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Export Feasibility Analysis of Astro-Vest Software to Japan   Term Paper ID:27275 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Creates a business & marketing plan to ensure the succesful entry into the Japanese market of Astro-Vest, an astrology-based investment software program.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Creates a business & marketing plan to ensure the succesful entry into the Japanese market of Astro-Vest, an astrology-based investment software program. Paper Introduction: Export Feasibility Analysis of Astro-Vest Software to Japan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Astro-Vest is a newly created product which has been in research and development for three years and in beta testing for six months. The following analysis examines the feasibility of exporting this software product to Japan. The economic climate in Japan is changing rapidly in response to stock market devaluations of the last several years. These largely negative financial events have had a profound impact on the social and economic needs of the population. Great copyright improvements have been made in Japan. However, the lack of import rights in existing laws has forced Japanese consumers to pay unusually high prices for some kinds of Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. A strong aspect of Japan's ancient and modern cultural history is anacceptance, if not total belief in astrology. Parr, K. InstitutionalInvestor, v31 n4, 156. (1996, September 16). However, the lack of import rightsin existing laws has forced Japanese consumers to pay unusually high pricesfor some kinds of software products, including Astro-Vest. This was due to theinability of computer hardware to handle the huge and complex Kanjicharacter set that is the written form of the Japanese language. Accordingly, a U.S. Export Feasibility Analysis of Astro-Vest Software to Japan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Astro-Vest is a newly created product which has been in research anddevelopment for three years and in beta testing for six months. This conservatism has forced the Japaneseindividual investor to consider other options for increasing his savingsbase, and (like many American investors), is looking toward the potentialreturns of a stock investment over more traditional forms. Likely it willsoon capture a large segment of the Japanese computer user audience, thatnumber of people who wait until the innovation is proven and who also tendto be more price sensitive and risk adverse.Astro-Vest's Communicability Communicability, or the ease of dealing with communications channelshas to do with the means by which an entity communicates the innovation toother entities. In additionto the lifting of many restrictions on foreign investment, tax rates havebeen reduced while tariff rates have been liberalized. This hascreated a product unique in its innovation relevancy, and one which will,therefore, merit a reasonably high price (Wasserman, 1996).Retail Pricing Astro-Vest will enter the Japanese market with a retail price tag of$595. Diffusion of innovations. Comline Computers, A2. Searching for an agent in many areas of the Japanesemarket, particularly in the cities outside of Tokyo, is complicated by thefact that the import agent/distributor will need both a strongimport/export authority and an aggressive, yet subtle, marketing expertise. Today, Japan would seem to be in trouble. The Web Site for Astro-Vest will have two sections, a general browseavailability and a highly-encrypted password availability. (1995). Murcheson (1997) further notes: For cultural reasons, the average Japanese buyer of computing systems has strongly shunned general purpose software in favor of custom packages. Thesecond set is of general software purchasers. The major opportunity for Astro-Vest isthat with judicious and selective choosing of representatives, coupled withintensive training and constant contact, Astro-Vest has a solid chance ofprofitably entering the Japanese marketplace. Although specific information on those buying habits are notavailable, several assumptions can be made based on the generalcharacteristics of the Japanese software user. However,with advances in hardware technology the software market is beginning toexpand rapidly (Murcheson, 1997). A 1996 survey showed that imports of personal computer software intoJapan outnumber exports by one hundred to one, according to data from fourindustry associations. 