Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Define the Target Market and Assess Market Attractiveness
2–3 weeks
Select a specific market entry scenario — either from your own organisation or a publicly documented expansion. Define the target market precisely (geography, segment, product/service category). Assess market attractiveness using a structured framework: market size and growth rate, competitive density, regulatory environment, customer access, and political-economic risk (e.g., using the PESTLE framework for the macro environment).
Proof required
Submit: (a) the market entry scenario definition — which organisation, entering which market, with which product or service — with a brief context document (minimum 300 words), (b) market attractiveness assessment covering market size (in revenue or volume), growth rate, competitive density, regulatory environment, and macro-environment risk using free public data sources, and (c) an overall attractiveness rating with rationale.
What gets checked
- Market size and growth rate are from identifiable sources — not estimates without provenance
- Regulatory environment is assessed specifically — not just 'regulations exist'
- Overall attractiveness rating is a justified conclusion, not an assertion
Common mistakes
- Target market is too broadly defined — 'entering the Asian market' is not tractable; 'entering the Indonesian B2B SaaS market for SME HR software' is
- Market attractiveness assessed with all positive indicators — every market entry has genuine risks that must be honestly assessed
Resources
What a verifier looks for
- Challenge the market size estimate: 'You estimated the market at USD 2.3 billion — walk me through how you constructed that estimate. What assumptions did you make at each step, and which assumption is most uncertain?'
Select and Justify the Entry Mode and Produce a Market Entry Plan
3–4 weeks
Based on the market attractiveness assessment, select the appropriate entry mode (wholly-owned subsidiary, joint venture, licensing, franchising, acquisition, direct export, or digital-first). Justify the entry mode against specific criteria from the Dunning OLI framework or transaction cost theory. Produce a market entry plan with timeline, investment requirements, and expected milestones.
Proof required
Submit a market entry plan (minimum 2,000 words) covering: (a) entry mode recommendation with OLI or transaction cost justification — addressing specifically why alternatives were rejected, (b) go-to-market strategy covering the first 12 months (customer acquisition approach, pricing relative to local competition, channel strategy), (c) investment requirement estimate with key cost drivers, and (d) market entry milestones with success criteria for months 3, 6, and 12.
What gets checked
- Entry mode justification addresses why alternatives were rejected — not just why the chosen mode was selected
- Go-to-market strategy addresses local market specifics — not a copy of the home market strategy applied to the new market
- Milestones include leading indicators (customer conversations, pilots) not just lagging outcomes (revenue)
Common mistakes
- Entry mode recommendation based on familiarity rather than OLI or transaction cost analysis — 'we know how to run a subsidiary' is not a justification
- Go-to-market strategy that ignores local competitive dynamics or customer buying behaviour in the new market
What a verifier looks for
- Challenge the entry mode: 'You recommended a wholly-owned subsidiary — but your own risk assessment shows high corruption risk and uncertain regulatory environment. How does that affect your recommendation, given that a joint venture with a local partner might provide regulatory navigation at lower political risk?'
Present Market Entry Plan to a Strategy or International Business Professional
1 week
Present the market entry analysis to a strategy or international business professional (strategy consultant, senior executive with international expansion experience, or international business academic) who will challenge at least two of your entry mode justification or go-to-market strategy assumptions.
Proof required
Submit: (a) Q&A log from the review session (minimum 350 words with at least two challenges and responses), and (b) attendance record with reviewer name and credentials.
What gets checked
- Reviewer has international business or strategy expertise with actual expansion experience
- Q&A log shows challenges to the analytical basis of the plan, not just requests for more information
- Responses engage with the challenge rather than restating the original analysis
Common mistakes
- Review with someone who has not worked on international market entry
- Challenges met with 'that's a risk we're aware of' rather than explaining how the analysis addresses it
What a verifier looks for
- Challenge the most critical assumption: 'Your entire go-to-market strategy assumes the local customer buying process is similar to your home market — what research do you have on how customers in this market actually evaluate and purchase this type of product?'
- Provide written confirmation (minimum 150 words) of your international business or strategy credentials and the specific challenges raised.
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