CNS, Inc. is the manufacturer of Breathe Right nasal strips, a spring-loaded adhesive device that can be stuck on your nose to open up the nasal passages. Since their introduction in the United States, Breathe Right strips have been used by athletes hoping to improve their performance through increased oxygen flow, snorers hoping for a sound night's sleep, and allergy and cold sufferers looking for relief from their stuffed noses. Because CNS is a small company, it initially had trouble promoting its product. Then San Francisco 49er Jerry Rice started regularly wearing one, and U. S. sales took off. Today, Breathe Right strips are marketed in more than 40 countries. When CNS decided to expand globally, its size made it look for a partner. It chose 3M because 3M already had a global market distribution system and because the Breathe Right strips complemented the 3M first-aid product line. Refer to Breathe Right. In the United States, one of the standard methods for introducing a new product is couponing, but many countries prohibit the issuing of coupons. This prohibition would represent a(n) element of the global environment