1997, 1 3). The relevance of this political construct of "semi-openness" to bothimported products and investment is a primary construct of the marketingstrategy for Astro-Vest because it ensures that the main key element of theAstro-Vest marketing strategy -- innovation within traditional structures --will be well received.Relevance of Japan's Cultural Environment to Marketing Strategy A strong aspect of Japan's ancient and modern cultural history is anacceptance, if not total belief in astrology. In Japan, cello-wrapped packages make up only one out of every 1 software sales (Murcheson, 1997).General Data About Private Investors in Japan A recent article by Yuri Yamamoto (1997) in the Nikkei Weekly suggeststhat the private investor market in Japan is active but troubled: The pressure of poor performance by the stock market and the easing of regulations to bring Japan into line with other developed countries prompted the Ministry of Finance to soften its opposition [to selling and trading put and call options]. Once purchased, many owners then turn to US software producers for extra applications. exporter is well-advised to search for a Japaneseagent or contact for several purposes, the most important being getting theAstro-Vest software into Japanese markets and establishing a distributionand marketing system. First, the innovation must be newto the adopter. These largely negativefinancial events have had a profound impact on the social and economicneeds of the population. This will also be shown with an increaseof the Early Adopters to 17 percent.Astro-Vest's Flexibility The wide range of platforms Astro-Vest operates on, and its search andanalysis versatility make it a highly flexible product. The software package alsoincludes dialup encryption software that allows the end-user to accessAstro-Vest's constantly-maintained data base which is the repository forastrological information on more than 7, companies. Crawford thinks lunar and solar eclipses in particular have played a significant role in bond and commodities markets during the past decade. This information will be sent byencrypted e-mail, and the Platinum membership is priced at $195 per month. The dialup program is the real key to profits for Astro-Vest, since itinvolves both a monthly fee which will initially be $39, as well asdownload charges, which will be $1 per company projection. In addition to these reasons, the Astro-Vest product scores high on ananalysis of its relative advantage based on the theory of diffusion ofinnovation (Rogers, 1995). The common perception that the Japanese do not want to importtechnology is wrong - over 9 % of client-server software in use in Japanoriginates from overseas. Bargain hunting booms in Japan. Other issues currently confronting andconfounding business people attempting to export products from America intoJapan include lobbying attempts to get the Japanese government to extendretroactive copyright protection from 25 to 5 years, the worldwide piracyproblem, and the need for copyright law to keep pace with technologicaldevelopments. v1 8 n46, 5 Murcheson, K. Astro-Vest will use the most current sales technologies available forthe Internet. THE PRODUCT ANALYZED WITHIN THE THEORY OF DIFFUSED INNOVATION The consumer item to be exported to Japan is Astro-Vest, a computerprogram designed to run cross platform on a wide range of computers asdated as an IBM 386 and as recent as a Pentium 2 . In North America, general purpose software outsells custom developed applications by a ratio of 6:4. Astro-Vest hopes to sell 1 , units of theSoftware, 6, monthly memberships and 5 Platinum memberships to theinnovators and the early adopters.Distributorship Pricing At this point, since all sales projections are based on the Astro-Vestcompany drop shipping all of its products based on orders generated off ofthe Web, no plans have been made for a separate distributorship pricing.However, should that become a necessity then the distributorship will bebased on a 4 -1 -1 -2 structure currently typical in the software industry. These channels can include mass communication andinterpersonal channels (Rogers, 1995, 17-18). The Japanese consumer is beginning torealize that lower prices do not always mean lower quality (Burchill,1997). Japan has been a strong advocate of piracy protection and today playsa very major role in the world forum. Based on this theory, it will beseen that Astro-Vest is extremely compatible with the identified wants andinterests of a large identified segment of the Japanese consumer.Astro-Vest's Divisibility The divisibility factors show a ratio over time of a product's lifecycle. Canadian success stories in the Japanesesoftware market Chapter Four - Today's Software Market in Japan. The term "innovation" has been defined in manyways. In judging compatibility, Rogers (1995) suggests thatindividuals are thought to go through a hierarchy of awareness, interest,evaluation, trial, adoption, and post purchase evaluation when makingpurchase decisions. Challenge of change visits Japan.Advertising Age, v66 n37, p18. (1997, September 9). Many software manufacturers seepiracy as "a problem that threatens to get worse" as it spreads from Chinainto Russia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America and through those areas intomore established markets" (McClure, 1996, 5). The portion of importedsoftware was $4 billion, with American sales estimated at close to half ofthat (Murcheson, 1997). Yamamoto, Y. Lowengrad, M. Historically, during the late 198 s Japan's seemingly unfalteringpersonal incomes created an attitude of changing quickly to new products.Today, those consumers are less secure financially and tend to focus lesson brand selection and new features, and more on what they perceive ascritical for day-to-day survival.General Software Purchasers Data A subset of the general consumer is that consumer (approximately 35%of the market) that buys software either for business or home use. Thefollowing analysis examines the feasibility of exporting this softwareproduct to Japan. A PlatinumInvestor package will offer daily horoscope information on up to 2 companies selected by the end-user. (1996 August 8). Japan: New strategies for winningsolutions. The third data set is ofgeneral information about private investors interested in the various stockmarkets around the world.General Consumer Data It is a given fact that the Japanese consumer today has become moreprice conscious. Crawford claims he can decode a small mob of quivering emanations from space: Sunspots, full and new moons, ionospheric electrons, gravitational and electromagnetic forces, all operating in a dynamic causal relationship to natural growth patterns and cycles. 