《商务英语阅读》第12单元译文
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Unit 12 Text A 课文及译文Feeling Free感受自由①I woke up feeling cranky. I didn't want to do housework, though the laundry was piling up. I didn't want to read the work I brought home from the office. I didn't want to do anything that resembled responsible behavior. It was that kind of day.一醒来我的心情就很糟糕。
我不想做家务,尽管要洗的衣服已经堆积如山。
我也不想理会那些我从办公室带回家的工作。
我不想做任何负责任的事。
这就是那样的一天。
②As I drank my morning tea, I thought I felt a headache coming on. Yes, there it was, a dull throb just behind my eyes. Maybe I should go back to bed until it subsided. As I put the dishes in the sink, it seemed that my muscles were beginning to ache. Or was the ache in my joints? That could mean I was coming down with the flu. (承上启下句)Everyone I knew had the flu this year. Why should I be the one to escape it? I absolutely should be in bed.当我喝早茶的时候,我就感到阵阵头痛袭来。
Achieving Personal Greatness(Abridged)Joe LovePeople who are great are those who are in tune with the social values of theirtime.They are able to identify the right time and place for the parameters of success.For greatness to take place it has to carry beyond the year,the decade ,orthe century;it has to be more than just something superficial;it has to be ableto trav el well from one area to another.Greatness does not always produce immediate success.For example ,HermanMelville wrote Moby Dick at the height of his creative achievements,but it did notsell well.Eventually,the culture caught up with him and his writing became asuccess.Henry David Thoreau,who wrote the classic Walden,went unnoticed during hislife,and died in obscurity.Because of this gap between the lack of immediate success and eventual recognition,it is often said that great people are ahead of their time.People whoare great often seem unique,isolated,or even out of touch because they oftenrepresent the beingning of change.As a result,the depth of their contribution andtheir full worth may not be recognized for as long as 500 years.A good example ofthis is Leonardo da Vinci ,because many of his inventions and ideas,such as the airplane,the helicopter,roller bearings,air-conditioning,and the self-drivencar,were not even comprehended until the 20th century technology became available.There are people who achieve greatness just from their very nature and not fromtheir accomplishments.These people do not have to wrirte symphonies,paintpicture,or write books.For this type of person,greatness is solely on theinside,through their thoughts and feelings,not throught their actions.Most people who are great do not make for a dramatic biography.The significanceof their lives is not what happens to them or what they produce.Rather,they leadlives of inner silence.They represent the other side of greatness,greatness thatis there without fame or fortune.We do not think of them as"making it"in socialterms.Yet they have a total commitment to the best of life and the betterment of society.Some of these quiet great people have been religious contemplatives,whoselives provide an affirmative answer to the question philosophers love to ask:"Ifa tree falls in the forest and no one hears it,has it made any sound?"The world has many great people who are not religious per se,and have onlylimited contact with the wider world.For example,your generous and kind nextdoor neighbor who is loved by the