A recent survey of CEOs of leading US consumer companies highlights the gap between the international goals that top managers espouse and the organizational approaches they choose in pursuing them. While success in global markets is an aspiration many share, creating the conditions for success cannot be reduced to a simple formula. In fact, some of the factors conventionally associated with success are found with equal frequency in both successful and less successful companies. These findings shed light on organizational features that do distinguish internationally successful companies—and others that simply fail to make the vital difference.

Top managers say international is important

Many overseas consumer markets have offered better growth in the past than the flat US domestic market. See Exhibit 1

Therefore, CEOs of US consumer companies believe that growth in international markets is increasingly the key to their companies' success. See Exhibit 2

Looking forward, US consumer companies expect international sales to grow at twice the rate of US sales over the next five years. See Exhibit 3

CEOs are committed to change

Many CEOs, however,...