Title Page

Export Planning Report: Spikeball

Executive summary(Planning Report代写)

Planning Report代写  The report critiques Spikeball’s exporting to the Australian market with three sections.

Planning Report
Planning Report
The report critiques Spikeball’s exporting to the Australian market with three sections.

Planning Report代写 Spikeball has high level of export readiness, based on the previous analyses, considering that it had effective operations, high quality and differentiated products, which enables its competitive advantages: organizational culture, brand awareness with unique products, experience marketing approach. However, the few employees (24) and the still limited capabilities are limiting its rapidly expanding, such as exporting in large scales to Australia.

Australia is a good target market for Spikeball to export and expand its operations.

Australia provides enjoyable external environment, allows special products by Spikeball to differentiate itself from the target customers and has similar cultural context comparing with the US. Planning Report代写 The suggested market entry method is directly exporting, to trade-off initial investment and maintaining delivery costs, to consider regulatory challenges and the risks in developing and maintaining the target customers in Australia.

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction 5

2.0 Internal Business Analysis (Export Readiness) 5

2.1 Company and Product Description 5

2.2 Competitive Advantages 6

3.0 Analysis of the Australian Market of sports industry 8

3.1 A PESTEL Analysis 8

3.3 Competition analyses 11

3.3 Cultural analyses 11

4.0 Export planning guidelines and Export Strategies 12

4.1 Export Entry Method 12

4.2 Logistic Issues 13

4.3 Regulatory Requirements and Potential Challenges 13

5.0 Conclusion 14

6.0 References 15

Table of Figures

Figure 1: Products of Life’s Abundance’s 6

Figure 2: sports industry highlights in Australia 10

Figure 3: Sports brands 11

Figure 4: Cultural differences between Australian and United States 12

1.0 Introduction 

Spikeball is one small business founded in 2008 by Chris Ruder, located in Chicago and now has 23 employees. The revenue of the corporation is $19 million in 2018, by operating in the US market, as well as exporting the products to the European countries and Australia.Planning Report代写  The corporation provides professional Spikeball to the target customers all over the world since its foundation when the founder, Chris Ruder fell in love with roundnet.

The corporation had devoted to the mission of raising interests of people all over the world to enjoy Spikeball and it has been quite successful in raising attentions of millions of enthusiasts around the globe. In this report, it critiques its exporting to the Australian market with three sections.Planning Report代写  First, it discusses the readiness of its export. Second, it prepares critical discussions on the chosen market, Australia. Third, it assesses export planning guidelines and proposes relevant strategies for supporting its exporting to Australia.

2.0 Internal Business Analysis (Export Readiness)

2.1 Company and Product Description

Spikeball, as the corporation in discussion, is one corporation located in Chicago while with the employees all over the world, by emphasizing the capabilities of the employees in achieving specific tasks and good work, instead of the location and the work time spent by the employees. Planning Report代写 The latest evaluation of the corporation is 43.2 million spikeballs. There are 24 full time employees while the majority are part-time employees, such as the designers and opinion leaders, to contribute to innovative ideas in supporting operations of the corporation.

The mission of Spikeball is “To bring people together through competition and fun”. The vision is “To become the next great global sport”.

Planning Report代写 Core values to support the mission and vision in the management practices include: have fun, trust, be optimistic, listen, be diferent, surprise and delight, bring people together to build community, own it and don’t be a jerk.

Products in Spikeball are professional Spikeballs and the relevant equipment, to support the new US sport and to market it to the global market. There are three categories of products as kits and bundles, balls, and apparel and accessories, each to be professional and quality guaranteed, to satisfy professional players.Planning Report代写  It has a physical store at Chicago and had sold its products to three countries: US, Canada and UK. The corporation also provide online offering as the most important vehicle of selling its products to all over the world.

