (2002). Doing Business in Emerging Markets. Thousand Oaks, CA; Sage.

Dobrow, Larry. (2005) McBrand: It's not easy being pop culture icon. Advertising Age. 76(30).

MacArthur, Kate. (2005) Health-Minded Ronald buffs image. Advertising Age. 76(30).

White, M. (2006). Healthy Menu Choice. Associated Content. Retrieved from: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/46571/healthy_menu_choices_at_mcdonalds.html?cat=51