Hise, RichardChoi, Young-Tae2019-09-252019-09-252011-02-282011-011941-5087http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12424/176517Whether to standardize or adapt marketing operations in international markets is the major decision companies marketing their products or services overseas need to make. This decision concerns firms beginning to market in foreign countries and those already operating internationally that are considering expanding into additional markets.Despite significant research on this topic over the last three decades, there are significant knowledge gaps that still persist: (1) do companies operating internationally favor a standardized or adaptive strategy, (2) is the level of standardization or adaptation consistent across the various elements of firms’ marketing mixes and (3) what are the internal and external factors that drive companies’ standardization/adaptation decision? A survey of 154 companies marketing food products internationally was conducted to address these issues. The results of this study call into question some of the most widelyaccepted notions concerning the deployment of firms’ standardization/adaptation strategies and the factors supposedly related to this decision for companies marketing non-durable consumer products internationally. Possible explanations for these surprising findings are offered as are recommendations as to what future research needs to be done so that a more insightful understanding of this important international topic can be achieved.engWith permission of the license/copyright holderbusiness ethicsdevelopment ethicssocial market economyEconomic ethicsBusiness ethicsEthics of economic systemsLabour/professional ethicsTechnology ethicsTrade ethicsArticle