Figure 1: Products of Life’s Abundance’s
Planning Report 1
Planning Report 1

2.2 Competitive Advantages

Competitive advantages of Spikeball could be achieved by the capabilities, Planning Report代写  which are fulfilling the VIRO criteria: valuable, difficult to intimated, rare and well organized (Pitt et al., 2016, p. 480).

Organizational culture   

Spikeball has its strong and unique organizational culture to differentiate itself from the many operators in the sports industry, since its initial in 2008. The founder has a special favour in Spikeball and intended to expand the sports to the rest of the world as one famous US sport when he started the business. Planning Report代写  The organizational culture in the corporation, influenced by the beliefs and goals of the founder, as well as shaped by the core values in its operations, had devoted to the mission of raising interests of people all over the world to enjoy Spikeball (Deans et al., 2016, p. 208).

Operations of the corporation under the unique organizational culture has been quite successful, to raise attentions of millions of enthusiasts around the globe. Planning Report代写  So, the organizational culture in Spikeball could be regarded as VIRO capabilities of contributing to its competitive advantages.

Unique products and branding

The products in Spikeball also has been unique, to raise attentions of the loyal customers, who are interested in the Spikeball sports. This is not a well known sports in the world while people who feel in the sports could mean loyal customers with the special offering by Spikeball.Planning Report代写  In the marketplace, therefore, Spikeball had gained and enjoyed the good reputation as one unique brand among the competitors in the sports industry (Lastra et al., 2016, p. 61).

The customers are showing loyalty by performing repeated purchases and by recommending the products of Spikeball to the family members and friends.Planning Report代写  So, the unique products and the related brand equity in Spikeball could be regarded as VIRO capabilities of contributing to its competitive advantages.

Experience marketing policies   

Spikeball has designed and conducted a category of marketing and promotional activities under the experience marketing approach, Planning Report代写  with the purpose of delivering excellent experiences for the target customers from all over the world, based on both the online offering and offline sales.

The experience marketing approach are emphasizing the special demands of the target customers by developing professional Spikeballs, which are supporting excellent experiences of the target customers in enjoying the Spikeball sports (Potts & Ratten, 2016, p. 233). Planning Report代写  The marketing efforts had appealed and maintained some loyal customers all over the world, to indicate the capabilities of being VIRO capabilities of contributing to its competitive advantages (Potts & Ratten, 2016, p. 233).

Conclusion for export readiness

Spikeball has high level of export readiness, based on the previous analyses, considering that it had effective operations, high quality and differentiated products, which enables its competitive advantages: organizational culture, brand awareness with unique products, experience marketing approach. Planning Report代写  However, the few employees (24) and the still limited capabilities are limiting its rapidly expanding, such as exporting in large scales to Australia.

3.0 Analysis of the Australian Market of sports industry 

3.1 A PESTEL Analysis 

The PESTEL analysis identifies the most important six categories of factors in Australia to influence operations of corporations in the sports industry: political factors, economic factors, social factors, technological factors, environmental factors and legal factors (Hu et al., 2016, p. 208).

Political

Australia is one corporation with effective governance, democracy, good legal systems and policies from the government to promote innovations. Tariff is at the lowest level for the US exporters among exporters from all over the world under the TPP arrangements. Planning Report代写  The government also has policies in supporting foreign direct investments (Quintal & Phau, 2016, p. 187). All those factors in combination are indicating the opportunities for Spikeball to enjoy opportunities of operating in the Australian market.

Social

Customers in Australia are having high affordability to choose from the many types of sports related products, they are requiring high quality products and services and they are having very frequently shifts in their tastes among different brands, especially under promotions of the Internet and social media (Jin et al., 2018, p. 958). Planning Report代写  The conditions indicate that there are various challenges for Spikeball to gain its market place in the Australian sport industry.

However, the culture of Australia and US has been quite similar, such as with the same official language and the regions of the majority in the society, resulting of opportunities for Spikeball to expand to the Australian market.

