Not only does this represent greater values diversification, these people are much savvier about the products and what they want. At the same time, corporate clients are engaged in relentless downsizing and outsourcing and are intent on achieving greater efficiencies with QR and ECR. Retailing has gone global, and there is considerable consolidation underway to create world-scale operations. Manufacturers, who once asserted the dominance of brand strength, are running into fierce price pressures from the market and are being forced to offer rebates and other incentives. And all of this is tied up with the endless escalation of service expectations. In virtually every industry, market leadership has flowed downstream. Manufacturers can no longer impose their will. Control has shifted to retailers and end-user customers.
  
There have been sweeping changes with far-reaching ramifications. So has your marketing kept pace? Or are your marketing operations still set up the same as they were ten years ago? How have your training programs changed to reflect these changes and anticipate the future? Surely you are not still focusing on the theory of the 4Ps, are you?
  
Yamasaki Kouji
Kai Consulting Office