The 8th SARD Workshop
・Date： From 26-28, November 2010.
・Venue： University of Marketing and Distribution Sciences in Japan
・Theme： "Interaction between International Retailers and Local Retailers
in Emerging Markets”-retrospect and prospects for the future-
Program for the 8th SARD Workshop in November 2010.
Information
The retail business sectors of Europe and Japan have expanded into various other countries since the latter part of 1980’s, and this movement has occurred progressively. This development started in neighbouring countries, and gradually extended to other countries, even to those where there are differences in culture and mind set. It is well known that Asia and newly established countries in Eastern Europe are targets for this expansion. Although this tendency has remained, the retail business sector in Asia has now begun to launch its own expansion into foreign countries.
At SARD workshops to date, we have focused on and discussed subjects such as “Exploring the realities of international retail competition in Asia”, “The changes of retail paradigm in the 21st century”, “Public policy and retail internationalization”, “Innovation in international retailing” and so on.
It now has become clear that:
(1) Progressive international retail business sectors have made headway into the Asian market successfully.
(2) The effects on the target retail markets vary.
(3) The variation is due to the business environments of the countries targeted, as well as differences of strategies applied in the various retail markets. “Diversity of Asia”, which has long been talked about, is now confirmed.
At the 8th SARD Workshop, we would like to recapitulate these points on the basis of the phenomena we have witnessed, and envisage the future of retail internationalization.
- How the expansion of the international retail business sectors to Asia (and other emerging markets) have progressed, and the characteristics of this movement.
- What effects this expansion has had on to the retail markets of Asia (and the other emerging countries).
- How the retail business sectors of Asia (and the other emerging markets) have reacted to the encroachment of international retail businesses.
- Is the relationship between the international and local retail businesses hostile or not?
- What factors determine the nature of the relationship between the international and the local retail business?
- How the local distribution system has been affected by the international retail business sectors.
- How the international retail business sectors have changed the attitude of the local consumers.
- What the international business sectors have learned from competition and cooperation with the local businesses.
- How the strategy and business models of the international retail businesses have been changed by the experiences in the emerging markets.
- The local Asian retail business sectors that were passive in the past have now launched international expansion plans. What is their purpose in this strategy shift?
More issues regarding the relationship between international and the local retail markets are expected to be discussed from various points of view.
