This paper takes the view that it is not fanciful to think of computers as a new breed, one that has inhabited the spaces between us and that has woven a global community out of the most fragmented and far-flung colonies. If that is not fanciful, then nor is the metaphor that interconnected computers worldwide are the global brain, a term first used by Peter Russell, a British sociologist, but in a slightly different context. The penetration of technology into our lives has been so rapid and pervasive that we have become somewhat blase about its advance and somewhat blunted to the ways it has changed us. The United States is more thoroughly technologized than Europe or Japan if the incidence of computers in one-third of homes is any indication. From the US perspective then, this paper will examine how this powerful technological radiation has changed us individually, as workers, as citizens and as consumers.
Japanese municipalities still lack a full understanding of marketing: to them marketing means developing and promoting regional specialties or going into business with private sector capital and for-profit corporations. In these circumstances, the Japan Marketing Association conducted a mail survey of a total of 733 persons - the governors of all 47 prefectures of Japan, mayors of cities and the headmen of Tokyoâs 23 wards - to determine headmen's marketing orientation. Findings based on the 478 valid questionnaires returned (65% response rate) are summarized below. 1) Municipality heads overwhelmingly agreed with statements not opposed to the ideal state of municipalities, that is, the importance of communication with citizens and of reflecting citizens views in policies adopted. 2) However, regarding matters difficult to put into effect or those far removed from traditional bureaucratic thinking, respondents "can't say either way" answers surpassed the number of answers in agreement with the statements, indicating a negative attitude toward, in other words, performance evaluation measured by objective standards, the use of outside specialists or organizations, orientation toward an open administration, and the introduction of the principle of competition. 3) Results of factor analysis showed that the most important factors, in terms of forming headmen's orientation to marketing, were a) planning based on analysis: the approach of planning policies through environment or SWOT analysis; and b) communication with citizens: the approach of improving communication with citizens and reflecting their views in policies. In addition to the six factors extracted, a total of eight factors were used to create indicators of the marketing orientation of each municipalityâs headman. These were shown on radar CHARTS and fed back to the municipalities which answered the questionnaire.
This paper sets out to show how market research is seen by the major research buyers and users in Japan. It starts out by underlining the status of market research in Japan within the overall business context and explaining the background to this. Then, by examining data from a recent survey of research buyers, it seeks to determine how research may develop in this market, given the impact of the recent prolonged recession. For a variety of reasons, market research in Japan has developed along different lines and in a different way from the same profession in other developed economies. This is TRUE of many disciplines and in many fields, when comparing Japan's development with that of its western counterparts. The survey undertaken amongst over 100 of the major manufacturing and non-manufacturing companies in Japan, shows where research stands in the minds of the buyers today. It also shows how research may have changed both in its nature of supply/service and in its overall role in the business decision making process. From this study, as well as from knowledge of the market itself, a number of hypotheses/postulates have been put forward as to how research may be seen in the future. Much of the re-evaluation we feel can be put down to this recent recession which is/was (depending on your view at the time of writing) the longest recession Japan has suffered since the oil-crises of the early 70's. The impact of the recession has been to put significant stress on the fabric of the Japan economy. Many long held beliefs are being challenged and established practices scrutinised
The epic economic and political transformation of Eastern Europe in 1989 has not been accompanied by sudden changes in underlying cultural values or managerial attitudes. As a result, the marketing concept in organizations is in a state of flux. This means that companies are wrestling with identifying their markets and with catering to their old and new customers. Thus, both marketing research and marketing strategy are in the process of evolution. Many studies of Eastern (or: Central) Europe focused on the region and on various macroeconomic forces. A few case studies have appeared discussing and dissecting individual companies. This paper takes a different direction: We look at four Hungarian enterprises in four distinct industrial sectors.
This paper takes as its starting point the UK and uses consumer panel data to examine the trends in retailer concentration and own lable on a long and short term basis. It considers the extent to which recent trends in the major multiples are part of an established pattern, or whether they reflect the threat of discount retailing from other European countries. It examines similar data for a number of European countries and asks to what degree an homogeneous retail trade is likely to develop in Europe. Does pan-European marketing and branding offer a counter to retailer power for the major manufacturers? Is it realistic for manufacturers to pursue a partnership strategy with retailers, and if so what information is needed? The paper concludes by examining the role of the information provider and the implications of retailer power in relation to the ownership of key data. It argues the case for independently based information on the market place.
As global business expands, practitioners in this field have desire to control or manipulate their global business strategy. In order to do this, they have to understand the global marketing environment at the same sophisticated level as their strategy control. In reality, however, academic arguments remains only descriptive and abstract, and do not provide guidelines to such a necessity. The author has identified a structure of global marketing environment by the systems and quantitative approach. The structure of the environment is identified as having macro-environment and micro-environment, to which global marketing strategy should respond. In such a framework, the concept of common factor and different factor, which correspond to standardization strategy and adaptation strategy respectively, is introduced to quantitatively analyze the relationship among environmental factors. Common factor means a same phenomenon among countries of similar economic level, having a correlation with GDP per capita of a number of countries. In macro-environment, economic, technological and demographic environments are common factors, whereas cultural, natural and political/legal environments are different factors. Some market demands in micro-environment are common factors, having a correlation with GDP per capita. Some market characteristics such as consumer preference and marketers' behavior are identified as different factors. Recently, common factors are increasingly proliferating, providing global business opportunities. In this framework, such common factors will be systematically identified by examining economic, technological and demographic environmental factors.
