Key Idea: Topic 4.6 is HL-only and focuses on international marketing. Students need to judge how businesses enter foreign markets, how much to standardise or adapt their marketing, and whether the opportunities outweigh the risks in different countries.
📉 Lower-risk entry: **Lower-risk entry —** exporting, licensing, e-commerce. **Lower investment**. **Less control**. **Good for testing markets or limited budgets**.
📈 Higher-risk entry: **Higher-risk entry —** joint venture, FDI. **Higher investment**. **More control**. **Useful when long-term commitment matters**.
🌍 Opportunities: **Opportunities —** larger markets. **Opportunities —** economies of scale. **Opportunities —** diversification of risk. **Opportunities —** extended product life cycle.
⚠️ Challenges: **Challenges —** cultural mistakes. **Challenges —** legal and regulatory differences. **Challenges —** exchange rate changes. **Challenges —** logistics and political risk.
HL exam tip: International marketing answers should usually balance control against cost and risk. A method with more control is not automatically the best if the investment is too high or local knowledge is weak.
When discussing culture, explain how the difference affects marketing decisions. For example, a language or religious issue may require product adaptation, different branding, or a new promotion style.
A strong HL answer links international marketing to other tools such as STEEPLE, Ansoff and the 7 Ps. That usually makes the response feel more evaluative and less descriptive.
Example: A strong answer: Exporting may be suitable because it allows the business to enter the new market with relatively low cost and risk. However, control over distribution and customer experience may be weaker than with foreign direct investment, so long-term brand building could be more difficult.
Important: Common triggers: explain market entry methods, compare standardisation and adaptation, discuss cultural differences, evaluate international opportunities and risks, or recommend how the business should market abroad.
- Identify the international issue or method
- Use the correct term clearly
- Explain the main benefit and risk
- Apply it to the country or market in the case
- Link to culture, legal factors or the marketing mix where relevant
- For HL, give a balanced judgement rather than a one-sided answer