whole community may not be rememberred"by history"after he or she is gone,but in terms of real personal greatness,his or her ability to increase the value of love in others is second to none.Because this person is able to pass on these unique human qualities to his or her family and friends,he or she does have a positive influence on the world,however small.What this means is that when you look at great people throughout history,the distinction is not so much between being great and not being great as between greatness manifesting itself in a small arena of life and in a very large one.Greatness is normal,it is natural,it is necessary,and it is certainly beneficial for us all,even though it may have little to do with fame or fortune.While success is dependent on external circumstances and achievements,greatness is an inner contact between the individual and the universe to create and discover deepening qualities of life and how best to express them.Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote,"Accroding to the depth from which you draw your life,such is the depth of your accomplishment,manners,and presence."Great people are those who allow greatness to blossom.It is not so much the kind of activity they are involved in,be it music,gardening,raising children or finding a cure for a disease,as their personalities that have an effect on all of us.It does not really matter whether they are well-known or not;great people can create great effects even on a quiet level.We need greatness in the world more than we need any other single human or natural resource.As we move further into the 21th century,perhaps for the first time in history,we can think about the possibility of an entire society of great individuals.Anyone who is willing to take on the reponsibility for his or her own greatness is giving the world the best possible gift.。
在秋天里,我无法不边散步边思考微妙的奇迹一般的叶子!夏天到来,阳光照在叶子上,树根吸收水分,空气中的二氧化碳被吸收,叶子里那个令人惊异的绿色化学物质忙于为我们制造食物,散发氧气。
可以这么说,没有叶绿素就没有我们。
秋天里,白天变短,变冷,叶子simply停止了制造生命供给原料。
为了整个植物的存活,他们开始精心准备自己的死亡。
这也就是叶子变黄的原因。
实际上叶黄素,胡萝卜素一直随着叶绿素存在。
他们只是被叶绿素遮住了。
每个秋天都会有黄叶,不管天气如何。
但是那些耀眼的红色叶子需要一系列像巴赫的赋格曲一样的精确与平衡的天气。
如果白天天气晴朗又温暖,光线强烈,叶子就会制造许多糖类,这些糖类可以帮助制造名为花清素的红色色素。
如果晚上依旧温暖,这些灿烂的红色素就会被simply 仅仅运往下面,以糖类的方式为冬天储备粮食。
但是如果晚上天气寒冷糖类就不会移动。
它被困在红色叶子里,因此花清素得以积累。
根部的花清素丢失了一些,但是我们有了一场视觉盛宴。
这就让我想到了很基本的问题,了解有关叶子的一切或者任何一部分,能提高秋天散步的质量?过去我常常会大声回答"不",感觉那些事实阻碍了我们感受美感。
就像回到了蒙寐时代。
对于自然的初步了解,相信我,在我脑海里,正是一抹阳光,让我不仅仅看的多,更想得多。
让知识发散于秋天里的那个羊肠小道大大加强了美感!但是现在我不那样看待事情了。
我想了解自然世界更易让我们属于它而非占有它。
在秋天里,坐在树桩上辨认苦甜泉,金银花,野葡萄有一种特别舒服的美感,我最喜欢的秋天的树是糖枫,源于小时候爬过。
我不会再像弄混姐姐和其他人一样弄混银枫和糖枫,毕竟,我还是小孩子的时候曾经坐在一个宽大的十分适合读Nancy Drew树枝上很长时间。
那天我从沙滩上爬上陡峭的山峰,停了下来喘口气,欣赏起初隐约变幻的色彩。
我可以看到这些生物沿着小道,穿过丛林,通过水面,或者其他方式谁又知道呢?通往其他大陆森林,那里叶子和植物正在进行着大自然的交易-就像他们的副业,真的,给了我们生命。
Unit 12 Text A 课文及译文Feeling Free感受自由①I woke up feeling cranky. I didn't want to do housework, though the laundry was piling up. I didn't want to read the work I brought home from the office.I didn't want to do anything that resembled responsible behavior. It was that kind of day.一醒来我的心情就很糟糕。
我不想做家务,尽管要洗的衣服已经堆积如山。
我也不想理会那些我从办公室带回家的工作。
我不想做任何负责任的事。
这就是那样的一天。
②As I drank my morning tea, I thought I felt a headache ing on. Yes, there it was, a dull throb just behind my eyes. Maybe I should go back to bed until it subsided. As I put the dishes in the sink, it seemed that my muscles were beginning to ache. Or was the ache in my joints? That could mean I was ing down with the flu. (承上启下句)Everyone I knew had the flu this year. Why should I be the one to escape it? I absolutely should be in bed.当我喝早茶的时候,我就感到阵阵头痛袭来。
