front desk was parallel to the doors and road, and this was thought to lead
to wealth flowing out. Furthermore, the doors were facing northwest, which
easily let undesirable spirits in. The geomancer recommended design alter-
ations so that wealth could be retained and undesirable spirits kept out.^23Product inventionconsists of creating something new. It can take two forms, Back-
ward inventionis reintroducing earlier product forms that are well adapted to a for-
eign country’s needs. The National Cash Register Company reintroduced its
crank-operated cash register at half the price of a modern cash register and sold sub-
stantial numbers in Latin America and Africa. (This illustrates a good understanding
of the international product life cycle, where countries stand at different stages of
readiness to adopt a particular product.) Forward inventionis creating a new product
to meet a need in another country. There is an enormous need in less developed coun-
tries for low-cost, high-protein foods. Companies such as Quaker Oats, Swift, and
Monsanto are researching these countries’ nutrition needs, formulating new foods,
and developing advertising campaigns to gain product trial and acceptance. Toyota
produces vehicles, such as the Soluna in Thailand and the Toyota Utility Vehicle in
Indonesia, the Philippines, and Taiwan, which were specifically designed with the
help of local employees to suit the tastes of these markets.^24 In globalization’s latest
chapter 12
Designing
Global Market
Offerings^381