Skills

Analyse a Market Entry Decision for a Real Company

10 weeks · 0 milestones

Produce a full market entry analysis for a real company considering entry into a specific new geography or segment — covering PESTLE analysis, cultural dimensions (Hofstede or GLOBE), market sizing with data sources, regulatory and compliance requirements, and a risk-weighted recommendation on entry mode and timing. The analysis must be for a real company and a real target market. Proof requires review by someone with direct knowledge of the target market — a native professional, academic researcher, or consultant with relevant geography experience — who can confirm the market characterisation is accurate.

Part of: Business · Proves for: UG

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?'

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

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

Powstik Guide

An entry mode decision and a first-year entry plan.

Steps

List every entry mode, then score each against OLI factors.
Write one line on why each rejected mode lost.
Plan the first 12 months: customers, price, channels.
Price against real local competitors.
Estimate the investment and its main cost drivers.
Set milestones with dates.

Template

| Entry mode | Ownership advantage | Location advantage | Internalisation | Verdict |
|------------|---------------------|--------------------|-----------------|---------|

First 12 months
Target customers:
Price vs local competitors (names, prices):
Channels:
Investment estimate and drivers:
Milestones (month: goal):

What gets sent back

A mode chosen because it is familiar.
A plan that ignores local competitors.
No reason given for rejected modes.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

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?'

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

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

Powstik Guide

Your entry plan, challenged by an international strategist.

Steps

Mark your riskiest assumption and how you tested it.
Book someone who has led or advised a market entry.
Ask them to challenge your mode and go-to-market choices.
Log two challenges and your reasoning.
Note what you would change.

Template

Review session log
Date:            Duration:
Reviewer name:
Reviewer role and years of experience:

Challenge 1 (the entry mode or go-to-market plan):
  What they asked:
  My answer:
  Did it hold? What would I change?

Challenge 2:
  What they asked:
  My answer:
  Did it hold? What would I change?

Change I made after the session:
Reviewer's overall view (their words):

What gets sent back

A reviewer with no international entry experience.
Answers like 'that's a known risk'.
Fewer than two challenges logged.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

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.

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Part of

International Business →Business Administration 10: International business →

Related outcomes

Milestone map

3 milestones

Define the Target Market and Assess Market Attractiveness

2–3 weeks

Proof required

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?'

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Select and Justify the Entry Mode and Produce a Market Entry Plan

3–4 weeks

Proof required

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

Powstik Guide

An entry mode decision and a first-year entry plan.

Steps

List every entry mode, then score each against OLI factors.
Write one line on why each rejected mode lost.
Plan the first 12 months: customers, price, channels.
Price against real local competitors.
Estimate the investment and its main cost drivers.
Set milestones with dates.

Template

| Entry mode | Ownership advantage | Location advantage | Internalisation | Verdict |
|------------|---------------------|--------------------|-----------------|---------|

First 12 months
Target customers:
Price vs local competitors (names, prices):
Channels:
Investment estimate and drivers:
Milestones (month: goal):

What gets sent back

A mode chosen because it is familiar.
A plan that ignores local competitors.
No reason given for rejected modes.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

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?'

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Present Market Entry Plan to a Strategy or International Business Professional

1 week

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

Powstik Guide

Your entry plan, challenged by an international strategist.

Steps

Mark your riskiest assumption and how you tested it.
Book someone who has led or advised a market entry.
Ask them to challenge your mode and go-to-market choices.
Log two challenges and your reasoning.
Note what you would change.

Template

Review session log
Date:            Duration:
Reviewer name:
Reviewer role and years of experience:

Challenge 1 (the entry mode or go-to-market plan):
  What they asked:
  My answer:
  Did it hold? What would I change?

Challenge 2:
  What they asked:
  My answer:
  Did it hold? What would I change?

Change I made after the session:
Reviewer's overall view (their words):

What gets sent back

A reviewer with no international entry experience.
Answers like 'that's a known risk'.
Fewer than two challenges logged.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

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.

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.