I.

Cultural Analysis
I. Introduction
South Africa is a country on the southernmost tip of the African continent, bordering Namibia,
Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini, and Lesotho. The land was originally home to a
broad diversity of African tribes and peoples with varying languages and customs. The
colonization period of the 17th century onwards introduced a sizeable European population of
Dutch, English, French, and German settlers (among others). There were many social
consequences of colonization, including clear demarcations of inequality throughout society. For
example, the white Afrikaner and English minorities were politically, socially, and economically
privileged over the black, mixed-race, and Asian populations for years as part of the apartheid
system. Today, the nation is endeavoring to overcome these divides; recognition of legal equality
and fair distribution of resources is pushed to encourage unification. However, resentment and
underlying post-colonial attitudes have been hard to shake. South Africa remains socially divided
across lines in many ways.

II. Brief discussion of the country’s relevant history

Early South Africa

Over a hundred thousand years ago people in what is now South Africa lived by hunting
animals and gathering plants. They used stone tools. Then about 2,000 years ago people
in the west learned to herd sheep and cattle. About 200 AD people mixed farming
(growing crops as well as raising livestock) and iron tools were introduced into the east
of South Africa.
At the end of the 15th Century, the Portuguese sailed past the Cape of Good Hope.
However, it was not until 1652 that the Europeans founded a colony in South Africa. In
1652 the Dutch, led by Jan van Riebeeck founded a base where ships traveling to the Far
East could be supplied. In 1658 the Dutch imported slaves into South Africa. Meanwhile,
at first, the Europeans traded with the native people but they soon fell out. In 1658 they
fought their first war, the first of many.

Gradually the Dutch colony in South Africa expanded and from 1688 French Huguenots
(Protestants) arrived fleeing religious persecution. Slowly the native people were driven from
their land and in 1713 many died in a smallpox epidemic.

20th Century South Africa

The Boers finally surrendered in 1902 and the British annexed the Boer republics. In 1910 a
United South Africa was given a constitution. It became known as the Union of South Africa.

From the start, black people were very much second-class citizens in South Africa. Most lived in
tribal reserves and laws of 1913 and 1936 prevented them from owning land outside certain
areas. Most blacks were not allowed to vote. In 1912 black South Africans founded the South
African National Congress (later the ANC) but at first, they achieved little.
In 1914 South Africa joined the First World War against Germany. That year there was a
rebellion by the Boers, which was crushed. In 1918 Afrikaners (descendants of Dutch settlers)
founded a secret organisation called the Broederbond (brotherhood).

In 1939 South Africa joined the Second World War against Germany. However, some
Afrikaners opposed this decision.

In 1948 the National Party came to power in South Africa. The party introduced a strict policy of
apartheid (separateness). Whites and blacks were already segregated to a large degree. New laws
made segregation much stricter.

In 1966 Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd was assassinated but otherwise, South Africa was
quiet until 1976, although naturally, black resentment continued to simmer below the surface. n
Rioting began in Soweto on 16 June 1976. The riots spread and they continued into 1977.

In 1978 P W Botha became prime minister. He was determined to continue apartheid and in
1983 he introduced a new constitution with a tricameral parliament, with houses for whites,
coloreds, and Indians (with no representation for blacks). However, the new constitution pleased
nobody. Meanwhile, other countries were increasingly imposing economic sanctions on South
Africa and inside the country resistance to apartheid grew. In 1989 Botha was forced from office.

He was replaced by Willem de Klerk who in 1990 pledged to end apartheid. He also released
Nelson Mandela. De Klerk introduced a new constitution with rights for all. The first democratic
elections were held in April 1994 and in May 1994 Nelson Mandela was elected president. He
retired in 1999.

21st Century South Africa

In the early 21st century the economy of South Africa grew but recently it has slowed. South
Africa suffers from high unemployment. The country also suffers from widespread poverty.
However, tourism in South Africa is an important industry. South Africa is also rich in minerals.
In 2020 the population of South Africa was 59 million.

