The 10th SARD Workshop
・Date： From November 30-December 2, 2012
・Venue： University of Marketing and Distribution Sciences in Japan
・Theme： "New Opportunity and Challenge
for Asian Retail Development in the Next Decade"
Program for the 10th SARD Workshop in November 2012.
Information
Amid a worldwide economic downturn since the Lehman Shock in 2008, the importance of emerging retail markets, especially those in Asia, has increased. Consumer activity in Asia is still strong, with many domestic and overseas retail companies competing ruthlessly. The eyes of the world’s investors are now on the Asian markets.
Since the wave of internationalization of retail markets surged at the end of the 1980’s, global retailers from the West, who had been seeking new frontier markets, have moved into Asia rapidly. Global retailers have achieved good results by adapting to the needs of local consumers, utilizing efficient modern business systems, although they have been hampered by out-of-date trade practices and exclusive retail- related laws and policies. At the same time, local major retailers improved their position by adopting technology and strategy introduced by global retailers who were advancing strongly. Local major retailers succeeded in retail innovation by adapting to western technology, despite the upsurge of global retailers. They have continued to resist their foreign competitors.
The competition between global and local retailers has become more evident, and it is expected that this trend will increase in the future. What can be predicted is as follows:
- Second movers of global retailers will follow the first movers, who have already gained advantages in the region, and endeavor to gain ground in Asia.
- Japanese major retail companies who were previously leaders in Asia will be more active in joining the competition, as they have been forced to downsize locally as a result of Japan’s prolonged economic problems, aging population, and declining birth rate.
- Retail companies of other Asian countries, such as Korea and Taiwan, whose markets have already matured, will follow the Japanese retailers.
- Local Asian retailers will resist foreign retail companies fiercely in order to keep their own markets. In the Asian retail market in the coming decade, local retail companies will not only fight off domestic and overseas competitors already in their markets, but also respond to the challenge from new foreign companies who would aim to exploit the vast market opportunities.
This year the Society of Asian Retailing and Distribution will hold the 10th SARD Workshop commemorating the success of the workshop over the last 10 years (See the attached history of SARD Workshops in the last decade). The common theme for the 10th SARD Workshop will be “New Opportunity and Challenge for Asian Retail Development in the Next Decade”. The venue will be the University of Marketing and Distribution Sciences, where SARD was born. We hope all the participants will analyze the reality of retail markets in the various Asian countries where internationalization is predicted to be strongest, and envisage where this trend will lead to in the future.
