The goal of this course is to help students appreciate the key features of Japanese marketing strategy. Japan’s success in the production of quality products and its ability to market them is almost legendary. The business communities in the world have recently witnessed Japan changing the conventional mode of its domestic market structure to a newly created one, where the diversified demands are satisfied with the flexible suppliers overseas. This course introduces students to the Japan-related managerial concepts such as Keiretsu, Kaizen and to the logic of Japanese marketing strategies related to product, price, channel, promotion/communication, while examining simultaneously standard marketing concepts and models such as PEST, SWOT, marketing mix (4Ps), BCG (Boston Consulting Group) growth share matrix, Michael Porter’s Five Forces Model and Blue Ocean Strategy. It also covers key features of Japanese internet-related business strategies along with American ones and global marketing management of Multi-National Enterprises (MNEs). Case studies to be used in the course revolve round recent hit products such as Convenience Stores, Cellular Phone “Keitai”, Toyota’s “Lexus” & “Prius”, Apple’s iPod, iPhone, iPad & iTunes Store, NINTENDO DS, a luxury brand Louis Vuitton, J-pop music, etc. Finally, what kind of impact a once-in-a century world economic crisis has had on Japanese marketing strategies and consumer behaviors will be examined. Field studies will complement classroom lectures/discussion. (3 credits)
Prerequisites:
No prior studies are required to the admission of this course. However, some materials will include basic economics and business concepts. Therefore, this course may be suitable for students with such academic backgrounds and experiences. Some topics of this course overlap those of “The Contemporary Economy of Japan (EC320)” during the fall program at IES Abroad Tokyo.
Additional student cost:
None
Attendance policy:
Following the attendance policy of IES Abroad Tokyo, attendance to all class meetings is strictly required for the students. In other words, students should attend every class meeting including field trips because there will be important information regarding marketing and business strategy to learn but also it is fair that your classmates have your critical observations and insight in the class. The three-hour format for classes makes missing a single class equivalent to missing a full week during a regular semester. Therefore, students are permitted a maximum of one unexcused absence. Additional unexcused absences will result in a penalty of one of letter grade from your final grade, for each additional absence—i.e. two missed classes turns an A into a B, three turns it into a C, and so on. A student’s absence is considered “excused” only if it is unavoidable due to illness and health condition, and for any other reasons but only if the instructor is notified in advance or on the student’s return to the class.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, the students will be able to:
Summarize the key features of current Japanese market (economy and society) utilizing statistical data such as GDP, population, yen-dollar exchange rate, prices of gasoline and other consumer products, central government debts accumulated and so on.
Understand and explain the basic concepts and terminologies of marketing and business strategies such as product lifecycle, BCG (Boston Consulting Group) growth share matrix, pricing strategy (e.g. penetration pricing and captive pricing), economies of scope, item-by-item control, halo effect, etc.
Develop practical skills to analyze marketing cases by utilizing strategy frameworks such as SWOT, Five-Forces Model, Value Net, Blue Ocean Strategy, etc.
Incorporate basic marketing concepts and analytical approaches aforementioned into finding out critical problems in the industry and company students choose.
Present new directions and construct solutions of marketing taking into account problems the industry or company faces.
Develop 10-15 page business report writing along with 1- page executive summary, which will be very helpful and practical in the real business scene.
Demonstrate business presentation skills in 10-minute oral presentation, utilizing business presentation software such as Power Point or Keynote.
Develop self-confidence as a marketing analyst and a business communicator by completing the assignment of marketing or business report and oral presentation aforementioned.
Incorporate diversity and global awareness acquired by understanding Japanese marketing strategy into appreciating US marketing strategies including economy, industry, and companies.
Method of presentation:
Lectures, discussion, student presentation, and field studies. A lecture note such as Power Point handout will be distributed in each class meeting. Depending upon different academic backgrounds and interests of the students, supplementary materials such as free articles in the web will be handed out. In this course, students are expected to develop skills of presentation, basic academic research, and report-writing, utilizing various information sources.
Required work and form of assessment:
10-Minute Oral Presentation (25% =25%*1). See below for the detailed information.
Three Field Study Reports (15% =5%*3). Students are required to submit a 1-2 page report on each field study excursion. The due date is the next class meeting after the field study.
Responsive Paper on A Guest Speaker Lecture (5%=5%*1) Students are required to submit a 1-2 page responsive paper on a guest speaker lecture. The due date is the next class meeting after the guest speaker’s lecture.
15-Minute Short Quizzes (15% =5%*3). Questions consist of multiple-choice ones. The content of quizzes basically comes from the preceding class discussions, required readings and other reading assignments. At the end of every session assignments for the next session will be announced/ confirmed.