III. Geographical setting

A. Location
The country of South Africa is in the Africa continent and the latitude and longitude for the country
are 29.8191° S, 25.3499° E

The neighboring countries of South Africa are:

1. Botswana
2. Lesotho
3. Eswatini(Swaziland)
4. Zimbabwe
 B. Climate
Mean annual temperature for South Africa as a whole is 17.5 ℃, with average monthly
temperatures ranging between 22°C (December, January) and 11°C (June, July). Annual
precipitation is 469.9 mm, with highest rainfall occurring November to March, coupled with
extremely low precipitation occurring between June to August.

C. Topography
Most of South Africa's landscape is made up of high, flat areas called plateaus. These lands are
covered with rolling grasslands, called highveld, and tree-dotted plains called bushveld. To the east,
south, and west of the plateau lands is a mountainous region called the Great Escarpment.

IV. Social institutions

A. Family

The family in South Africa does not present uniform characteristics. It exhibits features that are
dissimilar in terms of structure, form, role and functions. It has also been assumed to produce
forms characteristic of different race and ethnic groups. Irrespective of these forms, changes are
manifest in the family. The colonial and apartheid legacies had a strong impact on family life in
the country. Ranging from industrialization to urbanization to labour migration there were crucial
and decisive factors that changed the way the family functions or had previously functioned.
Some of these changes are quite prominent and are found in the position of children and the roles
of mothers, fathers and grandparents. There have also been notable changes in fertility, which has
been low in relation to that of other sub-Saharan countries. Furthermore, there is evidence of the
emergence of new forms of the family.

1. The nuclear family

2. The extended family

3. Dynamics of the family

a. Parental roles

b. Marriage and courtship Female/male roles (changing or static?)

B. Education

Education in South Africa is governed by two national departments, namely the Department of Basic
Education (DBE), which is responsible for primary and secondary schools, and the Department of Higher
Education and Training (DHET), which is responsible for tertiary education and vocational training. Prior
to 2009, both departments were represented in a single Department of Education. Among sub-Saharan
African countries, South Africa has one of the highest literacy rates. According to The World Factbook -
Central Intelligence Agency as of 2019, 95% of the population age 15 and over can read and write in
South Africa were respectively literate.

The overall education budget is on average nearing the R300 billion mark. This is one of the largest
education budgets in the world, even by the standards of wealthier nations. In fact, there are very few
countries spending as much of their national budget as SA does on education.

1. the role of education in society

Education is a fundamental driver of personal, national and global development.

Investing in education is extremely important if you are a parent or even if you want to
further yourself professionally. It is unlikely that there is ever a point in anyone’s life
where learning and furthering yourself becomes unimportant or unnecessary. It is only
through education that people are able to improve themselves. One of the most important
factors for escaping from poverty is education.

The only way a society can continue to grow and prosper is through proper education at
all levels. Investing in education is not just the right thing to do, it is smart economics
because upon graduation, the end result will certainly pay out in dividends. This is where
paying off an education loan you might have taken becomes a good debt to have. Many
consumers are wary of obtaining an educational loan because it might place additional
financial stress on their budget and education is often overlooked in exchange for buying
a new vehicle or using the money to place a deposit on a home. This oversight might lead
to bad debt instead of being financially successful in the long term as the certification you
could have gained would have placed you in a better fiscal position down the road.

a. Primary education (quality, levels of development, etc.)

Elementary education in South Africa lasts seven years, and requires the completion of grades R (or
reception year, which is equivalent to kindergarten) through grade 6. This phase is further divided into
two parts, the foundation phase and intermediate phase. Students begin elementary school at six years
of age.

 The foundation phase consists of grades R through three, and focuses on subjects such as home
language, an additional language, mathematics, and life skills. There are in total between 23-25
hours per week taught in the classroom. The additional official language subject is introduced in
grade one.
 The intermediate phase includes grades four to six. The curriculum includes a home language,
an additional national language, mathematics, natural science and technology, social sciences,
and life sciences. Students in the intermediate phase attend classes 27.5 hours per week.

