2. Why did MD International focus on Latin America? What are the benefits of this regional approach? What are the potential drawbacks?

Al Merritt founded MD International in 1987. A former salesman for a medical equipment company, Merritt saw an opportunity to act as an export intermediary for medical equipment manufacturers in the United States.

He chose to focus on Latin America and the Caribbean, a region that he already had experience in. Also, trade barriers were starting to fall throughout the region as Latin American governments embraced a more liberal economic ideology, creating an opening for entrepreneurs such as Merritt.

Local governments were also expanding their spending on health care, creating an opportunity that Merritt was poised to exploit.