Instructions for Capstone Project Part 4

Running Head: PROJECT PROPOSAL 1

PROJECT PROPOSAL 1

Project Proposal Part 2

Demarco Newton

Grantham University

The cultural history of America is sometimes referred to as a "melting point," where many cultures have submerged together to create a new culture (Bryant, 2018). However, the Germans enjoy a more encapsulated culture that does have some cultural diversity, but not to the extent of what is represented in America. Due to this reason, we can easily find a very contrasting difference between Germany and the United States of America. When dealing with culture, you must address pre-conceived notions and stereotypes one may have before being immersed into the culture. As it pertains to Americans and Germans, many Americans see Germans as stern, rigid, and insensitive. Many Germans see Americans as boisterous, loud, privileged, and undisciplined.

The biggest and most noticeable difference that can be observed in both cultures is the difference in language. English is spoken widely in America and has been adopted as the world’s universal language. Most developed countries teach English in their curriculum, to students, at an early age. This prepares them for future business interactions with the western world. Germans feel immensely proud of using German in every mode of communication. German is not an easy language to learn and Germans are not particularly fond of Americans butchering their language, although, they appreciate the effort. It will be very important for our company to understand the language barriers and will need to translate their menus and other information in English, to cater to the American consumer.

The ways the two countries communicate are also different. Germans are more direct and will tell you exactly what is on their mind. They will also give you quick and honest feedback and have little regard for your personal sensitivity to criticism. Americans, on the other hand, are usually more diplomatic and often chose their words wisely when giving criticism, or feedback, both positive and negative. Other differences of note are the attitudes Germans have about religion and social conservatism. Germans are very free and liberal when it comes to things like sex, politics, and religion. They have little hang-ups about these issues and tend to live their lives by their own rules, free from criticism, or reprisal. This is a stark contrast to Americans, who are a little more reserved, and often feel pressured or judged when their behavior or morality is attacked.

Another difference exists in how the two countries foster business relationships. The Germans are perceived to be more data-oriented, whereas, Americans tend to values speed and profit (Nale Lehmann-Willenbrock, 2013). Also, one can easily notice the striking difference between the spending habits of both countries. The use of debit and credit cards is very normal in the United States, resulting in large amounts of personal debt. This habit is frowned upon in Germany. Germans prefer spending with cash and keeping their personal debt to a minimum. They prefer to spend the money they have on hand instead of borrowing or incurring credit card debt.

The opening of the Nordsee franchise in the U.S. can act as an agent of cultural exchange for both countries. The franchises of Nordsee will allow American people to experience German-style menus and flavors. In order for the company to run smoothly, it will become essential for Nordsee management to create a fusion of flavors for the US Consumer and create menu items that represent authentic German style of cooking with the hint of American flavors and spices in their dishes. They will also need to be able to effectively market the need for a healthier alternative to traditional American cuisine, which tends to be high in sugar and saturated fats.

Moreover, the opening of the franchise in the US will provide an opportunity for the Nordsee management team to learn about the work and employment culture of the United States which can help the company to observe business practices that are followed in the U.S. but are not common in Germany (Nale Lehmann-Willenbrock, 2013).

Nordsee is considered one of the largest fast-food outlets in Germany and many other parts of Europe. They offer a wide variety of food items to their customer. However, as per the initial strategy discussed in the initial proposal, the company will initially introduce products that are relatively healthy. Most of the items and products offered will revolve around sea food and plant-based foods that they may be advertised as a healthy alternative to the traditional high calorie fast food options (ESOMAR, 2019). The company will offer both dine-in and delivery services. The company will also offer a shipping option for those customers who want fresh food delivered directly to their doorstep that are in remote locations that do not have a local Nordsee restaurant. The items will be stored in a dry ice container and shipped directly to the consumer.

The Nordsee main market for its product launch and distribution will be the health and corporate sector, where people are looking to buy healthy, fresh, and delicious food in a limited amount of time. With the main food items of Nordsee being fish and salads, these items will surely help the company to grab the attention of customers looking for healthier options or those on a calorie-restrictive diet. Typically, to get quality seafood you would have to visit a restaurant which could take a large amount of time. Nordsee is bridging that gap by providing quality seafood with the expedience of fast food.

If we analyze the market of the USA, we will find that the food industry has been divided into two main categories. The first category deals with fine dine-in experience, which is expensive and costly. Due to the price factor of such food outlets, many people are not able to enjoy their services. On the other hand, we will find America's top fast-food brands, like McDonalds and KFC. These Franchises provide oversized serving at an incredibly low or nominal cost. However, recently many researchers and doctors have started blaming these outlets for the increasing obesity problems in the USA (ABC News, 2006). Moreover, many of the items that form the menu of these company are deep-fried, which adds a large amount of saturated fat to them.

To strategize our sales, we will need to compete with the second category of fast food outlets, which is the cost factor. The price will need to be adjusted in such a way that people will be willing to pay a little more for a better quality of food; without pricing themselves out of the fast food market. Customers should not find the Nordsee menu drastically more costly when compared to the menu of other fast-food giants. Providing healthy food with optimal prices can surely help Nordsee capture a significant ratio of the market.

References ABC News. (2006). McDonald's Blamed For Making Teens Fat. Retrieved from https://abcnews.go.com/: https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=129992&page=1 Nale Lehmann-Willenbrock, J. A. (2013). Observing Culture: Differences in U.S.-American and German Team Meeting Behavior. Psychology Faculty Publications. Nordsee. (2020). Nordsee- We are Fish . Retrieved from nordsee.com: https://www.nordsee.com/en/ Nordsee GmbH. (2020). Retrieved July 19, 2020, from Z-Info: https://www.zoominfo.com/c/nordsee-gmbh/346832210 Nordsee Menu. (2020). Nordsee Products and Menu. Retrieved from nordsee: https://www.nordsee.com/en/products/ Restaurant Industry to Reach Over $1 Trillion in Sales. (2019). Retrieved Julu 19, 2020, from https://www.specialtyfood.com/: https://www.specialtyfood.com/news/article/restaurant-industry-reach-over-1-trillion-sales/ TFAH.org. (2019). The State of Obesity - America . Retrieved July 19, 2020, from https://www.tfah.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019ObesityReportFINAL-1.pdf Zachary J. Ward, ,. S. (2019). Projected U.S. State-Level Prevalence of Adult Obesity and Severe Obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine, 381, 440-2450. doi:DOI: 10.1056/NEJMsa1909301