Globalization: Connecting Diverse Cultural, Economic & Technological Spheres - Essay Sample

Introduction

The present-day economic environment, development of technology, and the advancement of transport and communication systems have enabled many companies to operate from different locations. This is made possible through globalization. Globalization is defined as the expansion of global interconnectivity, interdependence, and integration of diverse cultural, social, economic, technological, political, and geographical spheres. It entails the processes of economic interdependence brought about by the increasing effects of technological, political, and cultural change that connect people in a global system (Carr & Chen, 2002). Global trade entails all commercial ventures undertaken to advance the transfer of resources, services, goods, ideas, and technologies across different countries. There are various forms of global trades, including the removal of products and services between countries, i.e., importation and exportation, creation of manufacturing, sales and distribution facilities in other foreign markets, and development of research and development facilities in other countries (Helpman, 2011). Consequently, this document aims to provide an understanding of the supply and demand for a global sales and marketing operation managerial position in China citing the skills needed, job responsibilities and the expected level of remuneration and benefits

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Supply and Demand of a Global Sales and Marketing Operations Managerial job

The supply and demand for labor in sales and marketing positions in China before the economic reforms in 1978 were limited since most Chinese companies pushed their goods and services through government-controlled systems of distribution. Marketing was not an essential part of sales because Chinese firms never advertised, performed consumer research, or adopted any marketing strategies. Today few Chinese still regard marketing as a western notion of questionable activities that may never be valid or appropriate in China. The supply of labor in marketing in china is limited due to the challenges in marketing practices. Marketing is the most challenging field in China's economic operations, conceivably more so than other fields such as finance, accounting, or research & development. The limited media development and media freedom, a complicated network of different interconnected channels of distribution, and the acute lack of qualified marketing workforce bring about these challenges.

However, in recent years, the limited supply of this kind of labor has increased the demand for global sales and marketing managers. Since the adoption of economic reforms, China has experienced an increase in the number of foreign-invested companies. For instance, by 2017, china had registered 136,997 foreign-invested companies. In 2018 alone, 60,533 new foreign-invested companies were registered, investing about 134.97 billion U.S. dollars of foreign capital in China (ZHONG & LIU, 2013). These Multi-National Corporations (MNCs) introduce new products and brands in the Chinese market hence the need for adopting new marketing strategies to mitigate the marketing challenges within the Chinese economy and attain their goals in promoting product awareness by consumers and invigorating demand.

Furthermore, the marketing infrastructure within china has also undergone startling transformations. This is because, as part of economic reform, china adopted different types of western marketing practices and strategies into their economy. Today, Multi-National Companies can utilize diverse Western marketing techniques such as public relations, advertising, personal selling, and sales and promotion in China.

China's market size also justifies the demand and supply of labor in global sales and marketing operations. Thanks to its population of about 1.4 billion, China happens to be the biggest market for many western products. According to the USA Department of Economic Analysis, the actual Chinese consumer spending has risen at a standard annual rate of 10% for the last ten years. This is considered the fastest global increase in the world, much more rapid than in the USA. In 2017, Volkswagen sold 41.58% of its passenger cars in the Chinese market (ZHONG & LIU, 2013).

Roles and Responsibilities of a Global Sales and Marketing Operations Manager

A global marketing and sales manager plays an essential role in running international sales and marketing projects of a particular global organization or foreign partner organization. They have the responsibility to aid in identifying and enhancing the global sales and marketing performance in partnership with the organization's business associate companies in promoting and selling goods and services. Additionally, they play a significant function in representing these companies so as to build their consumer markets using advanced strategies of sales and marketing programs, materials, sales tools, and other support developed by either an organization or partnered organization (Ford, Honeycutt & Simintiras, 2003). The career path of a global sales and marketing manager could also be a successful Area Director or Regional Manager with the required qualification and certification.

To attain this critical role, various responsibilities that a global sales and marketing manager should be fully capable of performing regardless of the challenges or circumstances. Primarily, they are in charge of the organization and putting into effect of global tradeshows within the host nation either independently or in partnership with partner organizations. This way, they should understand the importance of international trade shows as a valuable cost effective method of contacting customers as compared to alternative methods, such as international sales calls or advertising campaigns. The manager should also understand its usefulness as a way to evaluate the international marketability of products quickly, study the international competition, and strategize new modes of distribution.

