ACQUIRING RESOURCES
Producers and distributors seek out products, services, resources, and components from foreign countries-sometimes because domestic supplies are inadequate(as with crude oil shipped to the United States). They re also looking for anything that will create a competitive advantage. This may mean acquiring a resource that cuts costs, such as Rawlings's reliance on labor in Costa Rica. a country that hardly plays baseball-to produce baseballs.
Sometimes firms gain competitive advantage by improving product quality or differentiating products from those of competitors; in both cases, they're potentially increasing market share and profits. Most automobile manufacturers, for example, hire design companies in northern Italy to help with styling. Many companies establish foreign R&D facilities to tap additional scientific resources. They also learn while operating abroad, and they acquire product knowledge for entering new markets at home, such as what PepsiCo is doing order to enter the fast-growth U.S. yogurt market. Further, the diversity of employees and operations bring companies new perspectives