A number of achievement levels, ranging from 1 to 7, are used to evaluate students’ learning.
The lowest achievement level – level 1 – represents a failing grade denoted as “not achieved”,
whereas the highest achievement level 7 denotes “outstanding achievement.” These achievement
levels also correspond to a 0-100 percentage scale.
Assessment at the elementary level is conducted by each individual elementary school. There are
no national examinations, nor is there a formal qualification awarded at the end of the elementary
school cycle.

b. Secondary education (quality, levels of development, etc.)

Secondary education is administered through a network of previously mainly-white government

schools and private colleges. Standards are generally high. Unfortunately school fees and tuition
fees respectively debar the poorest from attending.
Secondary education in South Africa is six years in duration (grades 7 to 12), and is divided
into two phases, lower and upper secondary school.

 Lower secondary (also known as the “senior phase”) lasts through grade 9, and is
mandatory. Students typically begin lower secondary at age 12 or 13. The curriculum
for lower secondary school includes the home language, an additional language,
mathematics, natural science, social science, technology, economic and management
sciences, life orientation, and arts and culture. Students receive 27.5 hours of classroom
instruction per week.
 Upper secondary, also known as further education and training (FET), lasts
through grade 12, and is not compulsory. Entry into this phase requires an official
record of completion of grade nine. Just as in the intermediate and senior phases, this
phase comprises 27.5 classroom hours per week.

c. Higher education (quality, levels of development, etc.)

The higher education sector of South Africa had undergone a transformation which resulted in three types
of public higher education institutions- Technikons or Universities of Technology, Comprehensive
universities and Traditional Universities. South Africa has 24 state-funded higher education institutions:
11 universities, 6 universities of technology, and 6 comprehensive Universities. Higher education is also
provided at many of the private institutions in South Africa, which are registered with the Department of
Education to award specific degrees and diplomas.
The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) is in charge for higher education and
vocational training, along with Adult Basic Education and Training Centres (ABET) in South Africa. The
9 provinces in South Africa also hold their own educational departments, which carry out their policies
and guidelines of the national as well as local departments. 

South Africa is a home to some of the best Universities in Africa. Five of the 6 highest ranked
Universities in Africa are from South Africa. University of Cape Town and University of Witwatersrand
and University of Stellenbosch are the top three Universities in South Africa.  According to the Times
Higher Education World University Ranking, 2013-14, University of Cape Town holds 126th position in
World Ranking, University of Witwatersrand ranks between 226 and 250 and University of Stellenbosch
ranks between 301 and 350. 

Higher Education Institutions: Snapshot

There are three types of Public Universities in South Africa:

1. Traditional Universities: These Universities are academic in nature and offer Bachelor degree
programmes.
2. Technikons or Universities of Technology: These are vocational in nature and offer diplomas,
higher education certificates and degree programmes. 
3. Comprehensive Universities: These Universities offer academic as well as vocational courses of
study, and offer Bachelors degree and technology qualifications. 

Private Higher Education

The Higher Education Act of 1997 includes provisions that permit private higher education institutions in
South Africa to provide degree programmes. These institutions must be registered with the South African
Council on Higher Education (CHE) and accredited by the Higher Education Quality Committee
(HEQC). The private higher education sector developed quickly after the country’s first democratic
elections in 1994. By 2000 there were four major private higher education institutions in South Africa-

 Foreign institutions
 Colleges providing tuition-based distance learning courses/programmes
 Private vocational and technical institutions
 Lifelong learning centers established by private companies to train their workforce

Private universities emphasized on vocational courses and disciplines, and provide both degree and non-
degree programmes. 

Fields of Study: Technology, Management, Commerce, Computing, and Media

Higher Education Qualifications: A Quick Look

Following are the higher education qualifications in South Africa-

Bachelor’s Degree: A Bachelor degree programme in South Africa generally lasts for 3 years and BA,
Bcom, BSc are usually awarded. Certain professional areas, like medicine, engineering, law, fine arts, etc.
lasts for 4-6 years. 
Honors Degree: It requires one year of study following the regular 3-year bachelor’s degree. 