Mid-Term Exam (20%). The exam consists of multiple-choice questions. Students are expected to review all sets of the 15-minute short quizzes.
Final Report (20%). The due date is the final session. The 1-page Executive Summary (updated verrsion) or outline of the final report due the mid-term counts 1/4 of 20%. See below for the detailed information.
Mid-term Grade Reports. Mid-term grades will be individually given to students by the instructor.
10-MINUTE ORAL PRESENTATION: In each class session, about two or three students are asked to make a 10-minute oral presentation on an aspect of Japanese marketing. A student may choose any topic based on his or her interest regarding Japanese marketing. Examples would include Cellular Phone “Keitai” Business, Convenience Store Business, Toyota’s Marketing Strategy, Marketing of Japanese Automotive Industry, Nintendo’s Marketing, Luxury Brand Strategy in Japan such as Louis Vuitton, CHANEL, and Hermes, Japanese Advertisement Industry, Marketing Strategy in The Apparel Industry, Japanese Movie Industry, J-Pop Music Industry, etc. Students are required to do primary and secondary research for the presentation. The presentation should be well-organized and equipped with qualitative and quantitative proofs. Utilizing visual aids, such as POWER POINT are strongly recommended. A 1-page Executive Summary of the presentation including its goal, purpose, background, method, analysis, conclusion, new direction, etc., should be handed out to the class audience. A five-minute question and answer session should follow the presentation. A 10-minute oral presentation with an executive summary will be demonstrated by the instructor at the first session. The presentation schedule will be negotiated at the second session. Presentation topics should be decided by the second session, and students assume the primary responsibility for choosing their topic. (Students may change the topic later on). Students Oral Presentations will start with the third session. Regarding the topic, keeping consistency between your 10-minute presentation and the final report is strongly urged.
FIELD STUDY:
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY (To be arranged): The class will visit Toyota MEGA WEB, a huge show room of Toyota in Aomi, Tokyo Bay. The students will be given a lecture on its universal design concept of car designs. For the purely educational reasons, students will have a panoramic view of MEGA WEB facilities, Venus Fort (A large shopping mall mainly targeted for young women, located just next to MEGA WEB), and the developed Tokyo Bay commercial area by having a ride on the Ferris wheel located in MEGA WEB.
ENTERTAIMENT INDUSTRY---“AVEX”, the largest J-pop record label” (June 7, Monday, 2010): The class will visit AVEX, one of the largest record labels in Japan and learn about the structure of J-Pop music industry.
BUSINESS OFFICE DESIGN & STATIONARY INDUSTRY (To be arranged): The class will visit a show room of KOKUYO, one of the largest business office design & stationary companies in Japan to learn about their marketing strategy combining Japanese craftsmanship, advanced technology & universal design concept.
THREE FIELD STUDY REPORTS: Students are required to submit a 1-2 page report on each field study, focusing on major findings in relation to class discussions and each student’s interest. Each report is due the next class after the field trip.
GUEST SPEAKER’S LECTURE: The title of lecture is “Business Strategy of Oscar Promotion and Roles of Fashion Models in Japanese Fashion and Advertisement Businesses.” The goal of this program is to help students appreciate the key features of business and marketing strategy of Oscar Promotion, the largest fashion model and talent agency in Japan and Asia. The presenter will tell students Oscar’s business and marketing strategy facing the age of social media and growing Asian markets. This oral presentation also introduces students to the roles of professional fashion models in Japanese fashion and advertisement businesses in comparison with US. Simultaneously, students will find some aspect of “backstage” of profession in Japanese fashion model business. Additionally, reflecting on her professional model career she will touch upon “Planned Happenstance Theory” advocated by Dr. John Krumboltz, Stanford University School of Education. The theory will be helpful for IES students’ professional career choices. Finally, students hopefully may learn skills of professional posing from a promising Japanese professional fashion model!
FINAL REPORT: Every student is required to submit the final report with around 10-15 pages including pictures, graphs, tables & diagrams. The due date will be the final session. Students may choose any topic regarding the Japanese marketing. In selecting a topic, please refer to the examples given in the 10-minute oral presentation explanation. Choosing the identical topics, or the closely related topics, for both the 10-minute presentation and the final report, is strongly recommended to make effective use of your time. Students are required to submit a 1-page outline or Executive Summary (updated version) of the final report in the mid term. Based on students’ needs, the instructor and the student will have an individual meeting based on the outline, and recommendations will be given to the student. The outline or Executive Summary accounts for 1/4 of 20% for the final report assessment. The final report should include the title, abstract (or Executive Summary), purpose, company and industry background, propositions, analysis of marketing strategies with quantitative and qualitative proofs, conclusion, and future direction, footnotes, and bibliography.
