IKEA Sells a Portable Workbench Called the Fahrtfull

question 172

Multiple Choice

IKEA sells a portable workbench called the Fahrtfull.The product has many positive features,and in German or Swedish markets,the name describes the product's features well (fahrt meaning travel) .This brand name in the United States,however,may not be as effective due to

• A)disappointment when the product fails to perform as the brand name implies.
• B)the poor attempt at humor,which makes consumers question product quality.
• C)governmental restrictions on brand names that read or sound like bodily functions.
• D)its unfavorable phonetic and semantic associations in English.
• E)difficulty in showing "fahrtfull" in German and Swedish advertising.

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Definitions:

Organic Chemicals

Compounds primarily made of carbon atoms bonded together, along with hydrogen, oxygen, and other elements, used in a wide array of industrial and consumer products.

Geocentric Staffing Model

The geocentric staffing model puts parent-country, host-country, and third-country nationals all in the same category, with the firm attempting to always hire the best person available for a position.

International Corporation

A corporation that operates in multiple countries, managing production or delivering services across national borders.

Agency Problems

Issues that arise in a corporation due to conflicts of interest between those who manage the company (agents) and those who own it (principals).