1. Yamamoto Iron & Steel is considering setting up a minimill outside Atlanta, Georgia. At present, the company is planning to send a group of executives to the area to talk with local and state officials regarding this plant. In what way might misperception be a barrier to effective communication between the representatives for both sides? Identify and discuss two examples. 2. Diaz Brothers is a winery in Barcelona. The company would like to expand operations to the United States and begin distributing its products in the Chicago area. If things work out well, the company then will expand to both coasts. In its business dealings in the Midwest, how might culture prove to be a communication barrier for the company's representatives from Barcelona? Identify and discuss two examples. 3. Why is nonverbal communication a barrier to effective communication? Would this barrier be greater for Yamamoto Iron & Steel (question 3) or Diaz Brothers (question 4)? Defend your answer. 4. For U.S. companies going abroad for the first time, which form of nonverbal communication barrier would be the greatest, kinesics or proxemics? Why? Defend your answer. 5. If a company new to the international arena was negotiating an agreement with a potential partner in an overseas country, what basic steps should it be prepared to implement? Identify and describe them. 6. Which elements of the negotiation process should be done with only your group? Which events should take place with all sides present? Why? 7. Some international management experts contend that globalization and national responsiveness are diametrically opposed forces, and that to accommodate one, a multinational must relax its efforts in the other. In what way is this an accurate statement? In what way is it incomplete or inaccurate? 8. Consider that both a retail chain and a manufacturing company want to expand overseas. What environmental factors would have the most impact on these companies? What ratio of environmental scanning to internal analysis should each employ? What key factors of success differentiate the two? 9. Anheuser-Busch is attempting to expand in India, where beer is not widely consumed and liquor dominates the market. What areas should be targeted for strategic goals? What could be some marketing implications in the Indian market? 10. What particular conditions that MNCs face in emerging markets may require specialized strategies? What strategies might be most appropriate in response? How might a company identify opportunities at the "base of the pyramid" (i.e., low-income markets)? 11. What conditions have allowed some firms to be born global? What are some examples of born-global companies? 12. Mercedes changed its U.S. strategy by announcing that it is developing cars for the $30,000 to $45,000 price range (as well as its typical upper-end cars). What might have accounted for this change in strategy? In your answer, include a discussion of the implications from the standpoints of marketing, production, and finance