For the secondary research some useful information sources on the Internet could be utilized as follows:
The instructor will review the outline of the course including grade assessment policy. The overall picture of the current Japanese consumer markets will be sketched out along with Japanese economy. The instructor will also offer a brief historical background of Japanese management including several keywords such as Keiretsu (corporate networks), Just-In-Time (JIT), Kaizen (Improvement) and other well-known Japanese business terms along with the basic marketing concepts and theories such as marketing mix. (4Ps: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion), BCG growth share matrix and product mix. What the students should expect of the 10-minute oral presentation will also be explained. (The content of the following sessions might be fine-tuned, depending upon the students’ individuals interests.)
*Reading Assignment: None
2 Japanese Marketing Strategy
*Short Quiz (Trial: Not counted for student’s grade)
Market segmentation techniques, new product development, market positioning and branding policy of Japanese companies will be explained. Several case studies will be presented and discussed in class. Schedule for 10-minute-oral presentation will be decided in this session.
*Reading Assignments:
Kotler and Armstrong (2004) Chapter 2 Company and Market Strategy: Partnering to Build Customer Relationships, pp.37-64.
Lamb et al. (2006), Chapter 9 Developing and Managing Products, pp.286-307.
Magee (2007), Chapter 2 Strive for Continuous Improvement, pp.25-45
Schaede (2008) Chapter 2 JAPAN’S STRATEGIC INFLECTION POINT, 1998-2006
3 Field Study (1): Business Office Design & Stationary Industry: KOKUYO
A 1-2 page field study report is due the next session.
4 Japanese Marketing Strategy – Price
*Students Oral Presentation#1
*Short Quiz#1
*Due: Field Study Report (1)
Japanese consumers used to believe the saying, “the cheaper is the worse.” But now low-priced and high-quality products are well-received in the market. We will study the causes of the pricing revolution in the 90s, emergence of price-sensitive consumers, and the features of private brands and discounters.
*Reading Assignments:
Kerin et al. (2007), Chapter 12 Pricing Products and Services, pp.261-281.
Hodgson et al. (2008), Chapter 4 The Japanese Negotiation Style, pp.39-54
Kim and Mauborgne (2005) Chapet 1 Creating Blue Oceans, pp.3-22
Ghemawat (2001), Chapter 2 Mapping the Business Landscape, pp.24-35
5 Guest Speaker Session- Strategy of Japanese Fashion Model Agency and role of fashion models in advertisement business
A 1-2 page responsive paper on guest speaker’s lecture is due the session after the next session.
6 Field Study ( 2): AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY---Toyota MEGA WEB
A 1-2 page field study report is due the next session.
7 Japanese Marketing Strategy – Place or Physical Distribution
*Students Oral Presentation#2
*Short Quiz#2
*Due: Outline of Final Report
*Due: Responsive Paper on Guest Speaker’s Session & Field Study Report (2)
One of the distinct features of Japanese marketing (or market) can be seen in the so-called channel system. In this class, we focus on the role of manufacturers and wholesalers in the distribution structure, a framework of fragmented retail market, drawing upon the market strategy of “Convenience Stores”. The relation between lifestyle of Japanese consumers and retail structural change will also be covered
*Reading Assignments:
Perreault and McCarthy (2006), Chapter 10 Place and Development of Channel Systems, pp.244-263.
Bearden et al. (2007), Chapter 16 An Overview of Marketing Communications, pp.366-387
8 Field Study ( 3): Entertainment Industry: AVEX
A 1-2 page field study report is due the next session.
9 Mid-term Examination & Japanese Marketing Strategy with Promotion
*Mid-term Examination
*Due: Field Study Report (3)
*Students Oral Presentation#3
*No Short Quiz!
Western observers are often said to find Japanese advertisement puzzling. In this session, students learn patterns of Japanese marketing communication, sales promotion and sales force management, and changes in advertising techniques.
*Reading Assignments: None
10 Japanese Consumer Behavior
*Short Quiz #3
*Student Oral Presentation#4
After World War II, the income and purchasing power of Japanese consumers have multiplied. Buying patterns of everyday consumption have changed, as Japanese lifestyles have become more westernized. We study consumer behavior characteristics and changes in satisfaction mechanism of Japanese consumers. Some interesting aspects of “conspicuous consumption” in Japan will be discussed.
