We will explore alternatives to create a presence outside the USA. From simply using vehicles like Shopify or Amazon to offer your services, to international customers, to setting up a full physical presence in other countries. What are the options available along with the pros and cons of each alternative? We will look at the successes and failures of companies that have embarked on this journey and draw insights regarding the pitfalls to avoid, including currency risk, tariffs, freight, language, and culture that can, and have, caused many good firms to fail. We will also look at the attributes that successful organizations have in common. Additionally, we will look at some of the complex accounting issues that arise when you are doing business in foreign countries, each with their own unique requirements.
Learning Objectives
After attending this presentation, you will be able to...
- Analyze why expanding internationally can be beneficial for growth and diversification.
- Determine how to target international opportunities.
- Recognize issues that financial leaders should be aware of when expanding internationally.
- Analyze why international trade makes economic sense.
- Determine how to expand from export sales to owning a business abroad.
- Identify barriers to effective overseas expansion.
- Analyze mistakes made by organizations that attempted international expansion and failed.
Major Topics
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:
- Doing business outside of the USA
- Why look abroad: diversification or growth?
- Selecting which countries and markets to target
- Alternative methods to do business abroad?
- Tariff and non-Tariff barriers to trade
- Local taxation (e.g., Value added tax)
- Language difficulties and cultural issues
- Introduction to currency issues
- Legal issues in operating abroad and choosing a good local lawyer
- Investment considerations
- Commercial code issues
- Governance
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (‘FCPA’)
- The complexities of GAAP accounting for currency conversion
- Local accounting regulations, e.g., IFRS
