Ever since man first began sharing their local goods with other countries, global trade has kept the world connected. Unfortunately, while beneficial for all, it comes with some rather extreme challenges unlike any faced during local trade. From political upheavals to even simple cultural anomalies, the complexities have always restrained smaller companies from going global. That being said, modern technology is quickly making such challenges moot points.
International Complexities
As far as global trade is concerned, it’s all about the bottom line. All countries tend to abuse the system in their own ways as tariffs and fines for law breaking mean more money for the country. This has left many corporations at a loss as the probable financial loss has typically outweighed the potential gain. It’s only been the mega corporations that have had enough financial support to branch out globally.
Beyond the local rules and regulations that are ever changing, the cultures themselves are enough to bar expansion. Where local growth is easy because those of the same country share similar tastes, cultures on the other side of the globe may not feel the same way. This is why so many companies send out researchers to gauge interest before making a big investment. Even still, this type of research is a long, expensive process that could result in a negative answer, rendering the tests useless.
Finally, language remains a strong barrier. Those that are not multilingual have to turn to experts that are and even said experts may only know one of the languages of one of the countries you’re trying to break into, leading to the hiring of more language experts. As tempting as it might be to learn a language to skip this process entirely, there’s no way you’ll be able to learn all of the nuances of a language needed to truly understand the trappings of international paperwork, a problem that could potentially lead to financial ruin.
Software
The answer to all of this has been compressed into trading software. Now, there are teams of experts in both law and language that continually update databases for global trade. All companies need to do is pay for access to this software and they are met with continually updated trade documents that can be filed online, negating the older and more complex paperwork. From import export software to transportation options, everything has been made easier through automation.
Again, price is a huge factor. A team of experts does not come cheap and cheap software could lead to a bigger loss than simply going with a leading brand. That being said, it is evolved enough to be cost effective for smaller businesses. The rich corporations have helped test and evolve the product so that, now, it is ready to be consumed by the middle class companies. In the end, this means a more open world with better trade regulations from country to country.