*Reading Assignments: None
11 Japanese Pop Culture---Japanese Amine , music and Keitai industries
*Student Oral Presentation#5
In this session the students will study the basic structure of Japan’s anime and music industries. About 60% of the “Animation” films and TV programs watched by children worldwide are said to be Japanese. The number of the anime production companies in Japan is around 400 and approximately 80% of those are located in Tokyo area. Presently, the Japanese anime industry is facing some threats such as lack of the creative and skilled workers, falling behind the world-wide digital technology trend, complicated commercial practices regarding patents, and shortage of mega hit films in the world market. However, overall, Japanese Animation Films are still regarded as one of the very few “soft powers” that Japan now has. On top of that, we will see the Japanese music industry which has had a huge impact on Asian youths. Unique direction of the Japanese Keitai (Cellular Phone) business collaborating with Japanese entertainment industry will be also confirmed, compared with US.
*Reading Assignment:
Kelts (2007) Chapter 1 may the g-force be with you, pp.9-34.
Nye (2008) Chapter 2 Leadership and Power, pp.27-52
Andersen (2006) Chapter 1 The Long Tail pp.15-26
12 Japanese E-Commerce, Global Marketing Strategies & Advanced Technologies
*Students Oral Presentation#6
The number of Japanese companies utilizing IT devices as a new marketing tool is on the rise; it is widely thought that such devises would help improve efficiency of business and consumer satisfaction. Most people here now use “Keitai” cellular phones with camera and Internet browser for communication. Problems and prospects of Japanese e-commerce and how “relationship (or one to one)” marketing is applied will be discussed with the aid of a case study. Japanese companies have been operating their business overseas for years. We shall discuss the differences between domestic marketing strategies and international ones by using the Japanese automobile industry as an illustration. We will also discuss technology issues with the government policy regarding Japanese advanced technologies such as Hybrid Car Toyota’s Prius and Fuel Cell Vehicles.
*Reading Assignments: None
Required readings:
Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong, Principles of Marketing, version 2.0, 2004, Pearson Prentice Hall
Charles W. Lamb, Jr. et al., Essentials of Marketing, 5th edition, 2006, Thomson South-Western
Roger A. Kerin et al., Marketing The Core, 2nd edition, 2007, McGraw-Hill Irwin
William D. Perreault, Jr. and E. Jerome McCarthy, Essentials of Marketing: A Global-Managerial Approach, 10th edition, 2006, McGraw-Hill Irwin
Bearden et al., Marketing: Principles and Perspective, 2007, McGraw-Hill
Chris Anderson, The Long Tail, 2006, Hyperion
Theodore Levitt, TED LEVITT ON MARKETING, 2006 Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation
David Magee, HOW TOYOTA BECAME NUMBER ONE, 2007, Portfolio, Penguin Group
James Hodgson et al., Doing Business with the New Japan, 2008, ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY, 2005, Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation
Roy Larke and Michael Causton, Japan-A Modern Retail Super Power, 2005, Palgrave Macmillan
Pankaj Ghemawat, Strategy and the Business Landscape, Core Concepts, 2001 ,Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Kelts Roland, JAPANAMEIRCA-HOW JAPANESE POP CULTURE HAS INVADED THE U.S., 2007, Palgrave Macmillan
Ulrike Schaede, CHOOSE AND FOCUS-JAPANESE BUSINESS STRATEGIES FOR THE 21st CENTURY, 2008 Cornell University Press
Joseph S. Nye Jr. The Powers to Lead, 2008, Oxford University Press, Chapter 2 Leadership and Power, pp.27-52
Besides the aforementioned reading materials, free articles on web sites regarding Japanese marketing and business will be distributed to students at the first session.
