Global Research Institute of International Trade

Research | Strategize | Connect

Connecting SMEs to Global Markets! Practice & Policy

The Global Research Institute of International Trade, LLC (GRIIT) is a privately-held, innovative, award-winning international trade consulting firm and think-tank. We are dedicated to empowering small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in minimizing risks and maximizing opportunities in the global market. 

We also work with government entities in the areas of trade policy analysis and effective implementation. 

We help diverse clients from the US and globally enter, expand, and compete in global markets across North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Africa.

Our primary services include:

 

  • Customized market research,
  • Market analysis and selection,
  • Export readiness assessments,
  • Trade facilitation and capacity building,
  • Market entry strategy and implementation,
  • Competitiveness studies,
  • Trade policy analyses, and
  • Training.

About Us

Your partner in market analysis and strategy for global trade competitiveness!

GRIIT is a privately held US-based firm headquartered in the West Los Angeles region, which is known for its cultural diversity. The West Los Angeles is also situated 34 miles from the largest port in the United States–Port of Los Angeles. The region is home to major movie studies (Fox, Paramount, and Sony), top universities (UCLA, Loyola Marymount), and the digital media/tech hub of Silicon Beach. Companies throughout the region have a significant global presence.

Founded in 2013, GRIIT is an award-winning business well known for providing companies with the tools necessary to expand to and compete in the global market over the long term. GRIIT was awarded the Certificate of Entrepreneurship by SCORE Greater Los Angeles. GRIIT also received the 2023 Global Innovation and Excellence Award by the Global Chamber for its “global impact and success.” 

Our international network consists of consultants and partners in the public, private, and higher education sectors throughout more than 30 countries around the world who bring over 20 years of extensive knowledge and expertise. As a result, GRIIT has the advantage of providing professional services to SMEs across a variety of industries including, but not limited to, ag-tech, agri-business, food manufacturing, cosmetics, engineering products and services, legal services, and edtech.

GRIIT is built on five key pillars–team-oriented, thoroughness, timeliness, transparency, and trust.

We succeed when the world knows your business! 

Our Mission

GRIIT is an innovative think-tank and consulting firm dedicated to empowering public and private organizations in minimizing risks and maximizing opportunities. Our mission revolves around facilitating social impact by assisting clients with customized market research, conducting comprehensive trade policy analyses, and developing strategic solutions. At GRIIT, we understand the significance of our clients’ social objectives. By leveraging our expertise, they can make informed decisions and channel their investments towards enhancing products or services, enabling global expansion, and making a positive difference in the lives of others.

Our President and CEO

A woman in yellow jacket smiling for the camera.Sarita D. Jackson, PhD is the founder, president, and CEO of the Global Research Institute of International Trade, LLC (GRIIT). She is also a certified global business professional (CGBP), a credential that demonstrates competency and professionalism in global business management, global marketing, supply chain management, and trade finance. The credential is offered by the National Association of Small Business International Trade Educators (NASBITE).

As a former tenured associate political science professor at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC, Dr. Jackson traveled to countries, such as Chile and Argentina, to study their trade policies and trade relations with the United States. Furthermore, she received a Fulbright Scholar/Lecture Award to the Dominican Republic, during which she researched the US-Dominican trade negotiations in the area of textiles and apparel, as well as agriculture. 

Her research has been published in top scholarly, peer-reviewed academic journals such as the Cambridge Review of International Affairs

Dr. Jackson also served as a consultant for an Arlington, VA-based firm. During this time, she traveled to and advised governments and the private sector throughout the Southern Africa and Eastern Caribbean regions on leveraging trade agreements to compete globally. 

Her most recent book, International Trade in Services: Effective Practice and Policy, was published by Routledge Taylor and Francis Group in 2021.

Dr. Jackson has been a TEDx speaker and taught university-level courses for business schools domestically and internationally.

