A Study of Marketing Strategies of consumer Goods Manufactures in Postwar Japan from Business Historical Perspective

本研究课题的初始主题是对战后日本消费品制造商的营销策略进行概述。通过对各种历史资料的调查和对关键人物的访谈，调查者将重点放在了狮油公司的案例上。案例研究的一些结果如下：首先，狮油公司实施了三重分销改进计划，作为对抗花王的战略。该方案体现了与联营批发商共存的原则。Lion在每个相关批发商中设立专门的部门专门经营Lion产品，并努力将Lion产品渗透到零售商中。通过这一战略，联合批发商和零售商加快了管理系统的现代化，这使狮子有机会获得可靠的市场信息。另一方面，狮子油脂公司为了科普两个迫切的问题，即与花王公司在物流效率和成本上的差距越来越大，以及外国化妆品公司进入日本市场，努力使其商品流通系统合理化。新的分配制度由城市和农村地区分开的分配制度组成。新系统的实施成效有限，部分原因是Lion Fat & Oil和Lion Dentifrice Co.即将合并，导致重新考虑分销系统。

The initial theme of this research project was the overview of marketing strategies of consumer goods manufacturers in postwar Japan. Investigating various historical materials and interviewing key individuals led the investigator to focus on the case of Lion Fat ＆ Oil Co. Some results of the case study are as follows.Firstly, Lion Fat ＆ Oil Co. implemented a three-fold distribution improvement program as a strategy to counter Kao. This program expressed the principle of mutual coexistence with associated wholesalers. Lion set up special sections that dealt exclusively in Lion products within each associated wholesaler and strove for penetration of Lion goods into retail sellers. Through this strategy, both associated wholesalers and retail sellers quickened the modernization of their management system, and this gave Lion an opportunity to get reliable market information. But some wholesalers were reluctant to accept of Lion's strategy, because long term business connections were threatened.Secondly, Lion Fat ＆ Oil Co. made efforts to rationalize its merchandize distribution system to cope with two urgent issues : 1)an increasing gap with Kao in term of the logistical effectiveness and cost of distribution system ; 2) the entry of foreign toiletry companies into the Japanese market. The new distribution system consisted of separate distribution systems for urban and rural area. The new system was implemented with limited success, partly because the impending merger of Lion Fat ＆ Oil and Lion Dentifrice Co. led to a reconsideration of the distribution system.