16). Most practitioners of Astro-investing recommendthat critics of astro-economics keep an open mind to disciplined approacheslike astrology. Wasserman, T. (1995, September 18). Computer Retail Week, v6 n146, 1. Why Japan is hot for catalogers. . the economic bubble was expanding rapidly, manufacturing was the role model for the world, and property values were at stratospheric levels--for example, the value of the Emperor's grounds in Tokyo were said to exceed the value of all the land in California. References 1997 JEIDA reports increase in first-time computer users. Among the most popularAmerican business lecturers in Japan are Arch Crawford, Mason Sexton andHenry Weingarten. Mary Lowengrad (1993), writing in the Institutional Investor(1993) explains Crawford's theory: Planetary movements influence human behavior, and so on have an impact on financial markets. Versions of the Astro-Vest software are under development for theAmerican, French, Spanish, and Chinese markets. Foreign investorsdo not at this point enjoy the same benefits and investment incentivesgranted to Japanese investors. Not only has the bubble burst, but a rising yen has increased the price of Japanese products in global markets, and property values are now more discussed in connection with shaky loans and the stability of some banks. The volume and types of imports is growing, since manybarriers have been analyzed and corrective steps have been instituted. The generalbrowse function will serve many purposes, the most important of which isallowing a preview search, whereby a user can enter a stock symbol andretrieve an astrological forecast (quite general at that point) showing theinvestment suitability of that stock on that day. . Industry Week, v244 n17, 63. Rogers, E. While the market potential is huge, the windowof opportunity is short, with largest rewards likely accruing to those whomove quickly (within the next two years) into the market. Different consumers will be at different stages oftheir decision process at any given time, and will differ in the time ittakes to complete that process and adopt an innovation. This strategy is based on the fact that the most profitablesoftware companies in the world use that as a major distribution technique. Themost common schools of Astro-investing use a raw data base of 1 5 years ofDow Jones pricing data and linear regressions, with gain, loss, andvolatility percentages correlated to various planetary combinations andprice-time equalizations. In 1993, the computer software market was valuedat around $3 billion; including $15 billion in user-made softwaredevelopment and $15 billion in packaged software. In Europe, the numbers favor GP software to an even greater degree. Individual investors have shied away from the market since the bursting of the so-called bubble economy (Yamamoto, 1997, 3).Trading by individual investors on the TSE has declined to less than 2 % oftotal trading in the last several years. The former is Japan-specific and enjoys strong inertia,whereas UNICODE is more universal in that it also maps characters fromother languages. Teresko, J. The communicability factors for Astro-Vest are quite strong inasmuchas it is a product which lends itself to easy discussion. It appears that this product is a viable one for export into Japan.The use of this plan should ensure its success. Of the imports, 6 .8 percent were operating systems and 3 .6 percent were PC applications (Orr, 1996, 64). The first set of purchasing data is about the general consumer. There aretwo important points to remember here. Great copyright improvements have been made in Japan. The research on thebuyers shows a latent desire to own a product such as Astro-Vest. That formula shows a 4 % discount off the retail price, with an additional1 % off that figure for warehousing, then 1 % off that figure formarketing, with an additional 2% off if the distributor pays cash within 1 days of invoice. InternationalJournal of Retail & Distribution Management, v25 n2, 1 3-1 5. In all, a climate of financial conservatism and "belt-tightening" istaking place, a situation which is extremely relevant to the potentialmarketing of Astro-Vest Investment Software. (4th ed.). Since Astro-Vest takes much of the guesswork out of which stocks tobuy, and when, this product will be well received by the Japanese consumerfor three reasons: it is innovative; it is reliable; and it matches strongcultural dispositions toward New Age thinking. The