International Competition: The Japanese Challenge

The Japanese success in international competition has attracted much attention. To date, little of this attention has addressed the role of marketing in the Japanese success. This note focuses on the Japanese approach to strategic market planning and its role in contributing to the competitive strength of Japanese enterprise.The author identifies the major elements of the Japanese approach and concludes that there is nothing new in Japanese marketing. The Japanese advantage is not in secret or esoteric knowledge or techniques, but rather in simply practicing what is known and avoiding the seduction attraction of simplistic solutions or “fixes.” The author concludes that it is important for Western companies to get back to the basics: thorough application of known principles and procedures, action, and hard work. The Japanese approach also raises the issue of appropriate national policy in the area of government/business relations and “industrial policy.”© 1984 JIBS. Journal of International Business Studies (1984) 15, 189–193