Master’s Degree: A Master degree programme lasts for 1-2 years and requires a completion of a thesis. 

Doctorate Degree: A Doctorate degree generally requires at least two years of study following the
master’s degree programme and a completion of a dissertation.

Admission Requirements

The admission requirements vary depending on the Institution and the Programme. To get into a Bachelor
degree program, a senior certificate is required, for a Master degree programme, an undergraduate degree
in a related course is needed and for a doctorate degree, a Master degree is required. Also, a strong
academic record is needed for admissions.
 
Courses in South Africa are generally taught in English, although it has 11 official languages, including
Afrikaans and Zulu, so it's better to check before applying.

Entrance Exams

In South Africa, Universities accept pupils on the basis of standardized test scores-

 National Senior Certificate Scores: The NSC is a school-leaving certificate in South Africa that
is required for admission to South African Higher education Institutions. It is also known as
“matriculation” (Matric) Certificate.  
 National Benchmark Tests (NBT): Students who wish to further their studies in Higher
Education Institutions in South Africa have to sit for a National Benchmark Test. The NBT is an
assessment for entry-level students to South African Institutions. 

2. Literacy rates

Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write
with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.

 South Africa literacy rate for 2019 was 95.02%, a 7.98% increase from 2017.
 South Africa literacy rate for 2017 was 87.05%, a 7.32% decline from 2015.
 South Africa literacy rate for 2015 was 94.37%, a 0.23% increase from 2014.
 South Africa literacy rate for 2014 was 94.14%, a 0.41% increase from 2012.

C. Political system

1. Political structure

South Africa is a parliamentary representative democratic republic, wherein the President of South Africa,
elected by parliament, is the head of government, and of a multi-party system.

2. Political parties

Complete list of registered political parties

  African Christian Alliance (ACA)
 African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP)
 African National Congress (ANC)
 African People's Convention (APC)
 Aljama
 Democratic Alliance (DA)
 Direct Democracy Forum
 Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)
 Freedom Front Plus (FF+)
 Herstigte National Party (HNP)
 Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)
 Minority Front (MF)
 People's Alliance
 South African Communist Party (SACP)
 United Christian Democratic Party (UCDP)

Other organisations

 Institute for Security Studies (ISS)

3. Stability of government
South Africa Political stability index (-2.5 weak; 2.5 strong)
 Latest value -0.71
 Reference 2021
 Measure points
 Source The World Bank
4. Special taxes

5. Role of local government

D. Legal system

1. Organization of the judiciary system

2. Code, common, socialist, or Islamic-law country?

3. Participation in patents, trademarks, and other conventions

4. Marketing Laws

E. Social organizations

1. Group behavior

2. Social classes
3. Clubs, other organizations

4. Race, ethnicity, and subcultures

F. Business customs and practices

V. Religion and aesthetics

A. Religion and other belief systems

1. Orthodox doctrines and structures

2. Relationship with the people

3. Which religions are prominent?

About 80% of South Africans are Christian, 15% have no religious affiliation and 5% are Muslim, Hindu,
Jewish or of other faiths.

4. Membership of each religion

5. Any powerful or influential cults?

B. Aesthetics

1. Visual arts (fine arts, plastics, graphics, public art, colors, etc.)

2. Drama, ballet, and other performing arts

3. Folklore and relevant symbols

VI. Living conditions

A. Diet and nutrition

South Africa is 'on course' to meet two targets for maternal, infant and young child nutrition
(MIYCN). No progress has been made towards achieving the target of reducing anaemia among
women of reproductive age, with 30.5% of women aged 15 to 49 years now affected.
Meanwhile, there has also been no progress towards achieving the low birth weight target, with
14.2% of infants having a low weight at birth. There is insufficient data to assess the progress
that South Africa has made towards achieving the exclusive breastfeeding target; however, the
latest prevalence data shows that 31.6% of infants aged 0 to 5 months are exclusively breastfed.
South Africa has made no progress towards achieving the target for stunting, with 21.4% of
children under 5 years of age affected, which is lower than the average for the Africa region
(30.7%). South Africa is 'on course' for the target for wasting, with 3.4% of children under 5
years of age affected, which is lower than the average for the Africa region (6.0%). The
prevalence of overweight children under 5 years of age is 11.6% and South Africa is 'on course'
to prevent the figure from increasing.