Recommended readings:
Other chapters of aforementioned six books:
Chris Anderson, The Long Tail, 2006, Hyperion
Theodore Levitt, TED LEVITT ON MARKETING, 2006 Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation
David Magee, HOW TOYOTA BECAME NUMBER ONE, 2007, Portfolio, Penguin Group
Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY, 2005, Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation
Roy Larke and Michael Causton, Japan-A Modern Retail Super Power, 2005, Palgrave Macmillan
Ulrike Schaede, CHOOSE AND FOCUS-JAPANESE BUSINESS STRATEGIES FOR THE 21st CENTURY, 2008 Cornell University Press
And the following four books about the new trend of internet business and fast-food business chain in US:
Adam L. Penenberg, Viral Loop: From Facebook to Twitter, How Today's Smartest Businesses Grow Themselves, 2009, Hyperion
Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, Inbound Marketing: Get Found Using Google, Social Media, and Blogs (The New Rules of Social Media), 2009, Wiley
Chris Anderson, Free: The Future of a Radical Price, 2009, Hyperion
Erik Qualman, Socialnomics: How social media transforms the way we live and do business, 2009, Wiley
Philip Kotler et al., marketing 3.0, 2010, Wiley
Rachel Botsman and Roo Rogers, WHAT’S MINE IS YOURS-THE RISE OF COLLABORATIVE CONSUMPTION, 2010, Harper-Collins Publishes
Dr. Yuzo Sugimoto holds Doctor of Philosophy in Economics, Yokohama National University, Japan and Master of Business Administration in Finance, Graziadio School of Business and Management, Pepperdine University, California. He worked for Japan Highway Governmental Corporation more than 10 years, mainly specializing in public finance and privatization for infrastructure. Recent research areas focus on business strategies of eco-friendly vehicles, Japanese fast-fashion (apparel industry), and Japanese entertainment industry. Since 2001 at the request of Sangyo-Nouritsu University he has been consulting for Japanese large corporations regarding human resource development. His clients include Toyota Motor Corporation, Toyota Trading Corporation, NEC Soft(ware), AEON etc. He teaches marketing and economics at Kanda Institute of Foreign Language and IES spring and fall area study courses (“Key Features of Japanese Marketing Strategy” & “The Contemporary Economy of Japan). His recent books include “INVITED TO VICTORIA’S SECRET” (Garyusha, 2010), “President Obama and Hybrid Vehicle” (Garyusha, 2010), and “Public-Private Partnership and Public Policy Making in Japan”(co-author, Nihon-keizai-hyouron-sha, 2008).
The goal of this course is to help students appreciate the key features of Japanese marketing strategy. Japan’s success in the production of quality products and its ability to market them is almost legendary. The business communities in the world have recently witnessed Japan changing the conventional mode of its domestic market structure to a newly created one, where the diversified demands are satisfied with the flexible suppliers overseas. This course introduces students to the Japan-related managerial concepts such as Keiretsu, Kaizen and to the logic of Japanese marketing strategies related to product, price, channel, promotion/communication, while examining simultaneously standard marketing concepts and models such as PEST, SWOT, marketing mix (4Ps), BCG (Boston Consulting Group) growth share matrix, Michael Porter’s Five Forces Model and Blue Ocean Strategy. It also covers key features of Japanese internet-related business strategies along with American ones and global marketing management of Multi-National Enterprises (MNEs). Case studies to be used in the course revolve round recent hit products such as Convenience Stores, Cellular Phone “Keitai”, Toyota’s “Lexus” & “Prius”, Apple’s iPod, iPhone, iPad & iTunes Store, NINTENDO DS, a luxury brand Louis Vuitton, J-pop music, etc. Finally, what kind of impact a once-in-a century world economic crisis has had on Japanese marketing strategies and consumer behaviors will be examined. Field studies will complement classroom lectures/discussion. (3 credits)
No prior studies are required to the admission of this course. However, some materials will include basic economics and business concepts. Therefore, this course may be suitable for students with such academic backgrounds and experiences. Some topics of this course overlap those of “The Contemporary Economy of Japan (EC320)” during the fall program at IES Abroad Tokyo.
None
Following the attendance policy of IES Abroad Tokyo, attendance to all class meetings is strictly required for the students. In other words, students should attend every class meeting including field trips because there will be important information regarding marketing and business strategy to learn but also it is fair that your classmates have your critical observations and insight in the class. The three-hour format for classes makes missing a single class equivalent to missing a full week during a regular semester. Therefore, students are permitted a maximum of one unexcused absence. Additional unexcused absences will result in a penalty of one of letter grade from your final grade, for each additional absence—i.e. two missed classes turns an A into a B, three turns it into a C, and so on. A student’s absence is considered “excused” only if it is unavoidable due to illness and health condition, and for any other reasons but only if the instructor is notified in advance or on the student’s return to the class.
By the end of the course, the students will be able to:
Lectures, discussion, student presentation, and field studies. A lecture note such as Power Point handout will be distributed in each class meeting. Depending upon different academic backgrounds and interests of the students, supplementary materials such as free articles in the web will be handed out. In this course, students are expected to develop skills of presentation, basic academic research, and report-writing, utilizing various information sources.
