In the aftermath of World War II, the countries of the industrialized world engaged in an unprecedented round of institution-building, through which historical barriers to international trade, especially tariffs, came tumbling down. The GATT has reshaped the environment of world trade to such an extent that international trade flows have exploded. Even as global trade has become more integrated, however, a second round of institutions, regional rather than global, has emerged. The most recent and largest of the major regional institutions, NAFTA, was signed on December 17, 1992, and took effect in early 1994. This case examines the effect of this radically new institutional context on three different firms, each representing a different industry and country.

In April 1995, the Japanese yen hit a post-World War II high against the U.S. dollar. The yen's relentless ascent affected firms on both sides of the Pacific, but fell particularly hard on Japan's big four automakers. This case explores how endaka--or"high yen"--changes the competitive environment for the automakers and how they respond to the change. Examines how macroeconomic and political shifts can dramatically affect the competitive position of firms operating in a global economy. Also describes how firms can reshape their strategies to compete even in starkly different domestic environments.