PART 4
Thai Food in Europe
1. Why was Sappé able to penetrate the Eastern European market? How did the brand’s
success in its domestic market facilitate this entrance?
Sappé was able to penetrate the Eastern Europe market because of its buyers from the
region. For example, a Hungarian engineer who wanted to own a business approached
2. What challenges did the company face when expanding into other Eastern European
markets? How should it deal with these challenges?
Some of the challenges and ways that the company dealt with the challenges are as
follows:
• After Sappé had achieved some sales success, a number of imitators entered the
market. The company was able to ward off some of the imitators because it had
3. Was Sapanan’s process in searching for and selecting suitable partners appropriate? Are
there any other ways to find suitable importers who could support the company’s brand
building activity?
Initially, Sapanan didn’t have to search for partners because Sappé’s exporting was
initiated by its buyers. For example, a Hungarian engineer who wanted to own a business
approached Sapanan during a trade show. When on vacation in Thailand, a beverage
However, not all contacts were fruitful or reliable. For example, at a trade show, a buyer
from Eastern Europe requested product samples and specifications. After receiving this
requested information, the buyer launched his own brand by imitating the product
specifications of Sappé.
Since the importers were more familiar with local market conditions, Sapanan had to
depend on them to plan marketing activities. Thus, these activities tended to reflect the
characteristics of these importers. For example, the importer in Slovakia was a distributor
of alcohol and spirits as well as a concert and event organizer. So Sappé Aloe Vera drink
was promoted at concerts and in pubs as a drink to be mixed with alcohol. To support the
China: The Next Aerospace Giant?
1. The Chinese systems integrator strategy is to use joint ventures with Western firms to fill
key knowledge gaps. What challenges can Chinese firms encounter when depending on
other sources?
The Chinese systems integrator strategy is to use joint ventures with Western firms to fill
key knowledge gaps. China selects its joint venture partners based on their expertise in key
However, the Chinese firms may encounter the following challenges when depending on
other sources:
• The objectives of each firm may be dissimilar.
2. General Electric is an important Western partner. What problems could this cause for
General Electric?
General Electric (GE) is an important Western partner in the development of the ARJ21. In
3. What other partnerships may further legitimize the C919?
In a recent major development, Ryanair, a European discount airline, reported that they
will explore an agreement with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) to
help design the C919. A partnership with a European airline will legitimize the C919
Conflict Diamonds Help War
1. In light of the conflict diamond issue, would you buy a diamond? Why or why not?
This question will be good for class discussion with students having opposing view-points.
2. Do you think that the Kimberley Process certification plan will help decrease the global
trade in “conflict” diamonds? Why or why not?
This question will be good for class discussion with students. Supporters of the Kimberly
3. Why do you think the diamond industry in the U.S. began implementing the certification
scheme even before it had garnered proper legislative support?
This question will be good for class discussion with students having different view-points.
Many of them may say that it is more important to establish the accountability measures
4. Should the U.S. limit its importing of diamonds to only those countries that can effectively
guarantee (e.g., through laser engravings or digital fingerprints) that it is a “clean”
diamond?
This question will be good for class discussion with students having different view-points.