current Japanese government, for the most part, recognizes thesignificant role of greatly-reduced trade barriers in creating a stabletrading economy. That theorywill be applied to four main aspects of Astro-Vest as a product:compatibility, divisibility, flexibility, and communicability.Astro-Vest's Compatibility Astro-Vest's rate of acceptance in the Japanese market is an importantconsideration. (1997). Exchange officials said the major goal of options trading is luring individual investors back to the stock market. Nikkei Weekly, 3. The simplicity is the design ofthe way the databases mesh with a powerful proprietary artificialintelligence which has strong random association possibilities. Thecomplexity comes with the fact that several different (and sometimesconflicting) systems have to be used to turn written Japanese intoequivalent binaries. McClure, S.(1996, Nov. SALES, SALES COSTS, BUDGET, PROFIT ESTIMATESEstimated Gross Sales It is estimated that in the first year, Astro-Vest will sell:| | | ||1 , units |@ $595 |$5,95 , || | | ||6, memberships |@ $39 |$234, || | | ||5 Platinum memberships |@ $2,34 |$1,17 , || | | ||First Year Gross | |$7,354, |(Note: Estimates of Downloading fees not factored in)Estimated Cost of Sales Astro-Vest software will be purchased directly from the inventor andcopyright holder, who has agreed to sell a software package with fullinstructions to this company for $49 per unit, plus a 3 % royalty on eachunit or membership sold.| | ||1 , units @ $49 |$49 , || | ||3 % Royalty on $5,95 , |$1,785, || | ||3 % Royalty on $234, |$7 ,2 || | ||3 % Royalty of $1,17 , |$351, || | ||Total Cost of Sales |$2,696,2 || | ||Adjusted Gross Sales |$4,657,8 |Projected Annual Budget| | ||Office Rent |$36, || | ||Start up equipment and deposits |$72, || | ||Salaries |$1 , || | ||Benefits |$33, || | ||ISDN & T Lines Rental |$216, || | ||Data Processing Charges |$34 , || | ||General Operating Fund |$9 , || | ||Tax/Tariff Reserve |$812, || | ||Total Operating Expenses |$1,699, |Projected Gross Profit| | ||Adjusted Gross Sales |$4,657,8 || | ||Total Operating Expenses |$1,699, || | ||Gross Profit |$2,958,8 || | ||R&D Reserve |$1,5 , || | ||Gross Profit |$1,458,8 || | ||Legal Reserve |$8 , || | ||Net Profit |$658,8 | RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the analysis presented above, it is recommended that Astro-Vest explore further the intricacies of selling that software productdirectly to Japan via the Internet for the following reasons: * Innovative product -- Currently there is no software like Astro-Vestin the marketplace. The relevance of the Japanese government's legal interest in copyrightprotection for software programs like Astro-Vest impact the marketingstrategy by providing the assumption of product protection with itsattendant structures of potential profitabilities. Why is this conservatism ofthe overall economy so relevant? (1995, September 18). It is planned tocontinue research to track the rate of diffusion in the Japanese computerindustry as it affects the desires or the Japanese investor. [On-line].Available: http://www.impactconsulting. Getting real about Japan. New York:The Free Press. There are severalthreats apparent from the research presented thus far. Network computers bypass retailfor now. There is great division among Japanese softwaremanufacturers concerning the use of the newer UNICODE standard, citingexamples of where a given Japanese Kanji is not written precisely the sameway as its Chinese counterpart, even though UNICODE may use the samerepresentation for both, etc. (1993, Feb.) Star system: Investing by astrology.Institutional Investor, v27 n2, 176. In the Japanese system of ideographicwriting, the same character symbolizes both "marketing" and "sales." Thissuggests that getting Astro-Vest to the designated target markets requiresequal efforts to both of these activities "and that marketing must not beundertaken in an abstract context just as the sales effort must be pursuedwith due consideration for the big picture (Orr, 1995, 64). Many experts say this isattributable to the country's "Big Bang" financial reforms. This person buys products,typically, that are made in Japan, unless it can be proved throughpackaging and trial performance that the language difficulties have beenironed out (Murcheson, 1997). A 3 -day trial downloadof the Astro-Vest software will also be introduced on the general browsepage.Astro-Vest Features Since Astro-Vest is basically a nested series of sophisticated databases, it is at once simple and complex. Almost every machine is equipped with Microsoft's Windows 95 or Apple's Mac's operating systems and comes with a host of pre-installed software. New product broadens investors'options: Japanese courses to trade individual-stock options in hopes ofbringing back small investors. Greatimprovements have been made in Japan. This marketingstrategy analysis will specify details in the following areas: A) MainSales Vehicle; B) Product Features; C) Retail Pricing; D) Expected Sales;and E) Distributorship Pricing.Main Sales Vehicle Since a key part of Astro-Vest's plan is to introduce the product andperform initial sales via a specially-designed web site, it is important atthis point to consider a few