Chapter 1 Why China Works中国是今年唯一呈现出重大发展的主要经济体(economy),由于它通常是唯一敢于打破经济教科书中每一条例的经济体。
事实上,中国不像其他五大经济体那样发展缓慢的主要原因是,它宏观调控的能力(its capacity for macro-economic control)。
为什么中国市场经济体系奏效?(market economic system)目前,欧美等国正通过银行及汽车业国有化及金融业实施新的有力规定(regulations),走向宏观调控。
但问题更加紧迫(the question has a new urgency)。
中国看上去最能驾驭(navigate)七十年内最糟的经济滑坡(downturn)。
在危机中,中国官员既能吸取像西方同行(counterparts)的传统市场工具,也能吸取中国市场经济体系的积累经验(arsenal)。
去年早期,由于房地产市场(housing market)过热,中国官员仅命令银行削减房贷(cut back on housing loans),然后随着房屋销售量下降(fall),他们提供类似更低的房屋购置税(lower taxes on home purchases)。
最近几周,他们展开类似西方的经济救援行动(launch economic rescue efforts),其中包括价值6000亿的大计划以增加政府开支和大幅利率削减(ramp up government spending)(big interests cuts)。
但同时,他们也发布在西方国家眼里是不合理的干涉的命令,例如,上周中国官员召集包括钢铁建筑等行业的国有行业并购(buy up)国内外新资产(at home and abroad)以积极(actively)发挥在经济中的作用。
曾把中国宏观调控视为不成熟经济的弊病(immature economy),现在是稳定的保障(bulwark of stability)。
Unit 12Global M&AExercises1.Answer the questions on the text.1)What does the author expect M&A activity to be in 2011?The author expects that M&A activity will continue to growth in number and strength with the global economic recovery and the improvement of financial and credit market conditions.2)What must companies also consider about M&A besides favorable factorslike abundant cash and improving economic conditions?Companies must also consider the recent opposition to certain M&A deals by activists and some shareholders and their preference to other strategies.3)What do you think unsolicited transactions, hostile acquisitions and dealjumpings are in common?Passivity on the target company and out of its expectation.4)What may further encourage unsolicited transactions?Recent success of hostile acquirers in forcing target companies to negotiate and accept deals though occasionally taking a long time.5)What are the features and trends of private equity firms?They are seeking an exit from portfolio companies and are seeing M&A as an increasingly attractive alternative to capital market transactions.6)What is an tender offer?It is a public, open offer or invitation by a prospective acquirer to all stockholders of a publicly traded corporation (the target corporation) to purchase some or all of their shares. The price offered is usually at a premium to the market price. In a tender offer, the bidder contacts shareholders directly; so the directors of the company may or may not have endorsed the tender offer proposal.7)What are the key deal issues in M&A transactions?(1)reverse break-up fees(2)caps on damages payable by acquirers failing to close(3)the availability of specific performance remedies to compel a party tocomplete an acquisition8)How do US and UK takeover systems differ?In US takeover system, state case law allows target boards to take defensive measures within certain limits.In order to correct the perceived imbalance, UK disallows deal protection mechanisms; sets a default period in which a bidder will have to either announcea fully financed bid or walk away; and implements other measures to enhancebid-related disclosure.9)What are the views on the burden of extending bids into the U.S?(1)Some of both European regulators and bidders fear that the extension of paperbids into the US may be too burdensome and the exposure to the US plaintiffs’ bar and US courts may be too uncertain and risky.