Teaching Notes
This activity is designed to introduce students to the for/against of adapting a global firm’s product mix to meet local needs in host countries. Students first review a short video and then address specific questions on international marketing.
Student task
Student Discussion Questions
- McDonald’s is a strong global brand, does their variety of food throughout the world help to strengthen or weaken their positioning and brand image?
- From a cost and logistics perspective, would McDonald’s prefer a standardized or localized menu across the world?
- What are the risks inherent in McDonald’s trying to compete in local markets against local “experts”? (For example, a Mexican menu item in Mexico?)
- Is this approach (of localized menu items) likely to deliver more or less innovation across all of McDonald’s operations (worldwide)?
- Taking these above questions in account, plus your other thoughts, list the advantages and disadvantages of this menu adaption strategy to McDonald’s.
- And an easy question to finish with, what other product/menu ideas do you think that McDonald’s could introduce?
