Strategic decisions for American and European industrial marketers in a unified European market

Abstract A survey was conducted of executives of industrial firms head-quartered in the United States and in Europe regarding the expected outcomes of the single European market (EC 92). A total of 102 respondents including chief executives and managers in a variety of industrial sectors responded to the survey. Surprisingly, few differences between U.S. and European executives were apparent. The majority of respondents expressed high levels of optimism regarding the potential effects of the single market. Some of the expected outcomes for industrial marketers include increased competitive activity, strong reliance on product quality, increased market segmentation and product differentiation, more standardized products, more equalized prices, and more efficient distribution.