Which entry mode will be best to launch Apple's newest iPhone in Thailand?

ENTRY MODES

Now that you know quite a bit more about your company/product and bout the country with which you intend to do business, please, think about:

1The level of control you wish to have over the operations in this country. For example: if your product is hi-tech, you may want to have more control over the operations: for quality control purposes, for intellectual property/know-how protection purposes, etc.... This choice of level of control depends, among other things, on the level of protection of, and the level of enforcement of the laws on, intellectual property rights in the host country. Also, the level of regulations and standards in the host country, the level of protection of your company's brand image you will need (the stronger the brand image the more important it is to protect) etc.

2The level of risk you are willing to take in this country. Usually, the more investment in the host country, the more risks the company faces (political risks, risk of knowledge spillovers-when your know-how or technology is stolen, risk of being nationalized or expropriated, etc.). Think about whether the economy is open and strong enough, whether there is a large enough market for you to enter and in which to take risks, whether the political climate is stable enough, whether the country is open to FDI and protects foreign companies' investments, etc.

3Then, think about which entry mode would be best for you in this country. Are you confident enough that you know the market and are capable to go alone? Do you need a partner with market knowledge to help you penetrate the market? If the government seems unwilling to accept FDI, would having a partner in the host country help protect your assets there?

All these things are elements that will help you decide of an entry mode (exporting, licensing, franchising, joint venture, strategic alliance, wholly owned subsidiary, and other more detailed options you can find in your book).

Please, answer these questions with your group and conclude by telling me which entry mode you think is best for your particular case.