South Africa has shown limited progress towards achieving the diet-related non-communicable
disease (NCD) targets. The country has shown no progress towards achieving the target for
obesity, with an estimated 42.9% of adult (aged 18 years and over) women and 18.2% of adult
men living with obesity. South Africa's obesity prevalence is higher than the regional average of
20.7% for women and 9.2% for men. At the same time, diabetes is estimated to affect 14.3% of
adult women and 11.3% of adult men.

1. Meat and vegetable consumption rates

2. Typical meals

3. Malnutrition rates

4. Foods available

B. Housing

Traditional housing varied according to ethnic group. The Nguni and the Swazi lived in dispersed
households governed by chiefs, while the Sotho lived in villages and farmed on land outside the villages.
The Xhosa built their houses near the tops of ridges that overlooked local rivers, and the Ndebele
decorated their homesteads with colourful pictures and symbols. Zulu housing was centred around the
imizi (kraal), which consisted of a fence that enclosed a number of beehive-shaped one-room houses.

Local authorities have been responsible for public housing since the 1920s, although control over Black
housing reverted to the central government in 1971. A housing shortage existed and was somewhat
addressed through a massive program of township development in Black areas begun in the 1950s but
diminished in the 1970s. During the 1980s “site-and-service” schemes emerged to provide land equipped
with basic infrastructure for poorer, usually Black people around the cities to build upon, but the housing
crisis remained severe in the face of rapid population growth and urban migration. Housing policy since
the early 1990s has emphasized the joint roles of the public and private sectors; the government launched
an ambitious program of capital subsidies and loan guarantees in an effort to upgrade housing conditions
and assist all citizens in acquiring title to some form of shelter.

1. Types of housing available

2. Do most people own or rent?

3. Do most people live in one-family dwellings or with other families?

C. Clothing

1. National dress

2. Types of clothing worn at work

D. Recreation, sports, and other leisure activities

1. Types available and in demand

2. Percentage of income spent on such activities

E. Social security

F. Health care

There is a two-tier healthcare system in South Africa with a large subsidized public sector and a small,
but very high quality, private sector. With significant funding and the best specialists going to the private
sector, there is a major gap between public and private healthcare facilities in much of the country. This
means that while reduced price healthcare is on offer to the lowest earners in the public sector, it is still
highly advisable for expats to take out a private plan.

Healthcare in South Africa is administrated by the Department of Health. Around 80% of the population
uses public healthcare, with the wealthiest 20% opting for private healthcare.

South Africa ranks 49th out of 89 countries on the 2019 Global Healthcare Index. It is the highest-ranked
African country, although it ranked below countries such as India, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines.
According to 2018 figures, life expectancy is 61.1 years for men and 67.3 years for women (below the
global averages of 67 years and 71.1 years respectively). Its infant mortality rate has declined to 36.4 per
1,000 live births; this is above the World Health Organization (WHO) global average of 29 per 1,000
births.

VII. Language

A. Official languages

1. Zulu (isiZulu)

Number of speakers: 27.3 million 

Language family: Bantu

Language sub-family: Nguni

Topping our list of official South African languages is a language called Zulu, spoken most prominently
in the KwaZulu-Natal province. This is a language of the Nguni, an ethnic group that makes up almost
two-thirds of South Africa’s Black population. Specifically, Zulu is spoken by Central and North Nguni
peoples. 