(2)But the case of Morrison v. NBA may have changed European regulators andbidders view because the pending anti-fraud-based actions against non-US companies were either dismissed or the damages to companies ere greatly reduced(3)The convergence between European and US securities regulations haveproduced positive effects, may further alleviate such concerns, and would encourage M&A players to consider using more shares in cross-border deals.10)How is M&A in emerging market expected to develop in 2011?(1)It is expected to grow over one-third in 2011, taking a larger share of globalM&A activity, particularly true in BRIC nations.(2)Sovereign wealth funds abundant in funds will continue to play a key role ininbound M&As and, meanwhile, private equity is to be much more important source of funds for M&A activities there.(3)Companies from emerging markets will engage in more outbound M&A dealsfor natural resources and market growth as well as inbound ones.(4)Multinationals from the developed countries may also go on M&A activitiesin emerging markets either for market footholds or growth opportunities. 11) What is said about US M&A deal enforcement?(1) The official agencies FTC and DOJ have continued to pledge vigorousmerger enforcement and have dedicated significant resources to updating themerger review process.(2) They have also proposed changes to pre-merger notification form.(3) The Antitrust Division has enhanced enforcement in vertical mergers as wellas horizontal mergers.12) What are the trends of EU antitrust enforcement?DG COMP and its Chief Economist team are paying close attention to the US-led debate over the need to define marketsDG COMP has increased its reliance on the counterfactual analyses for judging whether a merger prevents effective competition.2.Fill in each blank in the following sentences with one of the phrases in the listgiven below. Make changes when necessary.1)BRIC nations would support the country in the areas of education, health andagriculture, among others.2)In the second quarter we successfully secured a non-dilutive source of growthcapital on very favorable terms sufficient to drive both near and longer-term initiatives.3)We seem to value time in cyclical phases and seasons rather than in minutes andhours.4)The world is facing far more challenges than before in the context of intensifiedglobalization.5)In the debate Team A seemed to get upper hand at the beginning but quickly loststrength.6)He would discuss with the officials of Bulgaria various topics such as investmentclimate, the fight against corruption, and its accession to the European Union. 7)We are urging local education and city leaders to ramp up the pressure on theirgovernments to cough up more cash for new schools in their areas.8)Potential mayoral candidates are already flush with funds from their supporterfor the coming election.9)The government has been urged to follow through on its pledge to reform thecurrent wage system.10)The birth of a new nation in Sudan may give rise to numerous thorny issues,including sharing of resources.3.Match the terms in column A with the definitions in column B.A____________________ B__________________________________________ 1) equity market A) An asset class consisting of equity securities foroperating companies that are not publicly traded on astock exchange, including venture capital, growthcapital and mezzanine capital. 