Economical

Australia is one developed economy, to have customers with high income levels and affordability. The economy is also in stable and mild growth, with low inflation levels and exchange rates with the US dollars. Planning Report代写  Sports industry in Australia is also one important industry to appeal the many operators, participators and revenue, as in the following figure (Australian government, 2019). So, there are opportunities for Spikeball to export to the Australian market.

Figure 2: sports industry highlights in Australia 
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2
Legal

The Australian government has a series of laws and regulations to support operations of businesses in the sports industry. The laws and regulations could mean useful in directing exporting business of Spikeball, such as by protecting the copyrights.Planning Report代写  However, there are also additional costs, such as in caring social welfare of the employees and costs in environmental friendly operations (Quintal & Phau, 2016, p. 187).

3.3 Competition analyses 

Spikeball in exporting to the Australian market is facing fierce competitions from the many sports providers, such as Nike, Adidas and Under Armour, which are ranked as top three by referring to their revenue. Planning Report代写  However, those corporations are not provide professional Spikeballs, which is the unique products by Spikeball, indicating that the corporation has its competitive advantages in the fierce competitions (Crick, 2016, p. 77).

However, the customers are also not familiar with the special products, Spikeballs, indicating the challenges for Spikeball to develop the target market in Australia (Rahman et al., 2017, p. 68).

Figure 3: Sports brands  
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3

3.3 Cultural analyses 

Spikeball is facing the potential cultural challenges when exporting from the US to Australia, with referring to the cultural differences of the two nations. Planning Report代写  As referring to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, therefore, it is possible to summarize cultural differences of the two countries in the following figure, to indicate the two countries are in similar cultural context, to indicate opportunities for Spikeball to expand to the Australian market (Rahman et al., 2017, p. 68).

Figure 4: Cultural differences between Australian and United States 
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4

Source: Hofstede-insights

https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/australia,the-usa/

Conclusion

The analyses in summary, suggested that Australia is a good target market for Spikeball to export and expand its operations. Planning Report代写  Australia provides enjoyable external environment, allows special products by Spikeball to differentiate itself from the target customers and has similar cultural context comparing with the US.

4.0 Export planning guidelines and Export Strategies

4.1 Export Entry Method

Spikeball should adopt the direct export method, to directly market its products and services to the target customers in Australia. The corporation could develop cooperation with some marketers, such as the boutique stores of providing sports equipment to market its Spikeballs and the relevant products.Planning Report代写  It also could show its online presence by interacting with the target customers in Australia, to appeal their attentions and furthermore to market the products and services to the target customers.

In the marketing practices, social media, such as Facebook and Twitters, could mean useful for promoting its presence to the target customers in Australia (Qiu & Homer, 2018, p. 309). Planning Report代写  The management should also introduce the experience marketing approach it is applying in the US market to its operations in the Australian market, to emphasize customized requirements of the target customers, with high quality products and services (Qiu & Homer, 2018, p. 309).

4.2 Logistic Issues

Spikeball is facing challenges related to the logistics considering that the corporation needs to handle issues when directly delivery the items from the US to the Australian customers or have its own warehouse in Australia to support its marketing and sales in Australia.

If the corporation directly distribute, such as by shipping orders from the US to Australian customers, it could reduce the fixed investment in the beginning while also could achieve good direct interactions from the centre management team to the final customers (Jin et al., 2018, p. 959).Planning Report代写  However, the customers always need to wait for one week or even longer for the delivery services, which is also expensive.

The alternative for Spikeball is to start its own warehouse or cooperate with the business partners to manage inventory in Australia. Planning Report代写  When the corporation adopts this distribution model, it has to audit the costs for managing the inventory in Australia and it has to allocate employees to properly manage the inventory.

However, this model could mean more rapidly delivery to the target customers after their orders and to ensure excellent experiences of the target customers in their consumptions. Planning Report代写  A comparison with referring to operations of Spikeball suggests that the corporation should adopt directly delivery in the beginning and started to use inventories in Australia after its sales had reached the certain amount, such as $1 million a year.

