2001 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Research of the export marketing in consumer electronics industry of Japan
| Project/Area Number |
11630105
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Commerce
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| Research Institution | Kyoto University |
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Principal Investigator |
KONDO Fumio Graduate School of Economics, Kyoto University, Professor, 大学院・経済学研究科, 教授 (40066676)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1999 – 2001
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| Keywords | export marketing / multinational marketing / mass marketing / niche marketing / Sony / consumer electronics / Panasonic / OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) |
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| Research Abstract |
The present research deals with the export marketing strategies of the Japanese consumer electronics makers in Europe and America after the World War 2.
The present research focuses upon the key companies representing the Japanese consumer electronics industry such as Sony, Matsushita, Toshiba, Sanyo, Mitsubishi, Sharp, Hitachi and so forth. It intends to shed lights on the characteristics of each company as well as the observed common traits.
Initially, the Japanese consumer electronics makers have succeeded to obtain TV and tape recorders licenses from the dominating American companies. This has led to the establishment of the first mass production systems combined to an improvement of product quality and a sizeable cost reduction ; which has allowed the Japanese companies to achieve their market entry and successfully mass-market their products in the American market. In this regard, the general electronics maker Matsushita along with the AV specialty maker Sony ; were the first Japan
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ese companies to enter the American market relaying since the very beginning on a full product line strategy portraying their own brands and using various types of distributorship to get their product into the market and consequently they were able to substantially enhance their competitive advantage.
On the counterpart ; Sanyo, Sharp and Toshiba have followed a different strategy since they got their product marketed in the US market through the well established RCA, Sears ＆ Roebuck, and J.C. Penny. This OEM strategy associated with mass production has not only allowed cost reduction, but also constituted an opportunity for the Japanese companies to speed up the learning process and catch up with rest of the industry.
On the other hand, the failure of Mitsubishi Electric attempted to enter the American market in association with Mitsubishi Trading Company through focusing upon the mass marketing of heavy electric machinery ; has propelled the company to change its initial objective. As a result, 'Mitsubishi decided to target the high-income segment of the American market and started consequently to adopt a niche strategy to sell high quality-high added value products through selective distribution channels arid succeeded accordingly to enter the market after several attempts. Nevertheless, with the advent of the global competition during the 90s, the use of a niche strategy became less efficient and therefore the company found itself obliged to withdraw from the American market. Less
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