Matousek, D: Marketing of a Foreign Automotive Brand: The Ca

The internationalization of marketing activities is awell-known and growing phenomenon. The companies thatare unable to pursue global opportunities are at highrisk since it could eventually lead them to losetheir domestic markets. A company's failure abroadoften results from the inability to meet theculturally based needs and wants of local consumers.Taiwan represents a specific consumer culture with astrong persistence of traditional Confucian values.This study investigates the reasons for the failureof Skoda Auto - an internationally successful andgrowing Czech automaker - in Taiwan through theanalysis of its marketing strategy. Consumer culturetheory and country-of-origin effects are used in thisstudy to explain the consumer's behavior. Thequalitative approach and case study methodology wascarried out. Skoda marketing strategy was describedand evaluated based on the marketing mix conception. Understanding the reasons for the success, or thefailure of a foreign company on a specific market mayrepresent an excellent learning opportunity formanagers, marketing students and everyone elseinterested in international marketing.