4.3 Regulatory Requirements and Potential Challenges

There are regulatory requirements for Spikeball to consider when exporting to the Australian market, with referring to the laws on copyright protection, security in delivery services, customer rights protection and environmental protection.Planning Report代写  The corporation is also facing challenges of achieving its success in the Australian market with referring to the complex and changing tastes of the target customers in the marketplace considering the customers are having various choices in participating in sports and choosing the relevant equipment.

What’s worse, the Australian customers are not family with Spikeballs, indicating difficulties and costs for Spikeballs to firstly introduce its products and appeal the first group of customers (Jin et al., 2018, p. 959).

5.0 Conclusion 

The report critiques its exporting to the Australian market with three sections. Internal business analyses suggests that Spikeball has high level of export readiness, based on the previous analyses, considering that it had effective operations, high quality and differentiated products,Planning Report代写  which enables its competitive advantages: organizational culture, brand awareness with unique products, experience marketing approach.

However, the few employees (24) and the still limited capabilities are limiting its rapidly expanding, such as exporting in large scales to Australia. Australian market analyses in summary, suggested that Australia is a good target market for Spikeball to export and expand its operations.

Australia provides enjoyable external environment, allows special products by Spikeball to differentiate itself from the target customers and has similar cultural context comparing with the US. Planning Report代写  The suggested market entry method is directly exporting, to trade-off initial investment and maintaining delivery costs, to consider regulatory challenges and the risks in developing and maintaining the target customers in Australia.

Word count: 2190

6.0 References

Australian government (2019). Sports industry annual report 2017-2018. Retrieved from: https://www.sportaus.gov.au/annual_report/attachments/35091_Sport_Australia_Annual_Report_20172018_WEB.pdf

Crick, D., & Crick, J. (2016). The first export order: a marketing innovation revisited. Journal of Strategic Marketing24(2), 77-89.

Deans, E. G., Thomas, S. L., Daube, M., Derevensky, J., & Gordon, R. (2016). Creating symbolic cultures of consumption: an analysis of the content of sports wagering advertisements in Australia. BMC Public Health16(1), 208.

Forbes (2019). Small businesses. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2019/04/30/forbes-small-giants-the-best-small-companies-of-2019/#79101b23382c

Hu, K. H., Chen, F. H., & Tzeng, G. H. (2016). Evaluating the improvement of sustainability of sports industry policy based on MADM. Sustainability8(7), 606.

Jin, B., Chung, J. E., Yang, H., & Jeong, S. W. (2018). Entry market choices and post-entry growth patterns among born globals in consumer goods sectors. International Marketing Review35(6), 958-980.

Lastra, R., Bell, P., & Bond, C. (2016). Sports betting-motivated corruption in Australia: an under-studied phenomenon. International Journal of Social Science Research4(1), 61-82.

Pitt, H., Thomas, S. L., Bestman, A., Stoneham, M., & Daube, M. (2016). “It’s just everywhere!” Children and parents discuss the marketing of sports wagering in Australia. Australian and New Zealand journal of public health40(5), 480-486.

Potts, J., & Ratten, V. (2016). Sports innovation: introduction to the special section. Innovation18(3), 233-237.

Qiu, T., & Homer, P. M. (2018). Cultural Fit and the Choice of International Market Entry Scale of Chinese Firms. Journal of Global Marketing31(5), 308-323.

Quintal, V., & Phau, I. (2016). Comparing student loyalty behavioural intentions across multi entry mode deliveries: An Australian perspective. Australasian Marketing Journal (AMJ)24(3), 187-197.

Rahman, M., Uddin, M., & Lodorfos, G. (2017). Barriers to enter in foreign markets: evidence from SMEs in emerging market. International Marketing Review34(1), 68-86.

Spikeball (2019). Retrieved from: https://spikeball.com