International sales and marketing managers are tasked with the responsibility of managing and coordinating the marketing assets, messaging and advertising, generation of programs, events, presentations, pre-meeting, and all other meetings related to sales and marketing. They also have to supervise the organization and implementation of global workshops with the hosting nation when required.

The other responsibility is the coordination of business partner and staff training visits, international VIP visits, and case observations. They must understand that case observation Programs present a significant opportunity into program quality and a chance to analyze the programs' weaknesses and strengths. Case Observations evaluates the extent to which various programs are giving staff members with safe and motivating surroundings and proper interactions (Honeycutt Jr, & Ford, 1995).

Moreover, he or she is responsible for assisting in the identification of possible global markets to establish the current demands for the products they offer. In the present day economic business environment, maintaining progressive growth and profitability is not assured. This is due to the ever-changing technological and scientific changes that shorten products' life cycles, modes of business, and competition within the industry. These instabilities bring about the necessity to seek and adopt new sales and marketing strategies/ programs.

Furthermore, sales and marketing managers supervise the sales and marketing group that organizes and runs the global business meetings and other local conferences. This entails structuring and driving specific business marketing and sales plans. They also coordinate and help in attaining senior management and investors' requests and guidelines by generating marketing and sales plans and reports, and quarterly projection reports.

Qualifications of a Global Sales and Marketing Operations Manager

The global sales and marketing operations manager have to have a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, or international business has specialized in sales and marketing. Having new computer technology and software engineering skills will be on advantage for the candidate. However, there are significant variations between the skills and conceptual knowledge needed for global sales and marketing jobs. Many sales and marketing graduates realize that there is a limitation to the number of marketing jobs available in the job market after graduation that allow them to utilize the skills and knowledge they acquired in business school (Johnston & Marshall, 2016). An academic curriculum that prepares sales and marketing students for jobs that permit them to make use of all the skills and knowledge they obtained in marketing classes is essential since it gives them a competitive advantage within the job market.

It is, therefore, crucial that the individual's certification must be from an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited learning institution. This is because the AACSB directs the establishment of business curricula that reflect the needs in the ever-changing business environment. For instance, in its report Management Education at Risk, the AACSB highlights the significance of technology in sales and marketing curricula. The report stated that there was a high demand in the job market for graduates who were well conversant in leveraging technology in a scalable manner to improve organizations' marketing and sales strategies and operations (Lin, 2015). Among the vital technological skills required in global sales and marketing is database marketing which is currently on high demand in almost all the business operations because it is at the center of the global change made by companies and organizations all over the world from mass marketing to one-on-one business to customer relationships.

Remuneration and Benefits of a Global Sales and Marketing Operations Manager

The diverse nature of sales and marketing operations jobs dictates that remuneration packages for workers differ significantly, with various internal and external factors affecting either the level or type of payment or benefits to be offered. Internal factors include the variety of products and services on sell, and the types of customers, which influence the way sales and marketing employees are compensated. Additionally, organizational demographics, for instance, the size, business sector, and its duration in that particular business, play a significant role in the state and nature of remuneration schemes for sales and marketing employees. Attaining the correct combination of base salary, benefits, and nonfinancial compensation relies mostly on the state of the sales and marketing process, the company type, and the products it offers for sales (Bussin, & Brigman, 2019). The organization also has to recognize that people tend to be stimulated by different things due to personal factors and that these vary throughout an employee's career.

Despite incorporating the above-mentioned factors, determining the most effective remuneration and benefit levels for global sales and marketing operations, managers depend on the 80 - 20 rule (Pareto Principle). This principle states that the most experienced and productive sales and marketing employees should be offered a higher ratio of the variable remuneration since their overall input into the firm's profits is above average, i.e., higher compared to their weaker workmates. Since they influence a crucial resource (sales income), they well-positioned to get a share of the value they add to the company through the payment system.

Such individuals highly needed by other companies, making it quite impossible for an organization to substitute such a hard...