本科毕业外文翻译.docx

1、本科毕业外文翻译本科毕业论文 外文文献及翻译Marketing Channels and Value Networks Most producers do not sell their goods directly to the final users; between them stands aset of intermediaries performing a variety of functions. These intermediaries constitute a marketing channel (also called a trade channel or distributi

2、on channel). Formally, marketing channels are sets of interdependent organizations involved in the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption. They are the set of pathways a product or service follows after production, culminating in purchase and use by the final end use

3、r. Some intermediaries-such as wholesalers and retailers-buy, take title to, and resell the merchandise; they are called merchants. Others-brokers, manufacturers representatives, sales agents-search for customers and may negotiate on the producers behalf but do not take title to the goods; they are

4、called agents. Still others-transportation companies, independent warehouses, banks, advertising agencies-assist in the distribution process but neither take title to goods nor negotiate purchases or sales; they are called facilitators.The Importance of Channels A marketing channel system is the par

5、ticular set of marketing channels a firm employs, and decisions about it are among the most critical ones management faces. In the United States, channel members collectively have earned margins that account for 30% to 50% of the ultimate selling price. In contrast, advertising typically has account

6、ed for less than 5% to 7% of the final price.Marketing channels also represent a substantial opportunity cost. One ofthe chief roles of marketing channels is to convert potential buyers into profitable customers. Marketing channels must not just serve markets, they must also make markets. The channe

7、ls chosen affect all other marketing decisions. The companys pricing depends on whether it uses mass merchandisers or high-quality boutiques. The firms sale force and advertising decisions depend on how much training and motivation dealers need. In addition, channel decisions include relatively long

8、-term commitments with other finns as well as a set of policies and procedures. When an automaker signs up independent dealers to sell its automobiles, the automaker cannot buy them out the next day and replace them with company-owned outlets. But at the same time, channel choices themselves depend

9、on the companys marketing strategy with respect to segmentation, targeting, and positioning. Holistic marketers ensure that marketing decisions in all these different areas are made to collectively maximize value. In managing its intermediaries, the firm must decide how much effort to devote to push

10、 versus pull marketing. A push strategy uses the manufacturers sales force, trade promotion money, or other means to induce intermediaries to carry, promote, and sell the product to end users. Push strategy is appropriate where there is low brand loyalty in a category, brand choice is made in the st

11、ore, the product is an impulse item, and product benefits are well understood. In a pull strategy the manufacturer uses advertising, promotion, and other forms of communication to persuade consumers to demand the product from intermediaries, thus inducing the intermediaries to order it. Pull strateg

12、y is appropriate when there is high brand loyalty and high involvement in the category, when consumers are able to perceive differences between brands, and when they choose the brand before they go to the store. For years, drug companies aimed ads solely at doctors and hospitals, but in 1997 the FDA

13、 issued guidelines for TV ads that opened the way for pharmaceuticals to reach consumers directly. This is particularly evident in the burgeoning business of prescription sleep aids.SEPRACOR INC. The increased use of prescription sleep aids is due not so much to an increase in the number of insomnia

14、cs, as to the billions of dollars the drug companies re spending on print and TV advertising. Consider Sepracors ads for Lunesta, featuring a pale green Luna moth flitting around the head of a peaceful sleeper. Sepracor spent $2.98 million in consumer advertising in 2006, and its stock and sales hav

15、e jumped due to its successful campaign. The drug industry as a whole spent more than $4 billion on consumer ads in 2005, more than a fivefold increase in 10 years. Its aggressive pUll marketing strategy has, however, prompted intense debate and scrutiny from Congress. After all, while aggressive ad

16、vertising of Mercks Vioxx generated huge profits, it exposed housands of U.S. adults to heart attack risks. Critics of the new drug ads say the drugs they tout treat symptoms rather than spurring consumers to discoverthe reason they cant sleep (which can range from simple stress to serious illness).

