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Note 1 - Business and Organization
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Nature of Operations [Text Block]
1.  Business and Organization

The SPAR Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("SGRP"), and its subsidiaries (together with SGRP, the "SPAR Group" or the "Company"), is a supplier of merchandising and other marketing services throughout the United States and internationally. The Company also provides in-store event staffing, product sampling, furniture and other product assembly services, technology services and marketing research services.  Assembly services are performed in stores, homes and offices while those other services are primarily performed in mass merchandisers, office supply, grocery, drug store, independent, convenience and electronics stores.

Merchandising services primarily consist of regularly scheduled, special project and other product services provided at the store level, and the Company may be engaged by either the retailer or the manufacturer.  Those services may include restocking and adding new products, removing spoiled or outdated products, resetting categories "on the shelf" in accordance with client or store schematics, confirming and replacing shelf tags, setting new sale or promotional product displays and advertising, replenishing kiosks, providing in-store event staffing and providing assembly services in stores, homes and offices.  Other merchandising services include whole store or departmental product sets or resets, including new store openings, new product launches and in-store demonstrations, special seasonal or promotional merchandising, focused product support and product recalls.  The Company also provides technology services and marketing research services.

Today the Company operates in 10 countries that encompass approximately 50% of the total world population. Although it operates in a single business segment (merchandising and marketing services), the Company currently divides its operations for marketing, administrative and other purposes into two geographic divisions: its Domestic Merchandising Services Division, which provides those services in the United States of America since certain of its predecessors were formed in 1979; and its International Merchandising Services Division, which began operations in May of 2001 and provides similar merchandising, marketing services and in-store event staffing services in Japan, Canada, South Africa, India, Romania, China, Australia, Mexico and Turkey.

The Company continues to focus on expanding its merchandising and marketing services business throughout the world.

Domestic Merchandising Services Division

The Company's Domestic Merchandising Services Division provides nationwide merchandising and other marketing services throughout the United States of America primarily on behalf of consumer product manufacturers and retailers at mass merchandisers, office supply, grocery, drug store, independent, convenience and electronics stores. Included in its clients are home entertainment, general merchandise, health and beauty care, consumer goods and food products companies.

The Company's international business in each territory outside the United States is conducted through a foreign subsidiary incorporated in its primary territory.  The primary territory establishment date (which may include predecessors), the percentage of the Company's equity ownership, and the principal office location for its US (domestic) subsidiaries and each of its foreign (international) subsidiaries is as follows:

Primary Territory
 
Date
Established
 
SGRP Percentage
Ownership
 
Principal Office Location
               
United States of America
 
1979
 
100%
   
White Plains, New York, United States of America6
               
Japan
 
May 2001
 
100%
   
Osaka, Japan
               
Canada
 
June 2003
 
100%
   
Toronto, Canada
               
South Africa
 
April 2004
 
51%
 1  
Durban, South Africa
               
India
 
April 2004
 
51%
 2  
New Delhi, India
               
Australia
 
April 2006
 
51%
   
Melbourne, Australia
               
Romania
 
July 2009
 
51%
 3  
Bucharest, Romania
               
China
 
March 2010
 
51%
 4  
Shanghai, China
               
Mexico
 
August 2011
 
51%
   
Mexico City, Mexico
               
Turkey
 
August 2011
 
51%
 5  
Istanbul, Turkey

1
In September 2012 the Company, through its subsidiary in South Africa (SGRP Meridian), entered into a joint venture agreement to expand its operations in South Africa.  SGRP Meridian owns a 51% ownership interest in the new company; CMR Meridian (Pty) Ltd. ("CMR-Meridian").  (See Acquisition Strategies and Strategic Acquisitions, above, Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements – Geographic Data, and Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Purchase of Interests in Subsidiaries, below).

2
In June 2011, the Company sold 49% of its interest in its Indian subsidiary to KROGNOS Integrated Marketing Services Private Limited. In March 2013, the company purchased a 51% interest in a new subsidiary in India, Preceptor Marketing Services Private Limited, which began operations in March 2013 (See Acquisition Strategies and Strategic Acquisitions, above, Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements – Geographic Data, Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Purchase of Interests in Subsidiaries, and Note 17 to the Consolidated Financial Statements – Subsequent Events, below).

3
Currently the Company owns two subsidiaries in Romania.  One subsidiary is 100% owned and is inactive, and the second subsidiary, acquired in May 2012, is 51% owned.  Also in May of 2012, the Company sold its 51% ownership in one of its other Romania subsidiaries, SPAR City S.R.L, to its original Local Investor (as defined below).  (See Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements – Geographic Data and Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Purchase of Interests in Subsidiaries, below.)

4
Currently the Company owns two subsidiaries in China.  One subsidiary is 100% owned and is inactive, and the second subsidiary, acquired in March 2010 and operational in August 2010, is 51% owned.  In July 2011, the Company, through its active subsidiary in China (SPAR Shanghai), entered into a joint venture agreement to expand its operations in China.  SPAR Shanghai has a 51% ownership interest in the new company; SPAR DSI Human Resource Company.  (See Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements – Geographic Data and Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Purchase of Interests in Subsidiaries, below.)

5
In August 2011, the Company sold its 51% ownership in its original subsidiary in Turkey to its original Local Investor, and in November 2011 the Company started a new 51% owned subsidiary to compete in this important market.    (See Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements – Geographic Data and Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Purchase of Interests in Subsidiaries, below.)

6
In September 2012, the Company established a new subsidiary, National Merchandising Services, LLC,  ("NMS") 51% owned by the Company, with its principal office in Georgia.  (See Acquisition Strategies and Strategic Acquisitions, above, Note 10 to the Consolidated Financial Statements – Related Party Transactions and Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Purchase of Interests in Subsidiaries, below).