52) antitrust agency B) The market, also known as stock market, whereshares are issued and traded, either through exchangesor over-the-counter markets. 13) synergy C) A merger occurring between companies producingthe same or similar products or offering similarservices. 84) due diligence D) An organization responsible for prohibitingpractices that restrain competition, includingprice-fixing conspiracies and acts designed toachieve monopoly power. 25) private equity E) A company in which a venture capital firm, buyoutfirm, holding company, or other investment fundsinvests. 106) vertical merger F) A market in which individuals and institutionstrade financial securities in order to raise funds. 9 7) tender offer G) Additional effectiveness achieved from mutuallyadvantageous integration or compatibility of effortsor resources between business participants. 38) horizontal merger H) An investigation of a business prior to signing acontract, for example, a potential acquirer evaluatinga target company or its assets for acquisition. 49) capital market I) A public, open offer by a prospective acquirer to apublicly traded corporation to tender its stock forsale at a specified price during a specified time. 710) portfolio company L) A merger between two companies producingdifferent goods or components for the finalfinished product, for example, a car manufacturermerging a tire company. 64.Translate the following passage into Chinese.去年,由于全球兼并业务突破了网络泡沫时代的惊人水平,市场又跟1999年那样派对聚会。
高级商务英语阅读课文译文第1 课新长征―中国制造‖这个标记很久以前就不新鲜了,它贴在鞋子上、玩具上、服装上,以及为跨国公司制造的其他商品上,世界各地到处可见。
现在真正新鲜的是以中国品牌出售的中国制造的商品。
目前中国只有为数不多的几家公司拥有足够的财力和管理知识来打造国际名牌;其余的绝大多数公司还在为在国内获得知名度而努力奋斗着。
但是正在海外市场上试水的各大先锋公司,很有可能把事情做大。
一些人认为,在创业精神饱满的本地管理层的协助下,或者在一些想在其产品系列里添加新产品的外国公司的协助下,中国商品在极具竞争力的价格的基础上,若把卖点放在产品质量和异国情调上,那末10 年之内,中国品牌将一个一个地走向全球。
总部在香港的广告公司中国精信(Grey China)的执行董事陈一木丹(Viveca Chan)说:―如果世界上只有一个国家具备创立全球品牌的潜力,那么这个国家就是中国。
‖短期之内,中国商品最有希望打入国际市场的当属中草药和特色食品,当然也包括那些体现中国浪漫并具有异国情调的产品,例如化妆品、时装和音乐作品。
中国总部设在上海的泰勒·娜尔森·索福瑞(Taylor Nelson Sofres)市场调研公司的中国区总经理Kev in Tan 说:―与中国相联系的神秘色彩还有许多。
化妆品是种靠形象推销的产品,假如你要做化妆品,你会一下子就发现,中国化妆品来头不小。
‖努力走向世界的中国品牌还有一些领导时尚潮头的饮料和啤酒品牌,也包括家用电器等具有品牌潜力的产品,它们都能以竞争性的价格提供高品质的产品。
这些中国品牌中的一部分,最终将会通过合资、兼并和收购的途径走向国际市场。
而对于合资双方中的外国投资者来说,这些品牌则将成为他们更快地进入中国消费市场和销售渠道的载体,同时这些中国品牌也能进一步充实国外投资者在国际市场上已经确立的优质品牌的阵营。
参考译文Unit 1 参考译文国际商务的范围国际商务是指任何类型的跨国商务活动。
它可以分为4种类型: 对外贸易、服务贸易、有价证券投资和直接投资。
在对外贸易中,国与国之间从事有形货物或商品的进出口业务。
进出口贸易构成了世界上大多数国家最基本的国际商务活动。
除货物和商品进出口贸易外,国家之间还进行服务贸易,如保险、金融、饭店、咨询、旅游及运输。
跨国公司就因在别国提供服务而得到报酬。
国际有价证券投资指在别国进行的金融投资。
投资者购买企业股票和长期债券,无非是为了谋求投资回报。
有价证券投资者的目标不是控制一个企业,他们随时可按市场行情兑现他们所投的资金。
海外直接投资是指在国外建厂或建立销售网络。
投资者可购买外国公司现有的全部或部分资产,以控制或部分控制该公司的销售、生产、科研和发展。
从历史的角度来看,国际商务并非新鲜事物。
它已有上千年的历史,尽管其形式、方法及重要性在不断演变。
在古代,希腊人就在地中海地区从事贸易活动。
在历史的长河中,随着复杂的商务技巧不断出现,商业持续不断的发展,从而促进了货物、资源、资金在国家间的流动。
工业革命提供了大规模生产方法和大规模市场,从而进一步促进了国际商务的发展。
随着工业化水平的提高,对供给、原料、劳动力和运输的需求也日益增大。
20 世纪以来,事实证明,广泛的商务关系覆盖全球。
由于商务实体越来越认识到它们的市场是全球性的,而不仅仅在国内,所以产品、资本和人员比以往任何时候都更紧密地联系在一起。
随着商务活动的范围跨出国界,银行和金融机构接踵而至,以满足商务活动为世界性的投资和经营所需要的资金。
金融市场之间的联系也变得非常纷繁复杂。
美国股市的走向和变化会直接影响到世界上其他地区的产权投资市场。
如今,只有目光短浅的商人才会相信,一个企业在本国市场范围内完全可以实现发展和繁荣。
国内商界起码必须认识到市场竞争的国际根源,因为竞争的根源一直存在,并且日益成为国内商界的威胁。
在世界市场和经济的动态中,这些变化的根源就是世界范围寻求的国际商务活动。
