Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to select and confirm an appropriate international market.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to individuals with managerial responsibility for selecting and confirming appropriate international market/s by identifying the target market, profiling the target market and developing a positioning strategy.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Select potential international markets for further investigation

1.1. Determine readiness  to market products or services internationally

1.2. List potential international markets for further investigation

1.3. Identify information sources  to inform process for selection of international markets

1.4. Determine and document criteria  to determine suitability of international markets for product or service

1.5. Access and use information sources to determine suitability of international markets for product or service to be marketed

1.6. Select international markets for profiling

2. Identify the target market

2.1. Evaluate and choose approaches  to determining and describing the total market within selected countries for a product or service

2.2. Define the target market for a product or service in terms of prospective users /consumers , the selected market segment/s and cultural appropriateness of the product or service

2.3. Use segment descriptors to describe the target market

2.4. Identify available marketing strategic options and select the targeting strategy  that best meets the requirements of the marketing plan

2.5. Check the cultural appropriateness of the chosen targeting strategy using available information sources

3. Profile the target audience

3.1. Describe the total and selected market and the selected market segment/s in the form of a consumer profile

3.2. Ensure the consumer profile identifies consumer characteristics in standard statistical terms  and/or the descriptive terms used in media selection

3.3. Use demographic data  and/or psychographic descriptions  in the consumer profile in accordance with the requirements of the marketing plan

3.4. Ensure the profile meets organisational requirements in terms of language, format, content and level of detail

4. Develop a positioning strategy

4.1. Identify available positioning strategies  are and choose a strategy to meet marketing requirements  and the consumer profile including the culture of profiled groups

4.2. Check cultural appropriateness of chosen positioning strategies using available information sources

4.3. Write a positioning implementation plan in accordance with organisational requirements

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• analytical skills to profile international markets, audiences and segments
• culturally appropriate communication skills to relate to people from diverse backgrounds and people with diverse abilities
• evaluation and assessment skills to investigate international business opportunities
• literacy skills to write reports with complex ideas and concepts
• research and information-gathering skills to obtain information about prospective international markets, audiences and segments
• technology skills to use a range of software to conduct market profiling activities.

Required knowledge 

• cultural aspects relevant to international markets profiled
• market profiling techniques and related software programs
• organisational requirements for presentation of completed profile
• identification and overview knowledge of key provisions of relevant legislation from all levels of government that affects business operations, codes of practice and national standards, such as:

• occupational health and safety
• Privacy Act
• Trade Practices Act
• World Trade Organisation determinations

• sources of external and internal information on international markets.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the following is essential:

• completed profiles where candidate has documented potential international markets based on established criteria, targeting strategy, profile of international markets, positioning strategies, and checks for cultural appropriateness of products
• targeting strategy and positioning strategies which account for cultural differences
• knowledge of cultural aspects relevant to international markets profiled.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• access to an actual workplace or simulated environment
• access to evidence of completed profiles
• access to relevant sources of information to develop profiles.

Method of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate
• review of consumer profiles
• analysis of responses to case studies and scenarios
• observation of demonstrated international market profiling, targeting and segmentation techniques
• observation of presentations on international marketing profiles developed
• oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of international markets
• assessment of positioning implementation plan.

Guidance information for assessment 

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• BSBMKG517A Analyse consumer behaviour for specific international markets.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Determining readiness  may include analysing:

• available financial resources of own organisation
• economic conditions within potential international markets
• existing competitors
• international standards for product or service
• knowledge of international laws, conventions and culture
• links to and networks within international markets
• organisation's experience and capability to market internationally
• production capacity and ability to expand capacity as required
• research capability

Information sources  may include:

• advice from:

• academics
• chambers of commerce
• colleagues who are residents or former residents of chosen countries
• industry associations
• other private agencies specialising in international trade
• professional advisors
• senior colleagues
• technical experts
• training providers

• government agencies such as Austrade and state/territory government departments
• professional libraries
• reference material (paper-based and internet) within organisation
• trade journals
• training providers

Criteria  may include:

• capabilities, interests and preferences of own organisation
• economic considerations such as:

• economic wealth within selected countries
• anticipated cost to provide service or product

• existing competitors operating within selected country/countries
• history of product or service provision within selected country/countries
• relevant international regulations and taxes/duties the product or service would attract
• trade routes and modes of transport available to destination countries

Approaches  may include:

• identifying consumers with relevant needs
• identifying current users of the product or service
• identifying people with related characteristics

Consumers  may include:

• businesses
• government agencies
• households
• individuals

Targeting strategy  may include:

• concentrated, differentiated and mass strategies
• differentiation and segmentation
• ease of entry
• growth considerations
• market share
• niche markets
• price sensitivity
• purchasing power
• sales volume

Statistical terms  may include:

• categories used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in collecting and reporting census data

Demographic data  may include:

• age
• children
• education
• first language
• gender
• geographic location within country
• income
• marital status
• nationality
• occupation

Psychographic descriptions  may include:

• activities
• interests
• lifestyle
• opinions
• values and attitudes

Positioning strategies  may include:

• competitive positioning
• conspicuous positioning
• image perceptions
• market follower positions
• market leader positions
• me-too positioning
• prestige and exclusive positioning
• repositioning
• service positioning
• value positioning

Marketing requirements  may include:

• business-to-business marketing
• direct marketing
• ideas marketing
• marketing of goods
• public sector marketing
• services marketing
• telemarketing

Unit sector 

Competency field 

Business Development - Marketing

Co-requisite units