10-MINUTE ORAL PRESENTATION: In each class session, about two or three students are asked to make a 10-minute oral presentation on an aspect of Japanese marketing. A student may choose any topic based on his or her interest regarding Japanese marketing. Examples would include Cellular Phone “Keitai” Business, Convenience Store Business, Toyota’s Marketing Strategy, Marketing of Japanese Automotive Industry, Nintendo’s Marketing, Luxury Brand Strategy in Japan such as Louis Vuitton, CHANEL, and Hermes, Japanese Advertisement Industry, Marketing Strategy in The Apparel Industry, Japanese Movie Industry, J-Pop Music Industry, etc. Students are required to do primary and secondary research for the presentation. The presentation should be well-organized and equipped with qualitative and quantitative proofs. Utilizing visual aids, such as POWER POINT are strongly recommended. A 1-page Executive Summary of the presentation including its goal, purpose, background, method, analysis, conclusion, new direction, etc., should be handed out to the class audience. A five-minute question and answer session should follow the presentation. A 10-minute oral presentation with an executive summary will be demonstrated by the instructor at the first session. The presentation schedule will be negotiated at the second session. Presentation topics should be decided by the second session, and students assume the primary responsibility for choosing their topic. (Students may change the topic later on). Students Oral Presentations will start with the third session. Regarding the topic, keeping consistency between your 10-minute presentation and the final report is strongly urged.
FIELD STUDY:
GUEST SPEAKER’S LECTURE: The title of lecture is “Business Strategy of Oscar Promotion and Roles of Fashion Models in Japanese Fashion and Advertisement Businesses.” The goal of this program is to help students appreciate the key features of business and marketing strategy of Oscar Promotion, the largest fashion model and talent agency in Japan and Asia. The presenter will tell students Oscar’s business and marketing strategy facing the age of social media and growing Asian markets. This oral presentation also introduces students to the roles of professional fashion models in Japanese fashion and advertisement businesses in comparison with US. Simultaneously, students will find some aspect of “backstage” of profession in Japanese fashion model business. Additionally, reflecting on her professional model career she will touch upon “Planned Happenstance Theory” advocated by Dr. John Krumboltz, Stanford University School of Education. The theory will be helpful for IES students’ professional career choices. Finally, students hopefully may learn skills of professional posing from a promising Japanese professional fashion model!
FINAL REPORT: Every student is required to submit the final report with around 10-15 pages including pictures, graphs, tables & diagrams. The due date will be the final session. Students may choose any topic regarding the Japanese marketing. In selecting a topic, please refer to the examples given in the 10-minute oral presentation explanation. Choosing the identical topics, or the closely related topics, for both the 10-minute presentation and the final report, is strongly recommended to make effective use of your time. Students are required to submit a 1-page outline or Executive Summary (updated version) of the final report in the mid term. Based on students’ needs, the instructor and the student will have an individual meeting based on the outline, and recommendations will be given to the student. The outline or Executive Summary accounts for 1/4 of 20% for the final report assessment. The final report should include the title, abstract (or Executive Summary), purpose, company and industry background, propositions, analysis of marketing strategies with quantitative and qualitative proofs, conclusion, and future direction, footnotes, and bibliography.
For the secondary research some useful information sources on the Internet could be utilized as follows:
12 Sessions Including 3 Field Studies
1 Course Introduction
The instructor will review the outline of the course including grade assessment policy. The overall picture of the current Japanese consumer markets will be sketched out along with Japanese economy. The instructor will also offer a brief historical background of Japanese management including several keywords such as Keiretsu (corporate networks), Just-In-Time (JIT), Kaizen (Improvement) and other well-known Japanese business terms along with the basic marketing concepts and theories such as marketing mix. (4Ps: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion), BCG growth share matrix and product mix. What the students should expect of the 10-minute oral presentation will also be explained. (The content of the following sessions might be fine-tuned, depending upon the students’ individuals interests.)
*Reading Assignment: None
2 Japanese Marketing Strategy
*Short Quiz (Trial: Not counted for student’s grade)
Market segmentation techniques, new product development, market positioning and branding policy of Japanese companies will be explained. Several case studies will be presented and discussed in class. Schedule for 10-minute-oral presentation will be decided in this session.
*Reading Assignments:
Kotler and Armstrong (2004) Chapter 2 Company and Market Strategy: Partnering to Build Customer Relationships, pp.37-64.
Lamb et al. (2006), Chapter 9 Developing and Managing Products, pp.286-307.
Levitt (2006), Chapter 12 Marketing Myopia, pp.189-213
Magee (2007), Chapter 2 Strive for Continuous Improvement, pp.25-45
Schaede (2008) Chapter 2 JAPAN’S STRATEGIC INFLECTION POINT, 1998-2006
3 Field Study (1): Business Office Design & Stationary Industry: KOKUYO
A 1-2 page field study report is due the next session.
4 Japanese Marketing Strategy – Price
*Students Oral Presentation#1
*Short Quiz#1
*Due: Field Study Report (1)
Japanese consumers used to believe the saying, “the cheaper is the worse.” But now low-priced and high-quality products are well-received in the market. We will study the causes of the pricing revolution in the 90s, emergence of price-sensitive consumers, and the features of private brands and discounters.
