[编译]延缓竞争反应时间策略

冷峻散势

案例1

In 1975, Bristol-Myers introduced Datril, an acetaminophen
(non-aspirin) analgesic, to the market. The major player in the
nonpres cription analgesic market then was Tylenol, which
was produced and marketed by McNeil Labs, a subsidiary of
Johnson and Johnson. Datril was introduced as a low-priced
alternative to Tylenol. Two weeks before Datril’s introduction,
McNeil Labs responded by reducing the price of Tylenol
to the trade by 30%. In addition, in 1975, McNeil Labs increased
their advertising budget to promote Tylenol from an
estimated $2 million in 1974 to $8 million.

竞争反应迅速的例子


案例2

Gatorade, introduced in 1966, is the major player in the sports
drink market. In 1991, it held a 86.6% market share (Beverage
World 1992). The first set of competitors included Suntory Water
Group’s 10-K, which entered in 1986, Powerburst in 1989,
and Pepsi’s Mountain Dew Sport (later changed to All Sport)
in 1990 (Supermarket News 1990). Despite these new entrants
that were lower priced, Gatorade maintained high price levels.
In 1990 Coca-Cola introduced PowerAde nationwide
through fountains and subsequently in cans and bottles. The
defensive response to the new competitors was made in 1993
when Gatorade engaged in price wars with PowerAde
(BrandWeek July 12, 1993).

延缓竞争反应时间的例子

Surprisingly, this delayed reaction is not an isolated
example and, in fact, is a widely observed strategy. In
a study based on the Strategic Planning Institute’s (SPI)
start-up business data pertaining to 199 new product
entries, Robinson (1988) observed a pattern of delayed
responses by the incumbent firms. In particular, defensive
price reactions, which are the easiest to implement,
are also often delayed. Similarly, Bowman and
Gatignon (1995) also observed delayed responses in
the PIMS database. They note that in 28.7% of the
cases, the defensive responses to new product entries
occurred after more than a year； in 18% of the cases, it
occurred between six months and a year； and in only

有商业数据库统计表明, 当竞争者B用新产品进攻某市场时,
市场领先者A一般不立刻响应竞争者B的行动（如采取降价或加大宣传推广来应对）,
往往待一段时间后再采取其它措施防卫或打击。

延缓对竞争对手的响应其实就是一种打击策略
静即动
守即攻

移动对联通某些过急市场应对举措
效果上未必比得上继续保持沉默
呵呵


正确地提问

问正确的问题（Critical Question）是情报官非常重要的技能
也是做正确的事的起点

对于新进入的竞争者,有些企业选择立刻反应而另一些选择
待一段时间才作出反应呢？企业究竟是出于什么样的考虑呢？
重点应放探究在延缓反应的原因上。


结论


新产品上市时, 客户对新产品不熟悉,一般都会持观望态度,同时认为市场领先者是有能力
评估确认竞争对手产品的质素的。 所以在客户潜意识里，市场领先者对竞争对手新产品
的反应就是产品质素的指南针-----

（1）立刻反应
不管是降价或是针对性推出新品或同期加大宣传力度等等,
都是对竞争对手产品市场地位的承认，
承认它的质量与自己的相当，
承认竞争方产品是一不错的选择

立刻反应无形中成了竞争对手的催化剂


（2）延缓反应
在竞争对手产品导入期装作不关心，不响应或不感冒，保持自己的高价位高姿态
目的是迷惑客户，不主动向市场抛出其实竞争产品也是不错的信号, 这样能够延长
对方产品的市场导入期，同时能保证不过早进入价格战。通信学里有信源
的概念，市场竞争中这就是典型的以“静”削弱信源的光芒， 呵呵

当竞争对手的产品逐渐得到客户的认可时[很多时候，这是不可抑制的趋势]
这时才出手散势, 进入价格战或广告轰炸阶段， 这就是延缓反应时间策略。

如案例2中所说的
The defensive response to the new competitors was made in 1993
when Gatorade engaged in price wars with PowerAde

Gatorade刚开始不当PowerAde的助推器, 时隔2年多才作反应，
这就是Gatorade延缓反应时间策略，目的是延长对手的新产品导入期,
同时在导入期间，能够保持自己的价位。

讨论

你所处行业诸如此类的例子少吗？


情报启迪

Response to Competitive Entry: A Rationale for Delayed Defensive Reaction
Ajay Kalra •； Surendra Rajiv •； Kannan Srinivasan

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In the context of our analysis, we find that when consumers
are uncertain about the entrant’s quality, the incumbent firm must
be careful in deciding the optimal response to entry.

Given that the incumbent’s ability to test and identify
the quality of a product far exceeds that of any individual
consumer, it is reasonable for consumers to expect
that firms are aware of each other’s quality.

Any aggressive attempt by the incumbent firm may lead the
customers to view the incumbent’s strong defensive
reactions as an implicit acknowledgment of the competitor’s
strength in the marketplace. In fact, such beliefs
may enhance the attractiveness of the competitor’s
product.

Our results support
the notion that when the incumbent lowers price, respondents(customer)
expect the entrant’s quality to be high and vice versa.

“All the counterattacking by Pepsi legitimized the
(Coke) product” (Wall Street Journal 1990).


The explanation that consumers may infer the entrant’s
quality based on the incumbent’s reaction is viewed as
the most likely reason.

The timing of competitive response, therefore, has
significant strategic implications.

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编译 By 冷峻散势