Notable features

 Zulu is South Africa’s most widely spoken language

 It borrows a lot of vocabulary from English and Afrikaans

2. Xhosa (isiXhosa)
Number of speakers: 19.1 million 

Language family: Bantu

Language sub-family: Nguni

Next up is Xhosa. You’ll find the most Xhosa speakers in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province. Xhosa
has a variety of dialects, the standard being Ngqika. Like Zulu, it is a Nguni language.

Notable features

 Very similar to Zulu

 Uses click consonants

3. Afrikaans

Number of speakers: 17.2 million 

Language family: Indo-European

Language sub-family: Low Franconian

The third most widely used language in South Africa is Afrikaans, a derivative of a dialect of Dutch. 

Afrikaans started being used in South Africa under Dutch colonization. It’s the majority language in the
Northern Cape and Western Cape provinces. This language is also known as Cape Dutch.  

Notable features

 Afrikaans is a simplified version of Dutch at its core

 It has influences from languages like Malay, Indonesian and Portuguese
 It is considered to be a partially creole language

4. English

Number of speakers: 15.9 million 

Language family: Indo-European

Language sub-family: West Germanic

Despite being way down in fourth place on our list, English is a language of media, business and
government in South Africa. The majority of English speakers are found in the Western Cape province,
followed by Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

English arrived in South Africa in the late 18th century with the British occupation of the Cape of Good
Hope, which had previously been colonized by the Dutch. By 1822, it was the official language of the
Cape. 
Notable features

 South African English is heavily influenced by other South African languages

 It is also influenced by the languages of countries that were colonized by the Dutch, British and
Portuguese, such as Malaysia and India

5. Sesotho sa Leboa (Northern Sotho)

Number of speakers: 13.8 million

Language family: Bantu

Language sub-family: Sotho-Tswana

Sesotho sa Leboa is also sometimes known as Sepedi, which is the language’s main dialect. It’s part of
the Sotho-Tswana language sub-family and is most widespread in the province of Limpopo, in the north
of the country (Leboa means north), and in the Mpumalanga province.

Notable features 

 Sesotho sa Leboa doesn’t use articles with its nouns

 It has an abundance of proverbs and idiomatic expressions
 It was first converted to writing by Berlin missionaries

6. Setswana

Number of speakers: 11.8 million

Language family: Bantu

Language sub-family: Sotho-Tswana

The majority language of the North West province and also widely spoken in the Northern Cape,
Setswana belongs to the Sotho-Tswana language sub-family. Setswana is also an official language of
Botswana.

Notable features 

 It’s closely connected to Northern Sotho (Sesotho sa Leboa) and Sesotho (Southern Sotho)
 A slang dialect known as Pretoria Setswana is used in the city of Pretoria in the nearby Gauteng
province

7. Sesotho (Southern Sotho)

Number of speakers: 11.8 million

Language family: Bantu

Language sub-family: Sotho-Tswana

Sesotho, aka Southern Sotho, is part of the Sotho-Tswana language sub-family. It’s also one of the
official languages of the Kingdom of Lesotho, an independent nation located inside South Africa. 

Notable features

 Sesotho was one of the first African languages to be written down

 It has 35 consonants
 Its nine vowels are represented by five letters 
 Every Sesotho word ends with a vowel or “ng” 
 It uses click consonants for certain words

8. Xitsonga (Tsonga)

Number of speakers: 5.7 million

Language family: Bantu

Language sub-family: Tswa-Ronga

Part of the Tswa-Ronga sub-family, Xitsonga is found primarily in Limpopo and Mpumalanga. It’s also
spoken in the neighboring countries of Mozambique and Zimbabwe. 

Notable features

 Xitsonga was first written in the late 19th century by Swiss missionaries
 It has whistled sibilant sounds

9. siSwati (Swazi)

Number of speakers: 3.7 million

Language family: Bantu

Language sub-family: Nguni

siSwati, aka Swazi, is a Nguni language primarily spoken in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province. It’s
also the national language of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), a small nation surrounded by South African
countries. This Nguni language is nowhere near as widespread as the others on our list.

