Global Business in Pakistan
New International Business Perspectives on Pakistan
Omar J. Khan
I
Lyn S. Amine
Executive Summary What image comes to mind when one thinks of Pakistan? Prior to the attacks of September 11, 2001, and the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan, many businesspeople had little information about this ancient land. Recently, Pakistan has come to the world’s attention as a powerful ally in the U.S.-led war against terrorism. Situated at the crossroads of the Middle East, Southeast Asia, China, and member nations of the former Soviet Union, Pakistan has long been a leading player in regional political and economic activity. This article presents some new perspectives on Pakistan as a market worthy of a closer look. We survey Pakistan’s history and geography, as well as its sociocultural, political-legal, economic, and competitive environments with a view to identifying new opportunities for foreign investors and global marketers. Current business trends and marketing opportunities are discussed, concluding with an outlook for future growth and development. Valuable insights are offered to businesspeople interested in doing business in Pakistan, a little-studied but vitally important newly industrializing country (NIC) and big emerging market (BEM). © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
INTRODUCTION
T
he purpose of our study of Pakistan is to assess business and marketing opportunities at the present time and in the future. We argue that Pakistan should be given a “second look” as a target for foreign direct investment (FDI) based on two important reasons: its internal market opportunities and its strategic significance as an export platform for doing business in other southwest Asian markets. The contribution of this article is a probing, honest, and detailed examination of a key big emerging market (BEM) from the point of view of strategic foreign direct investors and global marketing managers.
Omar J. Khan is a PhD student at Saint Louis University, currently in
Omar J. Khan
I
Lyn S. Amine
Executive Summary What image comes to mind when one thinks of Pakistan? Prior to the attacks of September 11, 2001, and the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan, many businesspeople had little information about this ancient land. Recently, Pakistan has come to the world’s attention as a powerful ally in the U.S.-led war against terrorism. Situated at the crossroads of the Middle East, Southeast Asia, China, and member nations of the former Soviet Union, Pakistan has long been a leading player in regional political and economic activity. This article presents some new perspectives on Pakistan as a market worthy of a closer look. We survey Pakistan’s history and geography, as well as its sociocultural, political-legal, economic, and competitive environments with a view to identifying new opportunities for foreign investors and global marketers. Current business trends and marketing opportunities are discussed, concluding with an outlook for future growth and development. Valuable insights are offered to businesspeople interested in doing business in Pakistan, a little-studied but vitally important newly industrializing country (NIC) and big emerging market (BEM). © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
INTRODUCTION
T
he purpose of our study of Pakistan is to assess business and marketing opportunities at the present time and in the future. We argue that Pakistan should be given a “second look” as a target for foreign direct investment (FDI) based on two important reasons: its internal market opportunities and its strategic significance as an export platform for doing business in other southwest Asian markets. The contribution of this article is a probing, honest, and detailed examination of a key big emerging market (BEM) from the point of view of strategic foreign direct investors and global marketing managers.
Omar J. Khan is a PhD student at Saint Louis University, currently in