Page 94 - DMGT546_INTERNATIONAL_TRADE_PROCEDURE_AND_DOCUMENTATION

Unit 4: Export Marketing – Going Global

Notes

Case Study Facing the Wall

parna and Abhijit, brother-sister duo, are feeling upbeat today. They have shipped
an important export consignment to Australia just this morning. They have been
A working very hard for this consignment for past two weeks. Today, at last the
goods have been despatched. Abhijit says, “Hey Sis, how about a little celebration at the
club in the evening?” Aparna agrees. The day passes and they are both ready to leave.
Abhijit informs Aparna that he will reach the club direct, as he has to meet a friend.
On the way back home, Aparna is feeling happy as well as a little apprehensive. She has
not told his brother so far but sooner or later she must tell him. How will he react? What
will they do about the problem? Will things work out? She tries to think of other positive
things as a distraction, but the questions would not stop flowing. What is she to do?
Before she enters the club, she has made up her mind. After the dinner, she will tell her
brother everything. Together they will be able to plan the future course of action.

Dinner over, Aparna after some small talk asks her brother about his future plans. Abhijit
actually teaches management at a business school and has come to spend the summer
holidays with his sister. So he says, “I will cool my heels here for few more days and then
back to work, what else. If you are asking about my marriage plans, Sorry, Sis I am in no
mood for a few years.”
Aparna says, “Why don’t you work with me? I could certainly do with someone like you.”
Abhijit says, “Mr. Kharbanda is there to look after your business. He is experienced and
reliable, so where’s the need?”
Aparna then tells him that Mr. Kharbanda is not on leave but has left the firm, and not only
that, he has also walked away with all the major foreign buyers of the firm. She explains
further that Mr. Kharbanda is now running his own export business with her old customers.
Abhijit is stunned. He says, “Why didn’t you tell me before? We could have done something.
Have you talked to your old customers? How serious is the damage?”
Aparna tells him that she has tried all the old customers but they are not even prepared to
listen. She then tells him that if he agrees they could work together on export marketing
of their firm. She says she has some very good ideas on the subject.
Abhijit is pensive for some time but then he says, “Okay Sis, Let’s do it. We will show that
Kharbanda. I can easily get a year’s leave without pay. So tell me your ideas.”

Aparna’s business is high fashion garments and her major buyers were retail chains in the
U.K. Aparna designs herself and has good control over suppliers and production. Marketing
was never an issue with her because her maternal uncle, who has retired and now settled
in Bangalore, gave ready business to her. This was five years ago. Mr. Kharbanda was
there when she took over and was like a pillar to her as far as marketing was concerned.
In fact, she trusted him completely and is really shocked at his leaving like this.
As Aparna tells her brother various ideas to find new buyers for their business, Abhijit
who was feeling very determined just a while ago, feels he is facing the wall. He can teach
but actually finding business from foreign countries may not exactly be his cup of tea.

Questions:
1. If Abhijit approaches you as an export-marketing expert, how will you help him?
2. What should Aparna have done to prevent Mr. Kharbanda robbing her off her
foreign buyers like this?

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