American beer company Entering the beer market in Austria

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Summary

For American beer producers to succeed in entering the beer market in Austria, they must thoroughly understand the cultural, economic, and political forces that control the society and how if functions. The Austrian society and its culture is one of the older, more prominent societies in Europe. Although the country has advanced itself into a highly industrialized and technologically advanced entity, Austria can present significant obstacles when it comes to trying to do business.

The cultural forces in Austria seem to be centered on its system of values. Austrians tend to be slow decision makers by American standards. Austrians are detail oriented persons and exercise caution when faced with risks. Austria has a unique, world class education system that allows children to make choices concerning their education at a young age, which helps to give Austria a very highly skilled workforce.

The economic forces in Austria provide both positives and negatives. Austria is a member of the European Union (EU) and is very closely tied to Germany economically. Austria and Germany both conduct trade fairs that provide fantastic marketing opportunities. Austria is advanced technologically and has an efficient infrastructure that makes doing business there desirable. As a member of the EU, Austria switched to the euro as its currency. Relinquishing control of its monetary policy causes uncertainty for currency stability.

The political forces in Austria also contribute to the risks and rewards of doing business there. Austria’s trade and commerce policies seem to be mostly favorable for the beer industry. However, Austria does impose a Value Added Tax (VAT) of 20% on alcohol, which can be viewed as an unfavorable trade barrier. T...

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... problems would appear to be the current economic instability of some members of the EU that cause a drain on the entire EU economic structure and the euro. It is possible for countries that are members of the EU to suffer even if they are economically stable. Another concern is the web of regulations that can confuse any business trying to penetrate a market in the EU or one of its member nations. Legal assistance would be the best option.

Conclusion

There is a strong possibility that an American beer company can successfully penetrate the beer market in Austria and make profits in both the long and short runs. It will require a smart decision on the method of entry. The business aspect will be challenging in determining how to enter the market (i.e. distributorship or local brewery start up).Marketing will also be a key to the success of a business campaign.

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