Adaptation or

standardization of
product attributes

 The product element of the marketing mix is often

cited as the most standardized element, but within
the product element there are various attributes
that are more or less likely to be standardized.
For instance, Vrontis (2003) surveyed 500 large UK
multinational companies in five sectors, including
manufacturing, services, transportation an
communication, construction, and retail and
wholesale, to find out what elements of the
marketing mix were most standardized.

 For
the
product
element,
most
companies reported standardizing
product quality (78 per cent), brand name
(72 per cent), image (71 per cent),
performance (67 per cent), size and colour
(54 per cent) and packaging and styling
(52 per cent), while fewer standardize
variety, design and features (48 per cent),
pre-sales service (45 per cent), after-sales
service and warrantees (43 per cent), and
delivery and installation (42 per cent).

 The same companies reported that the most

important reasons for adapting the
marketing mix included culture (92 per cent),
market development (87 per cent), competition
(84 per cent), law (82 per cent), economic
differences
(78
per
cent),
sociological
consideration
(74
per
cent),
customer
perceptions (71 per cent), technological
consideration(60
per
cent),
political
environment (53 per cent), level of customer
similarity (49 per cent), marketing infrastructure
(44 per cent) and differences in physical
conditions (39 per cent).

 From a consumer point of view, Hult

et
al.
(2000)
compared
the
importance consumers place on
sixteen product attributes in France
(a
developed
market)
and
Malaysia (an emerging market),
finding that only two attributes
(product quality and appearance)
received high emphasis on both
samples.

 In Malaysia consumers relied more on

the core product attributes and in
France on the image and service
attributes when evaluating grocery
products and clothing.
In fact, one may state that consumers
are not buying the product itself, but
the benefits they hope to derive from
the product. A product can be defined
as a set of attributes that provide the
purchaser/user with actual benefits

 There are three layers of product

attributes that lend themselves more
or less to standardization:
1.The physical attributes (size,
weight,
colour,
etc.).
Standardization of these attributes
affords the greatest potential for cost
benefits since economies of scale are
made
principally
at
the
manufacturing stage.

2.Service attributes (maintenance,

after-sales service, spare parts
availability, etc.). These attributes are
fairly difficult to standardize, as
circumstances for service delivery
differ widely from one country to
another.
It
should
further
be
emphasized that most services are
performed in direct relation to local
customers. Service attributes are
more dependent on culture.

3. Symbolic attributes. These often comprise

the interpretive element of the physical
attributes. A colour is simultaneously a chemical
formula for a painting or a coat, and also the
symbolic meaning conveyed by the material.
Symbolic attributes affect the choice between
adaptation and standardization in a fairly
ambiguous manner. It is confusing when
consumers show a strong liking for domestic
goods based on nationalism and also show a
penchant or fascination for foreign cultures and
their goods. Therefore, when adapting or
standardizing
symbolic
attributes,
the
requirements for national identity symbols will
sometimes intermingle with those for symbols of
exoticism.

Physical attributes
Experience effects, and accordingly the cost
reductions related to cumulated production,
clearly weigh in favour of standardization.
In a comprehensive review of the literature,
Theodosiou and Leonidou (2003) found that
quality, design and features were the
most
standardized
product-related
elements, while product lines, branding
and packaging were at least partially
adapted for foreign markets.

 Compulsory adaptation
Compulsory adaptation of physical attributes
is often related to national regulations and
standards. Certain countries use standards
which seem to operate as non-tariff trade
barriers.
Some example include:
1. The industrial standards for the
supply of electricity: the voltage, the
frequency of the alternating current (50
versus 60 Hz), the shape of plugs, etc. differ
by region if not by country.

2. Safety standards: in the motor industry

lighting, brake systems and vehicle safety often
differ by country. For instance, the Corsa has become
one of the best selling cars around the world. It is
sold in approximately 80 countries and manufacture
in 5 continents, where its name, body style,
suspension or engines are changed to meet
local standards. The Corsa is called a Vauxhall/Opel
Corsa in Germany, a Chevrolet Chevy (Corsa) in
Mexico, a Buick Sail in China and a Holden Barina in
Australia. Obviously the changes increase production
costs, documentation and country-specific spare
parts. Control of marketing management becomes
difficult.

3. Hygiene regulations: the food

processing, chemicals and
pharmaceutical industries must carry out
adaptations to comply with hygiene
legislation.
Even a product as common as Coca-Cola
faces different regulations, including very
different requirements for the use of
artificial sweeteners across countries and
the necessity to include an expiry date in
some countries (e.g. France), but not others
(e.g. Holland) (Dana and Oldfield, 1999).

A huge variety of regulations influence the need for

adaptation (packaging, labelling, sizes, advertising,
sales promotion).

In fact, obligatory adaptations are often minor

in comparison to the required adaptations to differences
in consumer behaviour and in the national
marketing environment

Three main issues should be

considered:
consumer
tastes,
frequency
of
consumption, the amount consumed
per helping, etc. will differ. The size of a
cereal box and the style of packaging
that preserves the product, will depend
in part on whether consumers eat 50
grams of cereal a day, or if they
consume larger amounts but less often.

 Dana and Oldfield (1999) examine the various

adaptations that Coca-Cola has made across
countries. They found that: Consumer in
different countries drink Coca-Cola for different
reasons.
In China, it is a luxury item, served on silver
trays at government functions. In Spain, it is
used as a mixer with wine, for example. In
California, it is kept in coolers to be used as
refreshment; in Tromso, Norway, it is kept in
warmers, rather than coolers (p. 294). While
there are definite national trends, it is also
important to remember that market segments
exist within and across countries.

2. Climate and the physical

environment
in
general
are
important, and sometimes neglected,
factors behind further obligatory
adaptation. Motor vehicles must be
specifically designed to withstand the
harsh Scandinavian winters or the
warmth and humidity of the Ivory
Coast.

 The possible range of physical

environments where the product will
be used must be taken into account:
for example, the quality of road
surfaces and the existence of tracks
suitable for vehicles. The diversity of
physical environments is often the
cause of unexpected failure.

One should take

into account in advance the range of elements that
constitute potential demands for adaptation

3. Adapting products to local

product usage. A number of
variables have to be considered in
order to ensure buyers use the
product properly, such as level of
literacy, technical knowledge and
ability to use written information
(such
as
ingredients
list
or
instructions for use).

Consumers, on average, tend not to read instructions

for use thoroughly enough and to try to use
items, especially consumer durables, too quickly,
before they have learned the basics of how to operate
them.

 The
Germans
make
special
adaptations
designed
to
guard
against misuse by consumers; for
instance, when the knob of a dishwashing machine is turned anticlockwise, whereas it should be
turned only clockwise, or when the
machine is switched on when the
water tap is off.

a product is
called idiotensicher (idiot proof ) when all possible
product design adaptations have been made to
avoid the negative consequences of any imaginable
misuse.