The economic level of a country is the single most important environmental element to which the foreign marketer must adjust the marketing task.

The stage of economic growth within a country affects

• the attitudes toward foreign business activity,
• the demand for goods,
• the distribution systems found within a country, and
• the entire marketing process.

In static economies

• consumption patterns become rigid, and marketing is typically nothing more than a supply effort.

In a dynamic economy,

• consumption patterns change rapidly. Marketing is constantly faced with the challenge of detecting and providing for new levels of consumption, and marketing efforts must be matched with ever-changing market needs and wants.