Building Business Relationships in the Global Agro-chemical Sector: Opportunities and Obstacles across Strategic Distances between Germany, Switzerland and Japan

Abstract

The company consisting of several production sites in Finland, Switzerland and Germany where the headquarters are located is well established in Europe as well as the USA. One business unit located in Switzerland with its department "New Business Development" started to target second tier innovators in Japan in accordance with the overarching strategy of the company. The market in Japan is promising and therefore first contacts were made to prepare the establishment of business relationships. The goal of this bachelor thesis was to explore obstacles and opportunities which might arise during this venture and to develop recommendations how the department could handle them.