Notable features

 The siSwati in the far south part of the country has a lot of Zulu influence and is considered non-
standard
 The Mpumalanga version is closer to standard, but word stress and intonation differ, having less
harmonious sounds 
  The dialect that’s spoken in the center and northern parts of Eswatini is considered the most
prestigious, with a “royal style of slow, heavily stressed enunciation”

10. Tshivenda (Venda)

Number of speakers: 2.9 million

Language family: Bantu

Language sub-family: Sotho-Makua-Venda

Tshivenda, also known as Venda, is in the Sotho-Makua-Venda sub-family of languages. It’s mainly used
in the province of Limpopo. You’ll also find some Venda speakers in neighboring Zimbabwe. 

Notable features

 This language has several different dialects; the standard dialect is called Tshipani
 While it’s based on the Latin alphabet, Tshivenda has five extra accented letters
 There are seven vowel sounds represented by five letters

11. Ndebele

Number of speakers: 2.5 million

Language family: Bantu

Language sub-family: Nguni

This Nguni language has the lowest number of speakers in the country; the majority are found in the
Mpumalanga province. 

Notable features

 Ndebele’s vowel system doesn’t use diphthongs 

B. Spoken versus written language(s)

C. Dialects

VIII. Executive summary

IX. Sources of information

X. Appendixes

II. Economic Analysis Guideline

I. Introduction
II. Population
A. Total

1. Growth rates

2. Number of live births

3. Birthrates

B. Distribution of population

1. Age

2. Sex

3. Geographic areas (urban, suburban, and rural density and concentration)

4. Migration rates and patterns

5. Ethnic groups

III. Economic statistics and activity

A. Gross national product (GNP or GDP)

1. Total 2. Rate of growth (real GNP or GDP)

B. Personal income per capita

C. Average family income

D. Distribution of wealth

1. Income classes

2. Proportion of the population in each class

3. Is the distribution distorted?

E. Minerals and resources

F. Surface transportation

1. Modes

2. Availability

3. Usage rates

4. Ports

G. Communication systems
1. Types

2. Availability

3. Usage rates

H. Working conditions

1. Employer-employee relations

2. Employee participation

3. Salaries and benefits

I. Principal industries

1. What proportion of the GNP does each industry contribute?

2. Ratio of private to publicly owned industries

J. Foreign investment

1. Opportunities? \

2. Which industries?

K. International trade statistics \

1. Major exports

a. Dollar value

b. Trends

2. Major imports

a. Dollar value

b. Trends

3. Balance-of-payments situation

a. Surplus or deficit?

b. Recent trends]

4. Exchange rates

a. Single or multiple exchange rates?

b. Current rate of exchange

c. Trends

L. Trade restrictions

1. Embargoes

2. Quotas

3.Import taxes

4. Tariffs

5. Licensing

6. Customs duties

M. Extent of economic activity not included in cash income activities writing guide

1. Countertrades

a. Products generally offered for countertrading

b. Types of countertrades requested (i.e., barter, counter purchase, etc.)

2. Foreign aid received

N. Labor force

1. Size

2. Unemployment rates

O. Inflation rates

IV. Developments in science and technology

A. Current technology available (computers, machinery, tools, etc.)

B. Percentage of GNP invested in research and development

C. Technological skills of the labor force and general population writing guide

Channels of distribution (macro analysis)

