Business Without Borders: A Strategic Guide to Global Marketing [Hardcover]

 

 

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The Guiding Principle for Going Global Online

A solid piece of work, highly recommended to anyone who must understand how to develop a successful global Internet business. De Palma comes with an ace pedigree, widely respected, coming out with "customers are three times more likely to buy from websites in their own language", an industry standard mantra.

De Palma hits key areas, highlighting best practices of the market leaders and their global websites and systems. For once, we have web-based globalization ("Marketing and Selling on the Eight Continent") analysed within a business context. If only pets.com had read this book ...

Content is extensively researched. Case studies are made; corporate budgets, marketing plans, infrastructure, etc., are dissected. Plenty of practical examples, including the names we're all familiar with for the right reasons (eBay, etc.) and the wrong reasons (boo.com et al) too.

If you're in the business of expanding your markets through the web this is the book for you. Increasingly, "E-Commerce" is less dependent on the US ($600 billion worldwide versus $850 billion in the US estimated for 2003). If you want to grow your business, look outside your own borders.

De Palma shows how a successful web business deals with "big issues": Education about global and local markets; planning for international web business; implementing technology and translating into foreign languages, organizing people and resources and, crucially, measuring the return on investment. Of course, parts of what he says applies to international business in general, so don't think this book is just for the web-literate.

The tone is pragmatism. De Palma is realistic about the planning and management of a global web business (it does NOT mean translating into every language under the sun). Much to his credit, he provides valuable information on areas that competing titles duck to avoid, e.g., international tax, contractual and legal requirements - and provides good advice for staying out of trouble.

A technical foundation is included. This isn't a book for techies, but it does educate the executive and student audience about implementing globalized web technology. Experts will contest his comments on TMX, Machine Translation and Unicode, however, the rest of the technical stuff is sound (no "did you know that they have different shaped mailboxes in England?" nonsense).

De Palma, throughout the book, underpins his thesis with the need for a Chief Globalization Officer (an executive to champion web globalization in a company). You can cringe at Grand Poo-Bah titling redolent of dot coms, but fair enough, it does underline the critical importance of bringing globalization issues to senior management attention. Basically, if you're not getting the message through to board level, your enterprise will remain a beggar at the globalization banquet.

In sum, you can take this book as The Guiding Principle for Going Global Online. Recommended to seasoned executives, students of international commerce and technology, globalization gurus and the plain interested. OK, we know business book sales are down 30% since the end of the 1990's. So, if you're going to buy one, buy this one.

Hats off to Mr. DePalma! As a long-time marketing professional who has grappled with trying to help upper management "get" the importance of the web as a co-equal channel within the marketing mix-particularly as it relates to drumming up business globally- "Business without Borders" delivers the information and strategic paths that any business thinking of going global needs to know and understand. I highly recommend this book to anyone who already is engaged in doing business overseas or is simply thinking of doing so; "Business without Borders" delivers comprehensive "glocalized" web marketing strategies and important lessons learned for everyone.

DePalma has produced a detailed, well-reasoned tour de force for companies who need to act on the globalization imperative. He touches on every aspect of the globalization process, including target market analyses, localization, internal corporate issues, and much more. Even companies who are well along in their efforts to operate globally (in every sense of the word) could learn a thing or two from DePalma's book.

He personalizes what could easily become a dry subject by regularly invoking a fictitious model protagonist named "Mira Vozreniya" - meaning "world view" in Russian (with tongue planted firmly in cheek) - to guide the reader through the intricate and complicated process of taking products global. His approach is hands-on, with many summarizing charts, tips, data points, and tools for would-be globalizers. And he spends significant time on the 8th Continent and web-related issues, in the process dispelling many a myth about the instant globality of a web presence. The book is filled with real-life examples of what to do and what not to do to be successful globally.

I heartily recommend this book to anyone who is, or soon will be, involved in the massive undertaking that is globalization in a corporate environment. There is a great deal to digest in DePalma's book (dare I say, too much?), but if companies implement even a fraction of what he lays out, they will do well for themselves.

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5.0 out of 5 stars globalization beyond personalization
Having spent too many years of my professional career on personalization, I picked up this book to find out the personalization angle in e-business globalization. Read more

Published on Jun 9 2003 by Alper Caglayan

5.0 out of 5 stars DePalma Moves From Theory to Practice
This book is as pragmatic and current as I have ever seen. Depalma takes the concepts and current challenges associated with international commerce and provides practical... Read more

Published on Jun 5 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent guide to understand what globalization is about
Managing myself Web sites in the EMEA region, I have recognized Don's expertise as a globalization veteran. Read more

Published on Mar 18 2003 by Bruno Herrmann

5.0 out of 5 stars Very solid information on organizing your global web efforts
A very good reference book examining some of the strategic issues involved in planning an effective global web presence. Read more

Published on Feb 15 2003 by Martin Spethman

5.0 out of 5 stars A lot of information - well covered
In Business Without Borders, Don does a fine job of addressing vital globalization issues ranging from business strategy to tactical implementation. Read more

Published on Jan 28 2003 by Don Plumley

5.0 out of 5 stars Great help for professionals and students
As a veteran in the localization/globalization industry and an MBA student, I found Mr. DePalma's book extremely helpful both in my professional life as an Operations Manager and... Read more

Published on Jan 14 2003 by John Siepers

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must For Anyone Interested In The Global Marketplace
Mr. DePalma has written a clear, easy to read, comprehensive book on conducting international business over the Internet. Read more

Published on Nov 27 2002 by Louis Dejoie

5.0 out of 5 stars First rate primer for going global.
This is the most comprehensive guide for going global you will find. DePalma has condensed years worth of trial and error into a simple yet complete guide for taking your prodcts... Read more

Published on Sep 24 2002 by Thomas Blondi

5.0 out of 5 stars A useful handbook that will save time, resources and errors
Thomas Friedman's The Lexus And The Olive Tree addressed the "why" of globalization 5 years ago, and now Don DePalma offers an equally compelling answer to the... Read more

Published on Sep 14 2002 by jennds

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have reference for marketing executives
Business Without Borders is a clear and concise step-by-step guide to the intricacies and challenges of global marketing. Read more

Published on Sep 3 2002 by Melissa E

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