Unit 12Global M&AExercises1.Answer the questions on the text.1)What does the author expect M&A activity to be in 2011?The author expects that M&A activity will continue to growth in number and strength with the global economic recovery and the improvement of financial and credit market conditions.2)What must companies also consider about M&A besides favorable factorslike abundant cash and improving economic conditions?Companies must also consider the recent opposition to certain M&A deals by activists and some shareholders and their preference to other strategies.3)What do you think unsolicited transactions, hostile acquisitions and dealjumpings are in common?Passivity on the target company and out of its expectation.4)What may further encourage unsolicited transactions?Recent success of hostile acquirers in forcing target companies to negotiate and accept deals though occasionally taking a long time.5)What are the features and trends of private equity firms?They are seeking an exit from portfolio companies and are seeing M&A as an increasingly attractive alternative to capital market transactions.6)What is an tender offer?It is a public, open offer or invitation by a prospective acquirer to all stockholders of a publicly traded corporation (the target corporation) to purchase some or all of their shares. The price offered is usually at a premium to the market price. In a tender offer, the bidder contacts shareholders directly; so the directors of the company may or may not have endorsed the tender offer proposal.7)What are the key deal issues in M&A transactions?(1)reverse break-up fees(2)caps on damages payable by acquirers failing to close(3)the availability of specific performance remedies to compel a party tocomplete an acquisition8)How do US and UK takeover systems differ?In US takeover system, state case law allows target boards to take defensive measures within certain limits.In order to correct the perceived imbalance, UK disallows deal protection mechanisms; sets a default period in which a bidder will have to either announcea fully financed bid or walk away; and implements other measures to enhancebid-related disclosure.9)What are the views on the burden of extending bids into the U.S?(1)Some of both European regulators and bidders fear that the extension of paperbids into the US may be too burdensome and the exposure to the US plaintiffs’ bar and US courts may be too uncertain and risky.(2)But the case of Morrison v. NBA may have changed European regulators andbidders view because the pending anti-fraud-based actions against non-US companies were either dismissed or the damages to companies ere greatly reduced(3)The convergence between European and US securities regulations haveproduced positive effects, may further alleviate such concerns, and would encourage M&A players to consider using more shares in cross-border deals.10)How is M&A in emerging market expected to develop in 2011?(1)It is expected to grow over one-third in 2011, taking a larger share of globalM&A activity, particularly true in BRIC nations.(2)Sovereign wealth funds abundant in funds will continue to play a key role ininbound M&As and, meanwhile, private equity is to be much more important source of funds for M&A activities there.(3)Companies from emerging markets will engage in more outbound M&A dealsfor natural resources and market growth as well as inbound ones.