of the marketing possibilities using thissystem. Theneed for foreign investment is recognized, and it is welcomed, withrestrictions rather than open arms by the current government. Astro-investing is based on the blending of traditional methods ofcharting planetary movement and the cycles of a free market economy. These three "astro-economists" claim that their techniquesenable them to achieve better results than most other money managers.Indeed, in the American marketplace, "astro-investing" has not yet reachedthe level of acceptability granted to other systems of market analysis suchas Fibonacci ratios, Elliott wave theory, Gann techniques, and Bayerprediction methods. The relevant market environment for Astro-Vest Investment Softwaresuggests that the product will be well received. For example Rogers (1995) defines an innovation as an "idea,practice or object perceived as new by a unit of adoption" (11). Astro-Vest currentlyhas no competition. The market for all information technology products in Japan is growingconstantly, imported software hitting 1994 figures of $4 billion, withAmerican sales estimated at close to half of that. One problem/opportunity is the fact that the Japanese software market haslagged behind most other developed countries. Thesecond important point is that an innovation can take many forms includingideas, practices and objects, tools, artifacts, and devices. The predicted norm of Innovators will be about 14 percent,higher than the typical averages. However, it is important to note that those businesseswhich are doing the most profitable business are software companies,possibly because the Net has a strong influence on two key groups ofinnovation diffusion -- the innovators and the early adopters. Growing increasingly introspective, Japanese academics and businessmen are asking: "Will the traditional strengths of Japanese manufacturers continue to be strengths or will today's strengths become tomorrow's weaknesses?" (63). The business community continues to demand furtherstructural changes, including new labor legislation, simplification ofbureaucratic procedures, financial-sector reforms, elimination of theremaining limitations on foreign investments, and rapid privatization anddebt conversion. * Reasonable pricing structure -- As long as Astro-Vest continues itsagreement for pricing (current contract is for three years) there is aguaranteed price stability.It appears that this product is a viable one for export into Japan, and theuse of this plan should ensure its success. The relevance of the Japanese cultural interest in philosophies likeastrology, numerology, fortune-telling, and so on, impacts the marketingstrategy for Astro-Vest in two ways: first, it implies that theintroduction of a computerized astrology product will not have a longcommunications curve in explaining the basic tenets of astrologicalprojections; second, the "track record" of major Astro-investors will provean inherent validity to the concept of investing based on an acceptedEastern philosophy.Relevance of Japan's Legal Environment to Marketing Strategy Just as in the rest of the world, a great deal of confusion exists inthe realm of copyright and product protection concerning software. Among the most popularAmerican business lecturers in Japan are men who are the more visiblebelievers in the theory that portfolio management can logically be based onastrological principles. Software imports in 1995 totaled 392.5 billion yenagainst exports of 3.9 billion yen: The import figure was 51.3 percent higher than the previous year and was attributed to the boom in personal computer sales. Over the past two years major tax and tariffreforms have been initiated and Free Trade Zone laws have been passed.Teresko (1995) sums up the changing economy concisely: Six years ago Japan was at its peak. BUYER BEHAVIOR Projected buyer behavior of the potential buyer of Astro-Vest softwarerequires an interpolation of three broad sets of demographic purchasingdata. But this concept is received rather openly in Japan.This is because astrology implies fate, and fate is a concept wellunderstood by practicing Buddhists (an estimated 7 percent of the Japanesepopulace. Billboard. More than four years was spent by Astro-Vestcreating a modified code which merges both the above codes that givesmaximum flexibility to all data input allowing upward and downwardcompatibility with single-byte ASCII and EBCDIC character sets. Since Japan is,still, in many respects a closed economy, foreign companies have difficultyin establishing trade relations. WWD.v172 n27, 16. Diffusion ofinnovation is the aggregate of all individual decision processes andreflects the pattern and rate at which a new product, service, or ideacatches on and is adopted by society. Astro-Vest was chosenbecause of its innovation and its reliability as well as the followingspecific reasons: 1) it is deemed important as a valid adjunct to apersonal investment program; 2) it provides interesting marketingpossibilities since its purchase relies more on emotional decisions(product and brand loyalty, perceived value, needs and so on) rather thanreasoned purchase decisions; 3) unique proprietary software products arenoted for high markups and