To select the appropriate market for a company's success, it is important to examine two factors which include environmental and corporate influences ( Lee and Carter, 2009, p220). An analysis of the international market environment is useful because it reduces risks and facilitates decision-making; this can be done through targeting. Targeting can be described as a business “a specific group of customers with a specialized and tailored marketing offering” (Lee and Carter, 2009, p199). Thus, before choosing a market, it is useful to assess environmental factors, including looking at overall micro and macro environments such as politics and international industry structures. At that time, the South African currency plunged to an all-time low against the US dollar and the British pound. (BBC News, 2018) This could have posed a potential challenge for Starbucks. (Fleisher & Bensoussan (2002). Yet despite the currency's fall, financial analysts such as Céleste Fauconnier said entering South Africa at the time provided an "easy business environment in which to work and with 'better infrastructure than some countries' (BBC News, 2018) Additionally, coffee consumption in South Africa reached an all-time high as consumers, particularly those in the middle and high income market, shifted to it. more upscale offerings (Holmes, 2018) from Statistics SA published in April, which shows that restaurant and cafe revenues increased by 5.3% year-on-year (Writer et al., 2018). So this is an attractive audience for Starbucks to implement. Say No to Plagiarism Essay Written on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned” Get Original Essay Market entry is “ the most important international marketing decision that [most companies] are likely to make” (Doole and Lowe, 1999). to market entry either a “cascade” or “shower” approach (Keegan, 1989: 30-1). Starbucks' entry into South Africa resembles the waterfall approach given that prior to this entry, Starbucks expanded into many advanced countries, including Europe and Asia. Additionally, there are different entry methods, direct or indirect. Starbucks' first step in entering the South African market was to enter into a licensing partnership with South African company Taste Holdings, founded by entrepreneur Carlo Gonzaga (Endeavour, 2018). “A partnership may be between two or more people/parties” (Sars.gov.za, 2018). This form of participation can be successful if the partners share the same objectives. This is one of the many reasons why the launch in South Africa was a success as Taste Holding and Starbucks were able to work together effectively due to their similar goals and morals (Endeavour, 2018). Although Starbucks has opened more than 22,000 outlets in more than 71 countries, the CEO was "amazed by the scene this week at its new store in an affluent Johannesburg suburb, where some customers had driven for two hours just to try the American brand of coffee.” (The Globe and Mail, 2018). This in turn demonstrated the success of the Starbucks partnership as a mode of entry. This form of market entry was also helpful for Starbucks, as partnering with a well-known brand in South Africa helped support the coffee chain's expansion. Research suggests that partnerships can accelerate the market; This, alongside the good brand image of Taste Holdings, being one of the leading licensors of food brands and.