Table of Contents
List of Tables xv
List of Figures xvii
Foreword xix
Acknowledgments xxi
Introduction xxiii
The Book's Approach xxvi
Who Is the Book For? xxvii
What's in the Book? xxviii
The Commonalities xxix
The Differences xxix
Doing Business xxix
What's New About This Edition? xxx
How to Use the Book xxx
Summary xxxii
Part 1 The Commonalities
Chapter 1 Winning the Trade Game 3
Global Opportunities 3
U.S. Deficits and Surpluses 4
What Is an Import/Export Business? 4
Where Do Importers and Exporters Trade? 8
The World Trade Organization (WTO) 8
Cyber Trading 9
World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) 9
Trade Integrations 9
Why Get into Trade? 10
Success Stories 11
Chapter 2 Launching a Profitable Transaction 15
Terminology 16
Homework 16
Choosing the Product or Service 16
The Personal Decision 17
The Technical Marketing Decisions 17
What Is World Class? 18
Making Contacts 19
Market Research 21
Exporter Checklist 22
Importer Checklist 24
What's the Bottom Line? 24
Initial Quotations 25
Terms of Sale 26
The Market Channel 29
Pricing for Profit 30
Chapter 3 Planning and Negotiating to Win 37
The Market Plan 38
Segmenting the Market 39
Macro Segmentation 39
Micro Segmentation 39
Executing the Market Plan 40
Personal Sales 40
Trade Shows (Fairs) 41
Trade Missions 42
Special Missions 42
Seminar Missions 42
Industry-Organized, Government-Approved Trade Missions 42
Catalog Shows and Video/Catalog Exhibitions 42
Trade Show Central 43
Advertising 43
Distributors 43
Overseas Trader's Checklist 44
Trading Partner's Checklist 44
Negotiations 45
Preparations 45
Agreeing to a Contract 46
ForeignCorrupt Practices Act (FCPA) 49
Tips and Traps of Culture 50
What Is Culture? 50
The Nine Elements of Business Culture 51
Practical Applications 54
Tips for Women 56
About Jokes 56
Intellectual Property Rights 57
Patent Registration 59
Trademark Registration 61
Communications 61
Travel 66
Chapter 4 Selling with E-Commerce 73
The Internet and Your Business 73
Getting Started 75
Blogging 78
You Can Create Your Own Web Site 79
Getting Out There 82
Finding Foreign Markets 84
Finding Foreign Buyers 85
Government Procurement 86
Pricing and Marketing Your Product 86
Marketing Techniques 86
Communications 87
Getting Paid 87
Keeping in Touch 88
What About the Future? 88
E-commerce Law 89
Further Readings 90
Chapter 5 Completing a Successful Transaction 93
Financing 94
E-banking 95
Forms of Bank Financing 96
Factors 98
Other Private Sources of Financing 98
Avoiding Risk 101
Agency/Distributor Agreements 119
Physical Distribution (Shipping and Packing) 120
Documentation 126
The Documents 127
Chapter 6 How to Set Up Your Own Import/Export Business 145
The Mechanics of Start-Up 146
The 10 Commandments of Starting an Overseas Business 150
The Business Plan 150
Part 2 The Differences
Chapter 7 Exporting from the United States 167
Government Support 168
Information Sources 172
Export Prospects 174
Freight Forwarding 179
Export Controls 181
Where to Get Assistance 186
"Made in USA" 186
Tax Incentives for Exporting 187
How to Gain Relief from Unfair Import Practices 189
Export Cities 190
What Are Export Cities? 190
How Do Export City Clusters Work? 190
Chapter 8 How to Import Into the United States 193
World Customs Organization (WCO) 194
Homeland Security 194
Government Support 195
Import Information Sources 200
Customs House Brokers 200
Surety Bonds 201
Drawback 202
Automated Brokerage Interface (ABI) 202
How to Become a Customs Broker 202
Getting through the Customs Maze 204
The Four-Step Entry Process 205
Customs Service Responsibilities 210
The Harmonized System 212
Case Study: Guitars 213
Import Quotas 221
Special Import Regulations 221
Customs Bonded Warehouse 230
Part 3 Doing Business in the Globalized World
Chapter 9 Doing Business Through World Trade Centers 237
Background 237
Headquarters 238
What Is a World Trade Center? 238
WTCA Services and Member Benefits 239
Chapter 10 Doing Business in the Integrated Americas 241
Free Trade Areas 242
Expanded NAFTA 244
Key Provisions 244
Transformation: Maquiladoras, Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ), Bonded Warehouse 260
Maquiladora Implications 260
Other Existing Trade Arrangements 261
Chapter 11 Doing Business in an Integrated Europe 265
The European Union (EU) 267
Doing Business in Russia 279
Further Readings 281
Chapter 12 Doing Business in Africa 283
African Trading Potential 283
American Partnership for Economic Growth 286
Useful Nation-by-Nation Business Information 288
Funding Sources 303
Key Contacts and Web Sites 308
Chapter 13 Doing Business in China and India 311
People's Republic of China (PRC) 311
India 314
Chapter 14 Doing Business in the Middle East 319
Nation-by-Nation Information 319
Business Protocol 327
Chapter 15 Doing Business in the Asian Pacific Basin 331
Background 331
Nation-by-Nation Information 333
Regional Integration 338
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 338
Further Readings and Additional Information 339
Chapter 16 20 Keys to Import/Export Success 341
Appendix A 347
Appendix B 349
Glossary 351
Index 387