She received her B.A. degree in broadcast journalism and Spanish from the University of Southern California and earned a Ph.D. in political science (emphasis on international political economy) from Brown University. She is fluent in English and Spanish.

Because of Dr. Jackson’s extensive knowledge and expertise, she remains a sought-after speaker and trainer for events organized by government agencies, universities, and other organizations.

Our Global Partners

Niyi Sanusi is our Nigerian Country Leader who assists businesses with legal matters, especially as they pertain to doing business in Nigeria. Mr. Sanusi is the managing partner of Throne Legal Associates based in Lagos, Nigeria. He is an erudite advocate, scholar, and barrister.

Partner Organizations

Our Services

Our primary services entail one-on-one consulting, which includes customized market research, market analysis and selection, export readiness assessments, competitiveness studies, trade facilitation and capacity building, market entry strategy development, and strategy implementation; trade policy research and analyses; and educational services via company-level training and on-line courses.  

One-on-One Consulting

Our team meets with clients to first assess their capabilities and capacity to export a product or service as a part of our detailed export readiness assessment

Next, the team provides the client with a customized market research report that identifies the best overseas market for their product or service and that aligns with the client’s resources and capabilities.

Finally, our team works with the clients to build the firm’s trade capacity, develop an appropriate competitiveness strategy, outline an 18-month roadmap to get started, and provide the tools and resources necessary to effectively execute a sound international trade strategy. 

This consultant-client collaboration turns insight into action.

 

Online Courses

Our online courses are designed to walk participants through the export process. Our main course addresses an overlooked aspect of international trade exporting a service. By the end of our courses, students will have a preliminary export plan from which to build toward starting the export process. 

Our courses are based on over 15 years of designing, teaching, and enhancing courses on international trade from the business, economic, and policy perspectives. These courses have been taught at a variety of institutions in the United States and overseas.

Trade Policy Research

Our team of experts have formal training in qualitative research methods, research design, and analysis of trade statistics at the country and firm levels. 

As a result, our analyses of the trade policies put forth at the domestic and international levels have been published in academic journal articles, trade publications, and books. These analyses focus on the impact of bilateral, regional, cross-regional, and multilateral trade agreements and trade programs on the competitiveness of sectors, industries, individual businesses and the larger economies in the global marketplace. Examples include our focus on the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), and the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA). 

Workshops and Training

We provide hands-on, interactive training in-person and virtually to business owners, executives, and representatives; students; and non-profit organizations. Our workshops can be customized to fit the needs of your organization and audience. Examples of past workshops have focused on conducting market research for global expansion, using international trade statistical databases, developing a sound global business plan, trade agreements and programs, and exporting goods and services.

 

Online Course

The Basic of Exporting Services

This course offers students a practical step-by-step guide to delivering a professional service to consumers based in overseas markets.

Special emphasis is placed on how to identify global market opportunities, selecting the right market for a firm’s services. 

Introduction to Exporting

We begin our journey into exporting a service by first understanding the importance of bringing services trade to the forefront of our discussions about international trade practices, strategies, and policies. Next, you will understand how the course is structured and what this course means for your global business goal

Planning & Preparation

At this step, we will walk through the steps of building a sound export plan to identify market opportunities, select the best market for a firm and its services, connecting with funding resources, ensuring payment, and using e-commerce and other forms of digital technology.

Bonus Material

Now, that we have gained the tools to develop a sound services-based export plan, let’s begin the process of finding contract and grant opportunities. This section offers us more in-depth insight into bidding on contracts and writing a grant for federal government funding.

International Trade Overview

Next, on this journey, we gain insight into the export of a service from a historical and contemporary overview. Then, we move toward examining the current trends in the global export of services and foreign direct investment in services.

Policies & Competitive Advantages

The final step of our journey will emphasize the role that trade policies and institutions have in shaping a firm’s ability to compete in any given market around the world. More specifically, we gain deep insight into leveraging the opportunities presented by preferential trade agreements (e.g., US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)) and preferential trade programs (e.g., African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA)). We will also look at policies set by the World Trade Organization (WTO) to promote cross-border trade in services and promote fair trade practices.