(4)Multinationals from the developed countries may also go on M&A activitiesin emerging markets either for market footholds or growth opportunities. 11) What is said about US M&A deal enforcement?(1) The official agencies FTC and DOJ have continued to pledge vigorousmerger enforcement and have dedicated significant resources to updating themerger review process.(2) They have also proposed changes to pre-merger notification form.(3) The Antitrust Division has enhanced enforcement in vertical mergers as wellas horizontal mergers.12) What are the trends of EU antitrust enforcement?DG COMP and its Chief Economist team are paying close attention to the US-led debate over the need to define marketsDG COMP has increased its reliance on the counterfactual analyses for judging whether a merger prevents effective competition.2.Fill in each blank in the following sentences with one of the phrases in the listgiven below. Make changes when necessary.1)BRIC nations would support the country in the areas of education, health andagriculture, among others.2)In the second quarter we successfully secured a non-dilutive source of growthcapital on very favorable terms sufficient to drive both near and longer-term initiatives.3)We seem to value time in cyclical phases and seasons rather than in minutes andhours.4)The world is facing far more challenges than before in the context of intensifiedglobalization.5)In the debate Team A seemed to get upper hand at the beginning but quickly loststrength.6)He would discuss with the officials of Bulgaria various topics such as investmentclimate, the fight against corruption, and its accession to the European Union. 7)We are urging local education and city leaders to ramp up the pressure on theirgovernments to cough up more cash for new schools in their areas.8)Potential mayoral candidates are already flush with funds from their supporterfor the coming election.9)The government has been urged to follow through on its pledge to reform thecurrent wage system.10)The birth of a new nation in Sudan may give rise to numerous thorny issues,including sharing of resources.3.Match the terms in column A with the definitions in column B.A____________________ B__________________________________________ 1) equity market A) An asset class consisting of equity securities foroperating companies that are not publicly traded on astock exchange, including venture capital, growthcapital and mezzanine capital. 52) antitrust agency B) The market, also known as stock market, whereshares are issued and traded, either through exchangesor over-the-counter markets. 13) synergy C) A merger occurring between companies producingthe same or similar products or offering similarservices. 84) due diligence D) An organization responsible for prohibitingpractices that restrain competition, includingprice-fixing conspiracies and acts designed toachieve monopoly power. 25) private equity E) A company in which a venture capital firm, buyoutfirm, holding company, or other investment fundsinvests. 106) vertical merger F) A market in which individuals and institutionstrade financial securities in order to raise funds. 9 7) tender offer G) Additional effectiveness achieved from mutuallyadvantageous integration or compatibility of effortsor resources between business participants. 38) horizontal merger H) An investigation of a business prior to signing acontract, for example, a potential acquirer evaluatinga target company or its assets for acquisition. 