单项选择题

In the Global Economy Most nations today — regardless of their degree of economic development or their political philosophies m recognize the importance of marketing. Indeed, economic growth in developing nations depends greatly on the ability to design effective marketing systems for their raw materials and industrial output. Today, a global marketplace is emerging. In many ( perhaps most ) national markets, companies for numerous countries compete aggressively. Consider the US market for example. Until the late 1970s, the United States provided a large domestic market for American firms, and there was no significant foreign competition in most industries in that market. But the picture changed dramatically through the 1980s as foreign firms improved their products and their marketing expertise, and then successfully entered the American market. Many imported products have achieved large sales m office equipment, autos, apparels, watches, semiconductors, and consumer electronics for example. As a result the United States has been running large annual trade deficits, meaning that imports greatly exceed exports. In the early 1980s, the competition facing US firms came primarily from Japanese companies. Later, companies in the four "Asian tigers" added to competitive pressures. In the 1990s, continuing competition from these Pacific Rim countries and regions will be augmented by a new challenge from Western Europe. Starting in 1992, the 12-nation European community will eliminate internal trade barriers and adopt uniform technical, financial, and marketing standards. A more integrated European Community will open major marketing opportunities for internationally minded US firms, but at the same time, it is expected to stiffen competition. More and more American firms — many large ones and even some rather small ones -- are moving into foreign markets. Many companies are concluding that achieving profit and growth objectives is most likely through a combination of domestic and international marketing rather than sole reliance on domestic marketing.

In the 1980s, foreign firms entered the American domestic market by offering their products at a price much lower than that of the products produced by American firms.