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to access, simple tools to find the appropriate export market opportunities for any given professional service.

Research

US and non-US based firms save time, money, energy, and frustration during the global expansion process with our research and strategy development. Our research, analyses, and insight have been used by firms from various sectors and industries to assess their own resources and capabilities for expansion, find the best market for their products or services, and guide a targeted competitive strategy in the overseas market.

These companies start the export process correctly while minimizing costly errors and using resources wisely. As a result, company resources can be invested into enhancing the company’s product/service and building its international trade capacity.

Additionally, public and private sector organizations gain practical insight into international and domestic-level trade policies. More specifically, GRIIT researchers examine the opportunities and challenges of trade agreements and programs (e.g., US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA)) for national economies, industries, communities around the globe, and individual firms.

Our clients benefit from customized market research and policy analyses that are based on primary data collection and trade statistical analysis.

Books

Dr. Sarita Jackson

Dr. Sarita Jackson

Author

International Trade in Service: Effective Practice and Policy

It's Not Just the Economy, Stupid! Trade Competitiveness in the 21st Century

Consulting

Whereas others focus on the what, GRIIT focuses on the why and how!

Our Approach

GRIIT relies on scholarly research to provide simple, yet sound, solutions for business associations, business owners, organizations and universities eager to compete in the global economy.

Approach

Individual clients benefit from a research-based analysis of their companies to determine the best market opportunities for their products and/or services, identify their competitive edge, understand the players in the same market, and develop the most appropriate strategy to enter these markets.

Impact

 Clients in a various industries, such as food manufacturing, who have worked with GRIIT have commented that our targeted approach has saved them the frustration and energy of sifting through and trying to comprehend a lot of complex, oftentimes unrelated data; the time trying to figure things out during the export process; and money associated with making costly errors. Savings in these areas–frustration/energy, time, money–has allowed GRIIT clients to focus on what matters–manufacturing their product and building the right team.

Deliverables

With the help of several GRIIT researchers and a main advisor, clients receive a customized export-market analysis and strategy recommendations for entering those markets, among other firm-level data. Clients starting out with a long-term strategy in mind early on in the process benefit from additional GRIIT resources and contacts to actually guide them through the implementation phase of that strategy.

Our Methods

An Intake Questionnaire is available for potential individual clients, such as business owners and representatives for a company, who are interested in GRIIT’s services to complete and submit. This information helps the main adviser to determine the best short, medium and long-term approach to meet the potential client’s needs.

Connect With Us

GRIIT offers first-time potential clients a complimentary exploratory session, during which a consultant and the potential client will discuss the latter’s interests and needs based on answers provided in the Intake Questionnaire, identify areas where GRIIT can assist, and present an action plan. Request for a follow-up exploratory session after the complimentary session will require a minimal fee per hour that must be paid upfront. Should the potential client decide to move forward by signing a retainer agreement, he/she can use the follow-up session fee as a credit toward the deposit to retain GRIIT’s services. Click here to schedule your complimentary consultation today.

Trade Tips

Trade On Tuesday @2!

Insight into trade policy and strategy by GRIIT President and CEO Sarita D. Jackson, PhD and our network of trusted advisors (university professors, management consultants, and international business attorneys, among others) Watch all Trade on Tuesdays@2 episodes with key tips.