17、 Proponents of such ads say that in an era of managed care and shortened doctor visits, ads educate patients and spark important conversations with doctors. Although the pharmaceutical industry is unlikely to pUll back, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. has won some kudos for voluntarily banning ads during t

18、he first year new drugs are on the markets. Top marketing companies such as Coca-Cola, Intel, and Nike skillfully employ both push and pull strategies. Marketing activities directed towards the channel as part of a push strategy are more effective when accompanied by a well-designed and well-execute

19、d pull strategy that activates consumer demand. On the other hand, without at least some consumer interest, it can be very difficult to gain much channel acceptance and support.Channel Development A new firm typically starts as a local operation seIling in a fairly circumscribed market, using existi

20、ng intermediaries. The number of such intermediaries is apt to be limited: a few manufacturers sales agents, a few wholesalers, several established retailers, a few trucking companies, and a few warehouses. Deciding on the best channels might not be a problem; the problem is often to convince the av

21、ailable intermediaries to handle the firms line. If the firm is successful, it might branch into new markets and use different channels in different markets. In smaller markets, the firm might sell directly to retailers; in larger markets, it might sell through distributors. In rural areas, it might

22、 work with general-goods merchants; in urban areas, with limited-line merchants. In one part of the country, it might grant exclusive franchises; in another, it might seJJ through aJJ outlets witIing to handle the merchandise. In one country, it might use international sales agents; in another, it m

23、ight partner with a local firm. International markets pose distinct challenges. Customers shopping habits can vary by countries, and many retailers such as Germanys Aldi, the United Kingdoms Tesco, and Spains Zara have redefined themselves to a certain degree when entering a new market to better tai

24、lor their image to local needs and wants. Retailers that have largely stuck to the same selling formula regardless of geography, such as Eddie Bauer, Marks & Spencer, and Wal-Mart,marketing strategy for Its entrance into 1M US. market to slock different national manufacturer have sometimes encounter

25、ed trouble in entering new markets. In short, the channel system evolves as a function of local opportunities and conditions, emerging threats and opportunities, company resources and capabilities, and other factors. Consider some of the challenges Dell has encountered in recent years.DELL Dell revo

26、lutionized the personal computer category by selling products directly to customers via the telephone and later the Internet, rather than through retailers or resellers. Customers could custom design the exact PC they wanted, and rigorous cost cutting allowed for low everyday prices. Sound like a wi

27、nning formula? It was for almost two decades. But 2006 saw the company encounter a number of problems that led to a steep stock price decline. First, reinvigorated competitors such as HP narrowed the gap in productivity and price. Always focused more on the business market, Dell struggled to sell ef

28、fectively to the consumer market. Ashift in consumer preferences to bUy in retail stores as opposed to buying direct didnt help, but self-inflicted damage from an ultraefficient supply chain model that squeezed costs-and quality-out of customer service was perhaps the most painfuL Managers evaluated

29、 calf center employees primarily on how fong they stayed on each calf-a recipe for disaster as scores of customers felt their problems were ignored or not properly handled. Alack of R&D spending that hindered new-product development and led to a lack of differentiation didnt help either. Clearly, De

30、ll was entering a new chapter in its history that would require a fundamental rethinking of its channel strategy and its marketing approach as a whole.Hybrid Channels Todays successful companies are also multiplying the number of go-to-market or hybrid channels in anyone market area. In contrast to

31、Dell, HP has used its sales force to sell to large accounts, outbound telemarketing to sell to medium-sized accounts, direct mail with an inbound number to sell to small accounts, retailers to sell to still smaller accounts, and the Internet to sell specialty items. Staples markets through its tradi

32、tional retail channel, adirect-response Internet site, virtual malls, and thousands of links on affiliated sites. Companies that manage hybrid channels must make sure these channels work well together and match each target customers preferred ways of doing business. Customers expect channel integrat

33、ion, characterized by features such as:the ability to order a product online and pick it up at a convenient retail location；the ability to return an online-ordered product to a nearby store of the retailer；the right to receive discounts and promotional offers based on total online and off-line purchases. Circuit