This study discusses the advantages and dangers of pioneering FMCG brands in new geographical markets, a subject so far neglected in the existing literature. Pioneering advantages have mostly been researched with product innovations in industrialised markets. This paper argues that pioneering new geographical markets bears different implications which justifies this study. The authors interviewed 23 top FMCG manufacturers across 12 industries in matched pairs in the markets of Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The data was collected in in-depth interviews and analysed using a grounded theory approach. The main findings are that despite the belief of respondents, and much of the existing work, pioneering does not per se create any advantages over late entrants. The findings of this study furthermore indicate that the lead time between the entry of the pioneer and the follower plays a pivotal role in the value a pioneering advantage has for the company. Related to this is the fact that different lead time situations are conducive to different pioneering advantages. The paper also argues that pioneering advantages, if they can be achieved, need to be well managed and defended against followers to remain beneficial to the pioneer. To succeed in this, continued commitment and appropriate management skills are necessary.
Two factors are necessary for a method to be useful in a variety of country settings. An analysis technique to understand information available is required that is robust and not constrained. And, data of a comparable format and scope of measurement is needed to enable parallel analysis across countries. Artificial intelligence neural networks and Consumer Confidence Surveys fit these criteria. This work provides an example of the power of this combination.
Three major areas will be discussed in this paper: first, the rapid industrialization of East and Southeast Asia as the region becomes a major partner in the global economy; second, suggested methods for defining potential markets in these developing countries; and third, critical prerequisites for entry and expansion into the East and Southeast Asian markets. The countries of East Asia to be discussed are China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Although Japan is also located in East Asia, it is currently in the Triad and is far from being considered an emerging power. Japan will only be discussed as a reference point for the other countries. The countries of Southeast Asia that will be discussed are: Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. The emergence of countries in Asia as major players in the global economy is in itself a significant shift as the world market restructures itself for the twenty-first century. Most importantly however, this shift in the global economy calls for a major adjustment in the thinking processes of both the West and the East. Perceptions from both sides of the globe influence access to these emerging markets. They also limit the ease and speed of obtaining the advantages offered by these new markets. Measurable methods of defining the market potentials in East and Southeast Asia include both old and new ways of market segmentation, critical examinations of economic indicators, and a consideration of a country's current level of industrialization. Actual strategic research examples derived from market research studies during the last 10 years will be used to further illustrate the issues discussed in this paper. These real-life experiences were gained while working with major pharmaceutical companies as they tried to establish, or to re-establish themselves, in this region of the world. The products and companies included in these case histories have been disguised to protect the proprietary nature of strategic information acquired for the pharmaceutical organizations
This paper predicates its contribution to marketing and progressive business management on the compelling need in the balance of the 1990's and beyond, to redefine the concept of Positioning in an intensely competitive global marketplace. As insightful as the pioneering input of Reeves, Ogilvy, Reis and Trout was in past decades, it's obvious to most of us competing in the global marketplace that new interpretations are needed; specifically, a new perspective on what constitutes effective Positioning and a broader context of how the corporate or brand entity interacts with the commitments and concerns of the market through a new Positioning definition. Toward this end. Omega has developed a successful process for Continuous Differentiation: THE VALUE PROPOSITION. Taking into account the organization's design and commitments, as well as market dynamics, this process produces an astute understanding of the shelf life of Key Competitive Differentiators for a brand.
I would urge you to become as proficient in information technology as your sons and daughters. Learn the meaning of Complex Instruction Set Computing, Reduced Instruction Set Computing, RAM, ROM, WORM, Baud, bits, bytes, graphical user interface, Power PC, Windows NT, Chicago, MPEG, JPEG, SCSI, PCM-CIA, OCR, flash memory and all the other language of the new era. You have to do it. Buy a laptop. Subscribe to Info-World, Wired, PC Magazine and MacUser. Sign up for America Online or Prodigy. Get an Internet address. I believe that the excitement we will have in the next decade will be comparable to the profound changes Western society experienced in the early 13th century. The world came out of a thousand years of stagnation that was the dark ages and experienced anew empirical science, secular debate, art, music, literature and freedom. It is a time for a modem Copernicus or da Vinci to astound us and pique our senses in ways we have yet to imagine. We are entering a glorious time.
This paper opens with some observations on the changing world of consumers with a more detailed discussion of developments in international media and the likely effects on consumers around the world. Following a review of some of the key trends affecting consumers today, the final section offers a view on how to incorporate these changing influences in the development of strategy and the management of brands and communications across country borders.