Global economic alliances and international management across regions

Globalism is certainly a new concept that humans have been working toward for centuries. It is just that in the late 20th and early 21st technology finally advanced enough to allow for instantaneous communication via satellites and Internet. This, plus technological advances in transportation and scientific measurement, has also helped us realize that although the world is closer politically, economically, and culturally -- it is also tied together environmentally. What happens in one area does have an effect on another area which makes the idea called globalism more of an umbrella concept. The whole picture of globalism tends to refer to the theories that see modern life as a series of very complex webs, almost string theory, that tie together most all of modern life.

Part 1 -- Describe Bata's international business strategy. Would you consider Bata a multinational corporation? The Bata Show Company is clearly a multinational corporation. It has four business units, with more than 40 production facilities in 26 countries and services over 1 million customers a date. It has almost 5,000 stores and operates in 68 countries.

Bata's international business strategy was developed prior to World War I, but during the 1920s it expanded by partnering within the communities in which it located factories; creating jobs, housing, schools and hospitals and then moving gradually into more and more countries. Bata diversified after the debacle of World War II and relocated its headquarters in Canada, still with the same mindset of creating a community-based company with international manufacturing and distribution. During the economic (globalism, Asian imports) changes of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Bata had to restructure and change its operations -- but refused to be beaten by cheaper Asian knock-offs of its products -- focusing more on how it could successfully compete.

Part 2 -- If you were Bata's top management, how would you deal with successfully managing business units in four very different geographic regions? The key to dealing with multinational business if different geographic regions is dual: a communications system that allows for real-time information and sharing of needed information in all areas, and a corporate philosophy that celebrates multiculturalism and diversity, therefore understanding that sales, marketing, and human resource management must be slightly adaptable and divergent in other regions. The most vital part of this, of course, is allowing for communication between offices and regions -- regardless of the time zone. This can easily be accomplished using modern technology, the Internet, and a computer system that allows information to be used in real time anywhere in the world. Doing this, employees are able to access information, communicate with one another through email and conferencing and establish a sense of corporate community that is efficient and sharing. By adopting a flexible approach to diversity and regional customs, Bata can more effectively manage the strengths and weaknesses of regional differences by focusing regional issues towards strengths and community.