READ the information in the International Market Expansion Plan Overview before continuing.  Must report on the company and area assigned to you.

Format:  APA format required. Grammar, spelling, the organization will be graded.

The cultural analysis provides an important source of information for someone interested in understanding business customs and other important cultural features of the country. The information in this analysis must be more than a collection of facts. This material should attempt to interpret the meaning of cultural information. That is, how does the information helpful in understanding the effect on the market? For example, the fact that almost all the populations of Italy and Mexico are Catholic is an interesting statistic but not nearly as useful as understanding the effect of Catholicism on values, beliefs, and other aspects of market behavior. Furthermore, even though both countries are predominantly Catholic, the influence of their individual and unique interpretation and practice of Catholicism can result in important differences in market behavior.

You are expected to cover the areas indicated below.  Keep in mind that the paper must be written in paragraph form and flow together.  YOU ARE NOT TO TURN IN AN OUTLINE OR SIMPLY PROVIDE THE INFORMATION WITH NO CONTEXT.

The Retailer Choice is:

RITE AID. You’re to write on Rite Aid’s possible expansion in Mexico using the information given.

Introduction

1. 1. a brief profile of the company and its international operations.
   2. brief description of the country
   3. identifies specific areas of the country you will be operating in.
   4. Brief discussion of the countrys relevant history

Social/Cultural Information 

– What is the dominant culture? 

– Describe subcultures and provide an estimate of their size.

– Describe social institutions (eg. educational system, familial structure)

Religion

– Identify and describe religions in the area.  How strongly does religion influence life/culture in the region?  

Geographical:

– Describe local terrains

– What are the geographical features of the area?

– How does geography influence trade?

Living conditions

– What are the dominant living conditions?  What is the standard of living in the area?

Language 

– Official language(s)

– Spoken versus written language(s)

– Dialects

Use Hofstede’s cultural dimensions to provide an overview of the region.

What are other important cultural rituals, symbols, aesthetics, and behaviors that are important for companies seeking to do business there to know?

What are the implications of your findings for your retailer (selected from the list provided in the International Market Expansion Plan overview)?

Please you’re to use each paragraph to describe each point that is bolded above. The essay should be a well-written, professional document adhering to APA format requirements.  Provides extensive information on the required topics without being verbose or wordy.