margins and are easy to transport and ship. Allowingparallel imports into the country would bring down prices of foreign-madeCDs to more reasonable levels. MARKETING STRATEGY For Astro-Vest to capture a share of that potential market, amarketing plan that contains both strategy (long term goals) and tactics(short-term steps to achieve those goals), must be thought through,designed, and then implemented. MARKET ENVIRONMENT The relevant market environment for Astro-Vest Investment Softwaresuggests that the product will be well received, based on an analysis ofthe following areas: Japan's current economic situation; the politicalstability of the Japanese government; a positive cultural awareness of theimportance of computers in Japanese business life; and a positive legalenvironment for introducing the Astro-Vest software.Relevance of Japan's Economic Environment to Marketing Strategy The business climate in Japan is changing rapidly in response to stockmarket devaluations of the last several years and the impact of those newfinancial conditions on the social and economic needs of the population.Thrift and money management are key buzzwords in most articles dealing withthe Japanese consumer. However, thelack of import rights in existing laws has forced Japanese consumers to payunusually high prices for some kinds of software products, including Astro-Vest. Philosophies likeastrology, numerology, fortune-telling, and so on, impacts the marketingstrategy for Astro-Vest in two ways: first, it implies that theintroduction of a computerized astrology product will not have a longcommunications curve in explaining the basic tenets of astrologicalprojections; second, the "track record" of major Astro-investors will provean inherent validity to the concept of investing based on an acceptedEastern philosophy. Japanese juniors: Hip sophisticates. The volume and types of imports is growing, since manybarriers have been analyzed and corrective steps have been instituted. TargetMarketing, v18 n11, 64. The economic climate in Japan is changing rapidly in response to stockmarket devaluations of the last several years. These three men are the more visible believers in thetheory that portfolio management can logically be based on astrologicalprinciples. M. All prices are FOB U.S. com/chap4.html Orr, A. (1997, April). International federation of thephonographic industry addresses parallel imports, copyright extension inJapan. Burchill, A. (1997, February-March). New legislation dealing with foreign investment and currency haseliminated most restrictions on investments and is paving the way forgreater growth. COMPETITION The market for all information technology products in Japan, in 1994,is estimated to have been worth 2 trillion yen, or some U.S. There are dozens of averages given, but the predicted averages withthis product are higher in the first two categories, Innovators and EarlyAdopters. An Internet survey of the five main search engines -- Lycos, AOL,InfoSeek, Web Crawler, and Alta Vista revealed 17 companies manufacturingastrology software, but none devised for investment forecasting.Therefore, it is safe to assume that there is, at this moment, nocompetition for Astro-Vest. This means that a technology may have been in existencefor some time, but if it is new to the adopter it is an innovation. There are several reasons for this, including a decliningper capita income, reduced or restructured lending policies by banks,higher interest rates on credit cards and availability of low-cost imports(Bargain hunting. This will include the install and setup programs on discs or CD-ROM's available in a wide variety of formats. Two common systems employed are the JIS 28 andUNICODE standards. (1997, July4). A discussion of the pros and cons of doing business on the web isnot relevant here. PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES One major strength of the Japanese computer user market is its size.However, a major weakness is that it takes a certain amount of strategicplanning to reach this market, and even after the planning is completed,implementation is difficult because of the myriad regulations affectingsoftware manufacturers wishing to sell to this market. Asubset of that business statistic is the 8 to 1 percent of softwarepurchasers who use software for tracking stock market vulnerabilities andtrading. However, market protection in this industryonly occurs by getting into the marketplace first. (1995, November). $19 billion,with a 2 % growth rate. These three dimensions ofthe economic environment will greatly impact Astro-Vest's marketingstrategy by helping give a solid focus to the creation of the marketingmessages and the selection of media vehicles in which to communicate thosemessages.Relevance of Japan's Political Environment to Marketing Strategy The current Japanese government, for the most part, recognizes thesignificant role of greatly-reduced trade barriers in creating a stabletrading economy. Russell, J. They will be sold inexactly the same manner, with each language and demographic having its ownWeb site central.Expected Sales It is estimated that in the first year, Astro-Vest will haverelatively strong sales. 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