Expansion overseas is not for the faint of heart. It requires unwavering commitment to chosen markets, reshaping current organizational culture to have a global focus, learning new ways of doing business and dealing with issues that are pervasive in many emerging markets -- poor infrastructure, increased crime and corruption, different work ethic and fantastic bureaucracy.
Yet in many cases, foreign expansion offers superior financial returns. It can also create a more competitive organization, which is not only capable of generating additional sales abroad, but is better positioned to defend its home turf from foreign competitors.
A number of superb tools are available globally from both the U.S. government and nonprofit corporations to assist American manufacturers seeking to either export internationally or set up foreign operations.
