Requirements |
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You need to: |
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Show that you have researched your topic,
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Analyse your research and use your expanded knowledge to create an
interesting new product likely to appeal to Japanese people,
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Devise a marketing plan to attract consumers, and
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Present your knowledge in an informed and creative manner.
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Planning for research |
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Product Creation |
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You will already know a lot about Japanese people and their culture such
as these common stereotypes - |
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- preference for new products,
- exchange of gifts on many occasions,
- "cute" fashions, toys and gadgets,
- preference for travelling in groups,
- commonly travel by public transport & often live far from work,
- embrace some western customs, e.g. weddings, Valentines Day.
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Make a rough list of any obvious Japanese characteristics or differences in personal habits, fashions, lifestyle, recreation, etc. to find some potential categories or fields to inspire a creative response.
(brainstorming by yourself or with friends is a fast and useful way to do this).
See Resources on People and Culture
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Marketing plan |
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Clever marketing is designed to reach a specific target audience.
Think carefully about who might be interested in your new product and how best to advertise and organise distribution for maximum sales.
Your marketing plan might involve a variety of distribution methods for example:
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- consortium of smaller companies working together,
- government trade missions & fairs, sister cities,
- Japanese agents, distributors,
- mail order/e-commerce.
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Advertising will need to suit the style of the product and be accessible
to your target audience.
See Resources on Business and Marketing
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Resources |
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You might browse the library non-fiction shelves at 915.2 and 952.
For current trends scan the journal, Pacific friend (on the journal display rack), and
possibly general encyclopedias such as World Book, Britannica (print and on-line versions), etc.
These specialist encyclopedias
provide useful background
information:
Japan: illustrated encyclopedia (Ref 952.003 JAP), and
Cambridge Encyclopedia of Japan (952 CAM)
Web Japan on the Japanese Information Network has a variety of documents and
resources on Japanese society and culture.
Other useful print and AV resources include:
Fulloon, Sandra. Design and marketing of a new product
[videorecording] (AV 380.1DES)
Koren, Leonard. 283 useful ideas from Japan. (609.52 KOR)
Made by Design [videorecording]. (745.4 MAD)
See also Websites
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Business and Marketing |
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Browse current business journals from the library magazine rack, e.g. Far Eastern Economic Review, Business Review Weekly, The Economist.
In the Library catalogue use the Title/Contents and the Subject Words searches for books and videos, use the Periodical Searches for recent journal articles.
The Current Issues Page offers links to Ebsco Host which both indexes and provides full-text articles from a variety of journals and newspapers. The page also contains links to Choice Magazine, National Geographic and a number of current science journals.
Other useful resources include:
Australian Yearbook CD-Rom & print versions (Ref 319.4 AUS or school network) gives information on trade between Australia and Japan.
Engel, Dean. Passport Japan : your pocket guide to Japanese
business, customs… (395.52 ENG)
Hiroshi, Kagawa. The inscrutable Japanese. (952 INS)
Huddleston, Jackson N. Gaijin Kaisha : running a foreign
business in Japan. (650.0952) McCabe, Bill. Doing business in Australia, Japan and the South
Pacific (395.52 MCC)
Understanding a foreign client and market in Graphic design:
inspirations and innovations. (741.6 MAR)
*Also don't forget to check your local public library
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Current trends
Web Japan acccessible through Japan Information Network has
particularly useful sections including Japan Insight, Trends in Japan, and The Japan o
Japan Today New Products http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=product
Inventions
Invent now
Australian Inventions
Time Magazine's Coolest inventions 2003
Time Inventions of the year 2001
International Chindogu Society
History of Useless Inventions
Wacky patent of the month
Interface in design
Japan country brief
Invention Academy for the Advancement of Science and Technology
Business and Marketing
Japan External Trade Organisation
Japan Economic Foundation
Go4JapanBusiness.com
Marketing and distributing medical products in Japan
Just-food.com New products from Japan
Japan Link Inc
Japan Market Intelligence
Japanese Market News: tips for penetrating the Japanese market 2000
Japan Food market study
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry (METI)
Austrade: Australian Trade Commission |
Suggested Essay Outline |
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Introduction - Discuss one famous person's (do not include a Japanese
person) love for designing and /or inventing new products.
Give examples and state the reasons why those products were invented.
Paragraph 1 - Discuss in a very general way, what types of products the
Japanese have invented and explain how and why they were invented.
Paragraph 2 - Choose one Japanese product which has become world famous
and describe in detail its design, function and use in the world market.
Paragraph 3 - Discuss your position/role as a product designer in an
Australian company (give a name to your company).
Paragraph 4 - Discuss background features to consider when designing a new
product.
Paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 - Describe your product ----- discuss the structure,
measurements, colour, price, durability and content. State reasons for
designing such a product. Outline the benefits it will bring to the
Japanese people (discuss which age and social group of people you are
designing this product for).
Include a detailed illustration with labels (no more than 1/2 page and use
colour)
Paragraph 8 - Discuss and consider the important points when selling a
product in Japan. What contacts do you need and what obstacles are there
to overcome?
What features of advertising appeal to the Japanese?
Conclusion - Comment on the future prospects of your product and do you
think other products could be devised from the original design in the
future?
Each paragraph should be at least 6 or more sentences. Some sections could
include more than one paragraph.
Bibliography - This should include a range of resouces. For example books,
journals, newspaper articles and internet sites.
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M. Buckland and M. Kozak
20th January, 2006 |