在全球经济一体化的激烈竞争格局中，中国正处在前所未有的经济与产业结构调整与转型的关键时期。在加入世贸组织的进程中，我国对外经贸与国际经贸接轨的客观要求，极大地推动了我国对外贸易与经济合作的发展。为了能让读者了解国际商务的基础知识，把握国际商务领域的新动态，我们从国外学术界的此类研究中选取了一些材料编译了这本《国际商务合作》，希望能满足广大读者的需要。 本书分为国际直接投资、反向贸易、国际服务、国际知识产权保护和国际技术转让五部分，这些都是国际商务合作的主要形式，在国家间经济来往中频繁使用。在本书的编译过程中，为了尽量保持原作的风格和思路及便于读者更好地理解，编者从当地选取了一些案例、图表和统计数字。

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Implementing International Countertrade

Despite political and economic reforms in the Easternbloc and in many developing countries, countertrade promisesto be a significant tool for consummation international transactions. It is unlikely that these countries will find all the foreign exchange they need to finance their restructuring programs. Thus, international managers need to develop acountertrade plan within their overall international marketingplan. A method to identify and take advantage of countertrade opportunities also needs to be developed.

There are many facts to establish a countertrade strategy. One of the perplexing problems is that countertradetakes on so many forms. Despite the potential confusion,the clear evidence that countertrade arrangements aregrowing means that they can be more innovative. Managerscan develop new types of countertrade arrangements to fitthe particular deal being negotiated. Any previously developed typology should not constrain the executor of countertrade.

Firms have a considerable choice of countertrade intermediaries including specialized countertrading companies,switch traders, or barter merchants. Specialized countertrading companies can put together countertrade transactions for their clients and use the leverage of a trading company for clients. Switch traders facilitate countertrade transactions by identifying and bringing parties together. Bartermerchants buy goods from corporations for trade creditsrather than cash. An information system that gathers datapertinent to countertrade transactions is necessary for firmsthat are active countertrader. It is necessary to know whichfirms or countries have goods to sell or buy. Also, the motives and policies of countertrade participants need to becontinuously monitored.

Countertraders need to consider the product, promotion, pricing, and distribution tactics necessary to supportthe deal. For instance, what level of product quality is acceptable to the firm?

A firm that believes countertrade is an opportunity toIncrease profits or obtain astronomical returns on investmentmay be disappointed. Countertrade deals are difficult tomeasure using traditional indicators of success for two reasons. First, countertrade typically involves a long timeframe and, therefore, does not lend itself to typical yearlydeterminations of performance. Second, countertrade transactions can strain company resources, tremendous negotiations and cost can be involved in switching products, transportation, and storage of products, not to mention the possibility of unsold goods.