*Reading Assignments:
Kerin et al. (2007), Chapter 12 Pricing Products and Services, pp.261-281.
Hodgson et al. (2008), Chapter 4 The Japanese Negotiation Style, pp.39-54
Kim and Mauborgne (2005) Chapet 1 Creating Blue Oceans, pp.3-22
Ghemawat (2001), Chapter 2 Mapping the Business Landscape, pp.24-35
5 Guest Speaker Session- Strategy of Japanese Fashion Model Agency and role of fashion models in advertisement business
A 1-2 page responsive paper on guest speaker’s lecture is due the session after the next session.
6 Field Study ( 2): AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY---Toyota MEGA WEB
A 1-2 page field study report is due the next session.
7 Japanese Marketing Strategy – Place or Physical Distribution
*Students Oral Presentation#2
*Short Quiz#2
*Due: Outline of Final Report
*Due: Responsive Paper on Guest Speaker’s Session & Field Study Report (2)
One of the distinct features of Japanese marketing (or market) can be seen in the so-called channel system. In this class, we focus on the role of manufacturers and wholesalers in the distribution structure, a framework of fragmented retail market, drawing upon the market strategy of “Convenience Stores”. The relation between lifestyle of Japanese consumers and retail structural change will also be covered
*Reading Assignments:
Perreault and McCarthy (2006), Chapter 10 Place and Development of Channel Systems, pp.244-263.
Lark & Causton (2005) Chapter 8 Convenience Store, pp.3-22.
Bearden et al. (2007), Chapter 16 An Overview of Marketing Communications, pp.366-387
8 Field Study ( 3): Entertainment Industry: AVEX
A 1-2 page field study report is due the next session.
9 Mid-term Examination & Japanese Marketing Strategy with Promotion
*Mid-term Examination
*Due: Field Study Report (3)
*Students Oral Presentation#3
*No Short Quiz!
Western observers are often said to find Japanese advertisement puzzling. In this session, students learn patterns of Japanese marketing communication, sales promotion and sales force management, and changes in advertising techniques.
*Reading Assignments: None
10 Japanese Consumer Behavior
*Short Quiz #3
*Student Oral Presentation#4
After World War II, the income and purchasing power of Japanese consumers have multiplied. Buying patterns of everyday consumption have changed, as Japanese lifestyles have become more westernized. We study consumer behavior characteristics and changes in satisfaction mechanism of Japanese consumers. Some interesting aspects of “conspicuous consumption” in Japan will be discussed.
*Reading Assignments: None
11 Japanese Pop Culture---Japanese Amine , music and Keitai industries
*Student Oral Presentation#5
In this session the students will study the basic structure of Japan’s anime and music industries. About 60% of the “Animation” films and TV programs watched by children worldwide are said to be Japanese. The number of the anime production companies in Japan is around 400 and approximately 80% of those are located in Tokyo area. Presently, the Japanese anime industry is facing some threats such as lack of the creative and skilled workers, falling behind the world-wide digital technology trend, complicated commercial practices regarding patents, and shortage of mega hit films in the world market. However, overall, Japanese Animation Films are still regarded as one of the very few “soft powers” that Japan now has. On top of that, we will see the Japanese music industry which has had a huge impact on Asian youths. Unique direction of the Japanese Keitai (Cellular Phone) business collaborating with Japanese entertainment industry will be also confirmed, compared with US.
*Reading Assignment:
Kelts (2007) Chapter 1 may the g-force be with you, pp.9-34.
Emmott(2009) Chapter 4 Japan: Powerful, Vulnerable, Ageing, pp.87-120
Nye (2008) Chapter 2 Leadership and Power, pp.27-52
Andersen (2006) Chapter 1 The Long Tail pp.15-26
12 Japanese E-Commerce, Global Marketing Strategies & Advanced Technologies
*Students Oral Presentation#6
The number of Japanese companies utilizing IT devices as a new marketing tool is on the rise; it is widely thought that such devises would help improve efficiency of business and consumer satisfaction. Most people here now use “Keitai” cellular phones with camera and Internet browser for communication. Problems and prospects of Japanese e-commerce and how “relationship (or one to one)” marketing is applied will be discussed with the aid of a case study. Japanese companies have been operating their business overseas for years. We shall discuss the differences between domestic marketing strategies and international ones by using the Japanese automobile industry as an illustration. We will also discuss technology issues with the government policy regarding Japanese advanced technologies such as Hybrid Car Toyota’s Prius and Fuel Cell Vehicles.
