Abstract
This paper focuses on the marketing strategy for Japanese automobile manufacturers in emerging countries.
Firstly, we confirm that Japanese makers place importance on middle and high price range vehicles in developing countries, and they employ retail policy and strategy suited for sales of middle and high grade vehicles. They have not yet lost their market share very much. Therefore we consider why and how Japanese makers can employ such strategy, and, from a long term perspective, how long they will keep this strategy. We think that Japanese manufacturers should not enter the A segment in emerging markets.
Secondly, in terms of product life cycle theory, automobile markets in emerging countries are still in the Introduction phase, and have not yet matured or been saturated. As a worldwide market, the automobile market has been expanding. Moreover, innovation in technology has been continuing. It will take several years, perhaps as many as ten years, before the automobile markets in emerging countries reach the Matured phase. During the Introduction and Growing phases, automobile manufacturers of developed countries can use the above strategy in emerging countries.
Thirdly, we can infer that most of the entry users of automobiles in emerging countries are family households. And they are relatively elder people. On the other hand, most of the entry users in developed countries are younger and unmarried people.
