Vietnam's Market Potential Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Vietnam's Market Potential - Case Study Example As Vuong, Q.H. (2003) states, Vietnam provides a very potential market for Pepsi products. There is great amount of interest in these products and raw materials are locally available from agricultural commodities that are produced in large quantities. In every meeting, the first question is if they should go to Vietnam. Many global companies have preceded Americans in venturing in Vietnam. Daewoo by South Korea was the only large investor but other companies that have heavily invested in Vietnam are Sony Honda, Toshiba, and British Petroleum bad Peugeot. The first US Company to market legally in Vietnam was Carrier, which windows air conditioners which appeared in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi stores. Pepsi and coca cola companies were also first to venture in Vietnam. Vietnamese Market Potentials and Challenges Experts believe that the market of Vietnam has great long term potentials. However, compared to Thailand, it is less economically developed, and it might take it a minimum of two decades to reach the economic level of Thailand today. However, the location of the country at the center of Asia, together with enough low wage work-force powerfully attracts foreign investors into the country like a magnet. Presence of neighboring countries like Thailand and Malaysia which are fast developing has made Vietnam lag behind. Politically, the Vietnam War isolated it from industrial west as well as United States. Recently, the country has tried to solve many problems with Chinese government and currently, china is an important economic ally of Vietnam. Vietnamese population is so poor that they only earn $200 per capita (International Monetary Fund, 2010). This may still offer sufficient market for Pepsi products like tomato and chili sauces. Infrastructure is also under developed where only 10% of roads are paved and electricity is also very unreliable (Anonymous). However, manufacture of Pepsi may not be affected because raw materials are readily available within the locality and labor force is sufficient and cheap. For every 100 people, there is rarely a telephone available and the system of banking is underdeveloped too. However, Vietnamese communist party is currently struggling to adapt market economy principle and bureaucracy. With layers built up in decades of the rules of communist, which slow change pace. State committee for investment and cooperation is the key agency and because every agency wants to make the final decision, then the investment climate must be improved, if Pepsi and other companies are to thrive well in this country. How Western Countries can Help Improve the Political Climate in Vietnam Western countries can sign business contracts with Vietnam in order to improve the market conditions in Vietnam, besides ensuring a ready market for the produc ts. Western countries should also stop interfering with foreign affairs of Vietnam, so as to prevent political wars that are frequently witnessed in Vietnam. Diplomatic relations with Vietnam, for example the one reestablished by president Clinton on 11th July, 1995, should be encouraged among western countries because they boost business in Vietnam (Anonymous). Lack of diplomatic relations in Vietnam makes Vietnamese exports difficult to enter western countries markets like US because their tariffs are prohibitive. However, despite the initiatives of Washington, Vietnam does still qualify to the status of favored nation. Bilateral trade agreements can also help open up foreign investment trade in Vietnam besides giving exporters of Vietnam western markets accessibility and this may also largely benefit Pepsi. For example, the US and Vietnam bilateral trade agreement in July 2000 allowed Vietnamese exporters to easily access US markets, thus widening their market and hence