国际商务-查尔斯W.L.希尔-第七版-原版官方教学课件Chap01.ppt

* * * * * * * * The answer is a. * * * Management Focus: Vodafone in Japan Summary This feature explores the strategic decisions of Vodafone, the world’s largest provider of wireless telephone service, in Japan. Vodafone acquired J-Phone, the number three player in Japan’s wireless market, in 2002. However, after a series of questionable decisions, Vodafone sold J-Phone at a loss in 2006. Discussion of the feature can revolve around the following questions: 1. Why type of strategy was Vodafone trying to pursue when it acquired J-Phone? How did it hope this strategy would boost profitability and profit growth? Answer: Vodafone’s vision was to build a global brand using a phone that would work anywhere in the world. To achieve that vision, the company offered consumers a standardized product with the same technology regardless of where they were located. In theory, by offering the same basic product everywhere, Vodafone would not only capitalize on a brand name, it would also capitalize on a streamlined production process. Most students twill recognize this as a global standardization strategy. 2. Why did the strategy fail in Japan? What should Vodafone have done differently? Answer: Vodafone failed to recognize that consumers in different locations values different features. In Japan, the company was selling primarily to younger people who did not travel much, and did not value the global portability of the company’s phones. Instead, Japanese consumers were more interested in other features like games and cameras. In retrospect, Vodafone probably should have paid more attention to local preferences. The company delayed introduction of phones using 3G technology that would allow users to watch video clips and teleconference because it wanted to launch the technology only when it had a phone that would work inside and outside Japan. * Management Focus: The Evolution of Strategy at Procter Gamble Summary This feature explores the evolution of Procte