Testimonials

{“I have gained invaluable knowledge and experience in policy research, writing trade briefs, and blog posts, as well as how to conduct myself as a working professional….The maturing I have experienced academically, professionally and personally will be of inestimable importance as I pursue my ambitions in any arena of life.”
A man smiling for the camera under an arbor.
5
Jordan Victor
 Research Intern,  GRIIT (as quoted on LinkedIn)
{“It is clear from her depth and breadth of knowledge that she is an expert in her field. I highly recommend her seminars and consulting services to business owners who recognize that there are lucrative opportunities for American businesses exporting abroad and want to learn how to take advantage of the opportunities that best suit their capabilities and target goals.”
A woman in red is smiling for the camera.
5
Jennifer Grady
 Owner, The Grady Law Firm, P.C..
{“GRIIT (Sarita) has been helping me. She just finished a business report for me. Well done. I'm very, very pleased. Sarita has been helping me since we met in 2018. She encouraged me on my project. I felt the confidence on her expertise and the trust she always demonstrated. I will recommend anyone to GRIIT. Thanks so much.”
A flag of the ivory coast.
5
K. Ouattara
Food Exporter, US-Ivory Coast
{“I really wanted to thank you for all your information. It really helped me out. Everything is so brand new to me.”
Two firemen are spraying water on a fire.
5
Jessica Jimenez,
Latin America/International Sales,  Phenix Technology
{“The presentation was very informative and Sarita’s personality and experience truly make it exceptional….essential for anyone looking to enter the world of international business. Overall a great interactive educational experience!”
A large white building with a clock on the top of it.
5
Amarjit Singh
 Globalization Specialist, California Center for International Trade (CITD)
{“Sarita was a great source of information for our company. Thank you again for your expertise and network.”
A pan of food with some fork and knife on the side
4
Business Development Director
Business Development Director, Wholesale Company of African-based Food Ingredient

Featured Clients

Workshops and Training

Participants leave our workshops and training sessions with credible information about at least one overseas market to get start with the export planning and execution processes.

Our workshops range from a general overview of the export/import process to in-depth focus on specific aspects of international trade (e.g., building your capacity to trade). The workshops are designed for agricultural producers, manufacturers, and service providers. Our workshops are conducted in English and Spanish. 

Online Store

Blogs

A Strong US Dollar, Weak US Export Competitiveness

Food and gas prices, as well as interest rates, are not the only increases impacting the US economy. The US dollar index, which is the measured value of the US dollar against select foreign currencies, has shown growth rates that...

Multilateralism, COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution, and Cross-border Trade: The Cases of Brazil and Mexico

by Maria Matilde Arroyo Carmona Mexico and Brazil have been beneficiaries of multilateral international efforts, such as COVAX, which has promoted equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines. However the inoculation process in each country needs to be improved in order to...

End of a Trade Program Tomorrow Will Bring Changes for U.S. Importers in the New Year by Pamela Flores

Overview of the GSP The U.S. General System of Preferences is a program that provides duty-free tariff treatment on over 3,500 products that are imported from beneficiary countries that are underdeveloped. The GSP helps progress...

USMCA and Digital Trade

</p> Over the last few months, digital trade, although nothing new, has become even more important in supporting crucial services during the coronavirus health pandemic. For instance, digital technology became helpful in quickly sharing information about the...

State of the Union and the USMCA: What we can really expect

https://youtu.be/zNECVmfJtxc?t=1196 Last week’s State of the Union address highlighted the success of replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The speech presented several key benefits for the...

Prosper Africa: Five things that you need to know

</p> The United States has yet to sign a reciprocal trade agreement with an African country, with the exception of Morocco. Instead, US trade with the African continent, specifically 39 Sub-Saharan African countries, is promoted through the 2000 African Growth...

Are Your Imported Goods on the U.S. Tariff List?

The U.S. manufacturing sector has contracted this year, even though the overall economy has shown growth over the last 10 months. This contraction has been attributed to the U.S.-China trade war, sparked by U.S. tariffs placed on select imports from China. As a...

What You Need to Know About Labor Requirements and FTAs

Listen to this same blog post on our podcast at https://soundcloud.com/griit/what-you-need-to-know-about-labor-requirements-and-ftas Trade deals may now begin to include a labor value content (LVC) rule. Well, at least one trade deal includes the LVC rule. That is the...

U.S. Congress and the USMCA

The year 2019 will be a determining year for trade relations between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Currently, the fate of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is designed to modernize the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), rests in the...

