• Look at the notes about how to avoid blunders in doing business overseas.•

Doing business in another country can be extremely tricky. Here we just want to remind you of some issues to consider when you conduct business abroad.
     The first issue is the importance of packaging. Numerous problems result from the failure to adapt packaging for other countries. Sometimes, the color of packaging may mean quite a lot. For instance, white symbolizes death in Japan and much of Asia; green represents danger or disease hi Malaysia.  Obviously, using the wrong color hi these countries might produce negative reactions.
     Language barrier is the second problem. Some product names travel poorly. For instance, the gasoline company Esso found out that the name means "stalled car" in Japan. However, some company names have traveled well. Kodak may be the most famous example. The name was pronounceable everywhere and had no specific meaning anywhere.
     Next come the problems with promotions. In its US promotion, one company had effectively used this sentence: "You can use no finer napkin at your dinner table." The US company decided to use the same commercials in England. To the British, however, the word napkin or nappy actually means "diaper". The ad could hardly be expected to boost sales of dinner napkins in England.
     Local customs may also pose a problem. Social norms vary greatly from country to country, so local input is vital. For example, one firm promoted eyeglasses in Thailand with commercials featuring animals wearing glasses. However, in Thailand these animals are considered a low form of life; humans would never wear anything worn by an animal.
     Problems may also result from translation. The best translations of an advertising message convey the concept of the original but do not precisely duplicate the original. Pepsi Co. learned this lesson when it reportedly discovered that its slogan "Come alive with Pepsi" was translated into German as "Come alive out of the grave with Pepsi".
     Therefore, there is always the need for research.  Proper market research may reduce or eliminate most international business blunders. Good research may even uncover potential translation problems.
     Doing business in other cultures can be risky if you’re unprepared. However, awareness of differences, and concern for host-country feelings can reduce problems and save money.