Assignment5

WK 4 Assignment

Linda Dotson

Walden University

WK 4 Assignment

Discussion

The Coca Cola product issue affected most of the European countries and the African continent due to health safety concerns which were conveyed by the different governments. Belgium was the most affected country due to the fact that the Coca Cola product had already affected forty-two school children. Other countries such as French, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Luxembourg were affected by the product issue since they were concerned about the conditions and the health impacts of Coca Cola products (Gladwell, 1999). From an Intercultural Communication Consultant’s point of view, there are different approaches which could have been used by Coca Cola leaders to address the issue in order to minimize the impact on sale and improve customer satisfaction.

As an Intercultural Communication Consultant (ICC), I would emphasize the importance of cultural consideration when addressing the Coca Cola product issue. This would mean that the company leaders would be required to address the issues presented in the different countries separately. I.e. each of the countries which issued a call back on all Coca Cola products had different concerns about the products. Focusing on each country would enable the leaders to identify what issues needed to be corrected on the products so that they could meet the desires and needs of the consumers. This approach of finding product solutions for every country would improve the partnership between the company and the governments whereby they would work together in ensuring that product consumers receive the safest and best Coca Cola products and services. By doing this, the governments of the different countries would acknowledge the responsibility and accountability of the company and limit the restrictions they would have considered. This initiative would have minimized the impact of the product issue on sales since the safe products will still be allowed to circulate the market.

To execute this plan, leaders of Coca Cola will be required to undertake market research so that they can be able to determine the root cause of the problem and how many countries were affected by the contaminated product. This would require immediate action which will involve all of Coca Cola distributors and suppliers. The distributors and suppliers will be an important part of the market research since they can easily infiltrate the market and interact with most of Coca Cola products consumers. Their role will be to collect important information concerning consumer needs and preferences and share the information with the company leaders.

Coca Cola could handle a similar kind of issue by ensuring that there is adequate regional and cultural integration in the business model used in different countries. This will strengthen the partnership between the mother company and other businesses which deal with Coca Cola products. The company will ensure that it incorporates different elements of the national cultures in its corporate culture so that all the company’s operations and processes don’t contradict the cultural beliefs and values of the respective countries. The ICC will play an important role in ensuring that there is effective and fruitful interaction between the cultures of different countries and the corporate culture.

In relations to this, the comments of the former Coke CEO Robert Goizueta may not be fully correct. It is true that the business world will be the most significant institution in the future but it will not be the only global institution. This is because there will be global social institutions which will focus on other social and humanitarian agendas other than business. Besides this, more countries will opt to preserve their cultures necessitating the need to enhance the functions of the ICCs. I would recommend that the CEO, Doug Ivester would have appointed different ICCs for the respective countries which consumed Coca Cola products. This would have improved the communication between the market of each country and the company leaders. Each territory should also have had a regional leader or representative whose main role would be to listen to and address some of the concerns presented by the locals.

Coca Cola Company can also address a similar situation by enhancing corporate social responsibility. This is an important role which ensures that the company is directly involved in social development and environmental protection. The company should develop effective policies which guarantee the safety and wellness of the consumers as well as ensure that the company protects the rights of every consumer and stakeholder (Coca-Cola Company, 2018). This will assist the company in building stronger customer-supplier relationships in the respective countries since most people would want to be associated with the company and its products.

References

Malcolm Gladwell, (1999). From The New Yorker: Is the Belgian Coca-Cola hysteria the real thing? TALK OF THE TOWN

The Coca-Cola Company, (2018). Addressing Global Issues. Retrieved from https://www.coca-colacompany.com/our-company/addressing-global-issues