A. Retailers

1. Number of retailers

2. Typical size of retail outlets

3. Customary markup for various classes of goods

4. Methods of operation (cash/credit)

5. Scale of operation (large/small)

6. Role of chain stores, department stores, and specialty shops

B. Wholesale middlemen

1. Number and size

2. Customary markup for various classes of goods

3. Method of operation (cash/credit)

C. Import/export agents

D. Warehousing

E. Penetration of urban and rural markets

VI. Media

A. Availability of media

B. Costs

1. Television

2. Radio

3. Print

4. Other media (cinema, outdoor, etc.)

C. Agency assistance

D. Coverage of various media

E. Percentage of population reached by each of the media

VII. Executive summary

VIII. Sources of information

IX. Appendixes

III. Market Audit and Competitive Market Analysis

I. Introduction

II. The product

A. Evaluate the product as an innovation as it is perceived by the intended market writing guide

1. Relative advantage

2. Compatibility

3. Complexity

5. Observability

B. Major problems and resistances to product acceptance based on the preceding evaluation III. The

market

A. Describe the market(s) in which the product is to be sold

1. Geographical region(s)

2. Forms of transportation and communication available in that (those) region(s)

3. Consumer buying habits

a. Product-use patterns

b. Product feature preferences

c. Shopping habits

4. Distribution of the product

a. Typical retail outlets

b. Product sales by other middlemen

5. Advertising and promotion

a. Advertising media usually used to reach your target market(s)

b. Sales promotions customarily used (sampling, coupons, etc.)

6. Pricing strategy

a. Customary markups

b. Types of discounts available

Compare and contrast your product and the competition’s product(s)

1. Competitor’s product(s)

a. Brand name
b. Features

c. Package

2. Competitor’s prices

3. Competitor’s promotion and advertising methods

4. Competitor’s distribution channels

C. Market size

1. Estimated industry sales for the planning year

2. Estimated sales for your company for the planning year

D. Government participation in the marketplace

1. Agencies that can help you

2. Regulations you must follow

IV. Executive summary

V. Sources of information

VI. Appendixes

IV. Preliminary Marketing Plan

I. The marketing plan

A. Marketing objectives

1. Target market(s) (specific description of the market)

2. Expected sales

3. Profit expectations

4. Market penetration and coverage

B. Product adaptation or modification

1. Core component

2. Packaging component

3. Support services component

C. Promotion mix
1. Advertising

a. Objectives

b. Media mix

c. Message

d. Costs

2. Sales promotions

a. Objectives

b. Coupons

c. Premiums

d. Costs

3. Personal selling

4. Other promotional methods

D. Distribution: From origin to destination

1. Port selection

a. Origin port

b. Destination port

2. Mode selection: Advantages/disadvantages of each mode

a. Railroads

b. Air carriers

c. Ocean carriers

d. Motor carriers

3. Packing

a.

Marking and labeling regulations

b. Containerization

c. Costs
4. Documentation required

a. Bill of lading

b. Dock receipt

c. Air bill

d. Commercial invoice e. Pro forma invoice

f. Shipper’s export declaration

g. Statement of origin

h. Special documentation

5. Insurance claims

6. Freight forwarder

E. Channels of distribution (micro analysis)

1. Retailers

a.

Type and number of retail stores

b. Retail markups for products in each type of retail store

c. Methods of operation for each type (cash/credit)

d. Scale of operation for each type (small/large)

2. Wholesale middlemen

a. Type and number of wholesale middlemen

b. Markup for class of products by each type

c. Methods of operation for each type (cash/credit)

d. Scale of operation (small/large)

3. Import/export agents

4. Warehousing

a. Type

b. Location
F. Price determination

1. Cost of the shipment of goods

2. Transportation costs

3. Handling expenses

a. Pier charges

b. Wharfage fees

c. Loading and unloading charges

5. Customs duties

6. Import taxes and value-added tax

7. Wholesale and retail markups and discounts

8. Company’s gross margins

9. Retail price

G. Terms of sale

1. EX works, FOB, FAS, C&F, CIF

2. Advantages/disadvantages of each

H. Methods of payment

1. Cash in advance

2. Open accounts

3. Consignment sales

4. Sight, time, or date drafts

5. Letters of credit

II. Pro forma financial statements and budgets

A. Marketing budget

1. Selling expense

2. Advertising/promotion expense

3. Distribution expense
4. Product cost

5. Other costs

B. Pro forma annual profit and loss statement (first year and fifth year)

III. Resource requirements

A. Finances

B. Personnel

C. Production capacity

IV. Executive summary

V. Sources of information

VI. Appendixes