Bob is the owner and operator of a medium-sized grocery store that has been in his family for more than 40 years. Currently his business is flourishing, primarily because it has an established customer base in a busy part of town. Also, Bob is a good manager. He considers himself to be highly knowledgeable about his business, having continuously adapted to the changing times. For example, he recently expanded his business by putting in a full-service deli. His philosophy is that by continuously providing customers with new products and services, he will always have a satisfied customer base to rely on. At a management seminar he attended last year, the hot topic was globalization and the impact of technology on going global. He has also been bombarded by the many television ads and mailers regarding the opportunities available in international markets. For the most part, Bob doesn’t think that globalization is an issue with his business, as he doesn’t even intend to expand outside the city. Furthermore, he feels that the Internet has no applications in his branch of the retail industry and would simply be a waste of time. 

Question

1. Is Bob correct in his assessment of how globalization will impact his business? 

2. Can you think of any global applications that Bob could profit from? 

3. How could Bob's business be negatively impacted by both technology and globalization if he does not keep on top of these developments?