5 Company operates in the consumer electronics industry designing and producing component parts which it assembles into products such as mobile phones, laptops and MP3 players. To date, it has only sold its products in D Country, its home market, where until recently it was market leader. However, the competitive landscape has changed signicantly as companies from PP Country have entered D Country's market, competing aggressively on product innovation, quality and price. Market intelligence gathered by 5 Company on the new competitors suggests that they are supported in pursuit of their international strategies by sources of national competitive advantage. Looking to the future, 5 Company is evaluating its options on how to respond to the increased competition, including how it could better position itself, and what alternative strategies it could pursue. One opon under review is to sell its products in new markets. GR, the Sales and Marketing Director, has identied NH Country as a possible market opportunity. As the rst step in understanding whether this is a viable option, he has asked his team to undertake an initial assessment of the external environment in NH Country