*Reading Assignments: None
Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong, Principles of Marketing, version 2.0, 2004, Pearson Prentice Hall
Charles W. Lamb, Jr. et al., Essentials of Marketing, 5th edition, 2006, Thomson South-Western
Roger A. Kerin et al., Marketing The Core, 2nd edition, 2007, McGraw-Hill Irwin
William D. Perreault, Jr. and E. Jerome McCarthy, Essentials of Marketing: A Global-Managerial Approach, 10th edition, 2006, McGraw-Hill Irwin
Bearden et al., Marketing: Principles and Perspective, 2007, McGraw-Hill
Chris Anderson, The Long Tail, 2006, Hyperion
Theodore Levitt, TED LEVITT ON MARKETING, 2006 Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation
David Magee, HOW TOYOTA BECAME NUMBER ONE, 2007, Portfolio, Penguin Group
James Hodgson et al., Doing Business with the New Japan, 2008, ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY, 2005, Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation
Roy Larke and Michael Causton, Japan-A Modern Retail Super Power, 2005, Palgrave Macmillan
Pankaj Ghemawat, Strategy and the Business Landscape, Core Concepts, 2001 ,Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Kelts Roland, JAPANAMEIRCA-HOW JAPANESE POP CULTURE HAS INVADED THE U.S., 2007, Palgrave Macmillan
Ulrike Schaede, CHOOSE AND FOCUS-JAPANESE BUSINESS STRATEGIES FOR THE 21st CENTURY, 2008 Cornell University Press
Bill Emmott, RIVALS, 2009, PENGUIN BOOKS, Chapter 4 Japan: Powerful, Vulnerable, Ageing pp.87-120
Joseph S. Nye Jr. The Powers to Lead, 2008, Oxford University Press, Chapter 2 Leadership and Power, pp.27-52
Besides the aforementioned reading materials, free articles on web sites regarding Japanese marketing and business will be distributed to students at the first session.
Other chapters of aforementioned six books:
Chris Anderson, The Long Tail, 2006, Hyperion
Theodore Levitt, TED LEVITT ON MARKETING, 2006 Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation
David Magee, HOW TOYOTA BECAME NUMBER ONE, 2007, Portfolio, Penguin Group
Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY, 2005, Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation
Roy Larke and Michael Causton, Japan-A Modern Retail Super Power, 2005, Palgrave Macmillan
Ulrike Schaede, CHOOSE AND FOCUS-JAPANESE BUSINESS STRATEGIES FOR THE 21st CENTURY, 2008 Cornell University Press
And the following four books about the new trend of internet business and fast-food business chain in US:
Adam L. Penenberg, Viral Loop: From Facebook to Twitter, How Today's Smartest Businesses Grow Themselves, 2009, Hyperion
Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, Inbound Marketing: Get Found Using Google, Social Media, and Blogs (The New Rules of Social Media), 2009, Wiley
Chris Anderson, Free: The Future of a Radical Price, 2009, Hyperion
Erik Qualman, Socialnomics: How social media transforms the way we live and do business, 2009, Wiley
Philip Kotler et al., marketing 3.0, 2010, Wiley
Rachel Botsman and Roo Rogers, WHAT’S MINE IS YOURS-THE RISE OF COLLABORATIVE CONSUMPTION, 2010, Harper-Collins Publishes
Stacy Perman, IN-N-OUT BURGER, 2009, Harper-Collins Publishers
Dr. Yuzo Sugimoto holds Doctor of Philosophy in Economics, Yokohama National University, Japan and Master of Business Administration in Finance, Graziadio School of Business and Management, Pepperdine University, California. He worked for Japan Highway Governmental Corporation more than 10 years, mainly specializing in public finance and privatization for infrastructure. Recent research areas focus on business strategies of eco-friendly vehicles, Japanese fast-fashion (apparel industry), and Japanese entertainment industry. Since 2001 at the request of Sangyo-Nouritsu University he has been consulting for Japanese large corporations regarding human resource development. His clients include Toyota Motor Corporation, Toyota Trading Corporation, NEC Soft(ware), AEON etc. He teaches marketing and economics at Kanda Institute of Foreign Language and IES spring and fall area study courses (“Key Features of Japanese Marketing Strategy” & “The Contemporary Economy of Japan). His recent books include “INVITED TO VICTORIA’S SECRET” (Garyusha, 2010), “President Obama and Hybrid Vehicle” (Garyusha, 2010), and “Public-Private Partnership and Public Policy Making in Japan”(co-author, Nihon-keizai-hyouron-sha, 2008).