Are We There Yet? Not Quite! The Next Step for the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement

We still have a way to go regarding the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), as I have shared with business owners and executives throughout Southern California. As a result, North American trade is still operating under the original North American Free Trade Agreement...

Internship Opportunity

The Global Research Institute of International Trade (GRIIT) is a think tank and consulting firm that offers internships in Los Angeles, CA. Interns collaborate with GRIIT for a maximum of 20 hours per week.

The internship program is designed to provide students and recent graduates with an opportunity to learn about international trade from a political, economic and legal perspective as well as apply research skills to any given project. Additionally, interns will have the opportunity to experience the operation of a company through the opportunity to assist with the supporting areas of GRIIT.

Eligibility: A candidate must be a graduate student, an undergraduate student, in a certificate program, or have graduated from a college/university within 12 months of beginning the internship.

Other eligibility requirements include:

  • Proficiency in English (reading, writing and speaking)
  • Having passed courses related to international trade and global business
  • Advanced-level research and writing skills
  • Basic familiarity with international trade databases

Professional Learning Activities:

  • Assist with business strategy development and management
  • Research using international trade, other government and scholarly databases
  • Provide data for use in projects for clients and research reports
  • Collect information for grant and contract proposals
  • Assist with marketing
  • Contribute to the enhancement of the social media strategy and website content

General Information:

Interns are expected to work a maximum of 20 hours a week during an 11–15-week internship period. Internships are non-paid and are offered throughout the Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall Quarters/Semesters. Interns may receive academic credit at the intern’s college or university

Application Procedures and Deadlines: 

In order to be considered for an internship, you must submit the following items:

  • Signed and complete application form
  • Cover letter
  • Resume
  • Writing sample
  • Academic transcript (most recent university/college)
  • Access and submit an electronic application by clicking here.

(Note: Supplemental material should be e-mailed to [email protected])

Or for more information and to receive an application via mail/e-mail, contact:

(310) 912-7950

[email protected]

www.griit.org

The Global Research Institute of International Trade (GRIIT) is an affirmative action/equal employment opportunity employer. Discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, sexual orientation or national origin is prohibited.

Eligibility: A candidate must be a graduate student, an undergraduate student, in a certificate program, or have graduated from a college/university within 12 months of beginning the internship.

Other eligibility requirements include:

  • Proficiency in English (reading, writing and speaking)
  • Having passed courses related to international trade and global business
  • Advanced-level research and writing skills
  • Basic familiarity with international trade databases

Professional Learning Activities:

  • Assist with business strategy development and management
  • Research using international trade, other government and scholarly databases
  • Provide data for use in projects for clients and research reports
  • Collect information for grant and contract proposals
  • Assist with marketing
  • Contribute to the enhancement of the social media strategy and website content

General Information:

Interns are expected to work a maximum of 20 hours a week during an 11–15-week internship period. Internships are non-paid and are offered throughout the Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall Quarters/Semesters. Interns may receive academic credit at the intern’s college or university

Application Procedures and Deadlines: 

In order to be considered for an internship, you must submit the following items:

  • Signed and complete application form
  • Cover letter
  • Resume
  • Writing sample
  • Academic transcript (most recent university/college)
  • Access and submit an electronic application by clicking here.

(Note: Supplemental material should be e-mailed to [email protected])

Or for more information and to receive an application via mail/e-mail, contact:

(310) 912-7950

[email protected]

www.griit.org

The Global Research Institute of International Trade (GRIIT) is an affirmative action/equal employment opportunity employer. Discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, sexual orientation or national origin is prohibited.

Events

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday, March 26 8:00 am PT/11 am ET/3:00 pm London – (Globinar Tips for Exporting a Service)

Contact Us

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Send us a Message

Contact Information

Global Research Institute of International Trade
1171 S Robertson Blvd #387
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(310) 912-7950
[email protected]

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