No. 42: スタンドプレーとどんぶり勘定 (February 1, 2010)
海外市場では、各国の景気刺激策のおかげで、業績が回復する企業が増えてきた。しかし、国内市場では、大手百貨店の閉店が続き、政府が声を大にして叫ぶ「内需拡大」も色あせてしまった。大盤振る舞いをすると財源が不足するのは自明の理なのに、見栄を張って大向こうをうならせる政策の連発。とうとう、11年度には社会保障関係費だけで、約6兆円の追加財源が必要という事態になった。スタンドプレーには、必ず問題がついてくる。連日、テレビで放映されるのは安売り競争。安売り店の店主は、国民的英雄のような扱いを受けている。スタンドプレーには際限がなく、消費者もさらなる安売りを求めて、熱狂的になっていく。販売者は、物流コストに含まれる販促費や、年度末に受け取る未知数のボリュームリベートまで計算に入れて価格競争に走る。そして、年度末になると赤字が判明する。スタンドプレーとどんぶり勘定では、高収益体制の構築は不可能である。 (Written by Shigeo Sunahara of CBC, Inc.)
No. 42: Publicity stunt and approximate estimation (February 1, 2010)
An increasing number of Japanese companies have been recovering in the global market thanks to economic stimulus measures implemented by foreign countries. In the Japanese domestic market, however, large and famous department stores are closed one after another, and the catch-phrase “domestic demand expansion” that the Japanese government exclaimed seems to be fading away. Although it is a self-evident truth that generous treatment leads to revenue shortage, generous policies that overjoy people have been implemented incessantly. Finally, it has become clear that the country needs additional revenue source as much as for 6 trillion yen for social security expenses alone in fiscal 2011. Publicity stunt is always accompanies by problems. The price war is a hot issue in Japan, and Japanese watch price wars on the TV screen as if they are common practices. The shop owners make shoppers happy with discount sales, and they are televised like national heroes. Publicity stunt is limitless, and consumers grow more enthusiastic and shop around for even lower prices. Sellers are engaged in a price-cutting war by taking into consideration unknown volume rebates to be paid at the year-end, and they learn that the business is in red when they get the rebates. It is hardly possible to construct a high-profit structure with publicity stunt and approximate estimation.
No. 42: Publicity stunt and approximate estimation (February 1, 2010)
An increasing number of Japanese companies have been recovering in the global market thanks to economic stimulus measures implemented by foreign countries. In the Japanese domestic market, however, large and famous department stores are closed one after another, and the catch-phrase “domestic demand expansion” that the Japanese government exclaimed seems to be fading away. Although it is a self-evident truth that generous treatment leads to revenue shortage, generous policies that overjoy people have been implemented incessantly. Finally, it has become clear that the country needs additional revenue source as much as for 6 trillion yen for social security expenses alone in fiscal 2011. Publicity stunt is always accompanies by problems. The price war is a hot issue in Japan, and Japanese watch price wars on the TV screen as if they are common practices. The shop owners make shoppers happy with discount sales, and they are televised like national heroes. Publicity stunt is limitless, and consumers grow more enthusiastic and shop around for even lower prices. Sellers are engaged in a price-cutting war by taking into consideration unknown volume rebates to be paid at the year-end, and they learn that the business is in red when they get the rebates. It is hardly possible to construct a high-profit structure with publicity stunt and approximate estimation.