49) capital market I) A public, open offer by a prospective acquirer to apublicly traded corporation to tender its stock forsale at a specified price during a specified time. 710) portfolio company L) A merger between two companies producingdifferent goods or components for the finalfinished product, for example, a car manufacturermerging a tire company. 64.Translate the following passage into Chinese.去年,由于全球兼并业务突破了网络泡沫时代的惊人水平,市场又跟1999年那样派对聚会。
Smuggling走私It is not unusual for a pet to be sent by air cargo from Colombia to New York, but last December's shipment of a 4-year-old sheep dog caught a New York Kennedy Airport Customs inspector's eye.用空运邮件把宠物从哥伦比亚送到纽约并非什么新鲜事,但去年12月,一只空运而来的4岁牧羊犬引起了纽约肯尼迪海关一位检查员的注意。
The dog looked to be on its last legs, and there was an unusual lump on the side of its body.这只狗看上去已奄奄一息,而在它身体的一侧有一个可疑的肿块。
An X-ray and emergency surgery revealed the presence of 10 condoms tightly packed with five pounds of cocaine that had been surgically implanted in the dog's abdomen - yet another first for Customs in the war on drugs.通过X射线检查和外科手术,发现狗的腹内被植入了10个避孕套,里面塞满了总计5英磅的可卡因——这是反毒战争中该海关创下的又一个第一。
When it comes to transporting drugs, the methods used are only as limited as a smuggler's imagination.说到运输毒品,走私者用尽了各种可以想象得到的办法,Kilo bricks of cocaine are routinely concealed beneath false bottoms ofcontainers that hold poisonous snakes. 大块的可卡因常被隐藏在装运毒蛇箱子的假底板下面。
第12单元名牌产品与品牌管理预览越来越多的企业认识到企业最宝贵的资产之一就是与企业的产品和服务相联系的品牌名称。
尽管认识到这一点,但是人们很少重视管理教育中有关品牌的科目,尤其是MBA的课程。
作为营销专家以及品牌资产联合会的主席,Larry Light 观察到问题的严重性,认为“MBA代表的应该是品牌资产的杀手”。
为了强调这个问题,作为一本高级MBA层次的教材,本书强调了个人和组织在市场营销活动中遇到的重要的品牌决策方面的问题。
本书的基本目标是:(1)增强对品牌战略策划、实施以及评估等重要问题的理解。
(2)为做出更好的品牌决策,提供适当的理论、模型和其他工具。
为了提高管理中与品牌有关的决策能力,我们尤其强调对顾客或消费者心理原则的理解。
为了这个目的,在本单元中我们界定了品牌的概念,追溯品牌的历史渊源。
我们从消费者和企业的角度考虑品牌的作用,以及品牌对消费者和企业的重要性。
我们还将讨论可以被冠以品牌的东西、不可以冠以品牌的东西,并且识别一些著名品牌。
品牌是什么?为了让人们从众多的货物中识别制造商的货物,产品被冠以品牌的历史已有数百年之久。
实际上,“品牌”这个词来源于古斯堪的那维亚语,意思就是“打上烙印”。
至今牲畜的主人们仍然把牲畜打上烙印便于识别。
根据美国营销协会的定义,品牌是一个名称、术语、符号、设计或以上的组合,其目的就是便于人们从众多卖者中识别某一卖者的产品和服务,并使其区别于同类产品。
所以,根据这个定义,建立品牌的关键是选择名称、标识、符号、包装设计或者那些利于辨识产品服务的特征。
我们把那些不同的品牌要素,也就是便于识别产品和服务的要素,叫做品牌要素。
品牌要素可以有很多形式。
例如,有不同的品牌命名方式。
在有些情况下,所有产品的品牌名称都以公司的名称命名(如通用和惠普)。
有些生产商为新产品起不同的品牌名称,这些名称与公司的名称毫无关系(如联合利华和宝洁公司)。
零售商也可以根据商店名称或者其他某些因素,创建自己的品牌(纽约Macy’s百货公司拥有自己的品牌,如Christopher Hayes、INC以及Club Room等品牌)。
给产品命名还有许多其他方式。
产品可以以人名命名(如雅诗兰黛化妆品、保时捷汽车、Redenbacher 爆米花),以地名来命名(如圣塔菲古龙水、克莱斯勒纽约汽车以及英国航空公司),以动物或者鸟的名称命名(如野马轿车、鸽子香皂、灰狗巴士等),或者以其他东西或物品命名(如苹果电脑、壳牌汽油、利比亚求脱水牛奶)。
一些品牌使用的是表现了产品根本的意义的词汇(如Lean Cruisine、Justjuice,以及Ticketron 等),或暗示产品的属性、特点的词汇(Diehard 自动电池、Mop’n Glow地板除尘器以及Beautyrest 床垫等)。
一些品牌的名称是由听起来更加科学、自然以及权威的前缀和后缀构成(如英特尔微处理器、凌志轿车、康柏电脑等)。
同品牌名称一样,一些品牌要素,如品牌标志、符号可以是人物、地点、东西以及抽象的影像,或者是以其他的方式表现。
总之,在创建品牌的过程中,为了使产品易于被消费者辨识,营销人员在品牌要素的数量和种类上有很多选择。
品牌与产品将产品和品牌作对比是很重要的。
根据著名营销大师菲利浦·科特勒的观点,产品是提供给市场的,为满足某种欲望和需要而引人注意、获取、使用或消费的任何东西。
所以,产品可以是实物(如麦片、网球拍或者汽车)、服务(如航空、银行或者保险公司)、零售店(如百货商店、专卖店或者超级市场)、人(如某个政治任务、艺人或运动员)、组织(如非营利性组织、行业组织、艺术团体)、地点(如某个城市、州或国家)、想法(如政治或社会理想)。
本书我们采用的是较为宽泛的概念,在本章中,我们将更加详细地讨论不同种类产品中品牌的作用。
科特勒将产品定义为5个层次:(1)核心利益层次:顾客通过购买产品和服务,能够满足顾客的最根本的需求。
(2)基本产品层次:指产品的基本层次,仅包括那些能够完成基本功能的属性和特征,不包括产品的特色属性。
这个层次是指产品最简单精炼的部分,只提供基本性能的产品。
(3)期望产品层次:当购买产品时,消费者普遍期望获得的、同意获得的一组产品特色。
(4)延伸的产品层次:包括附加的产品属性、便利或者使产品差异化的相关服务等。
(5)潜在产品层次:包括产品在未来可能会实现的所有延伸和增加的性能。
图12—1以空调为例,演示了产品的不同层次。
科特勒认为,由于大多数的企业在期望产品层次上做得很好,许多市场的竞争实际上围绕产品延伸层次展开竞争。
另一位营销大师哈佛大学的泰德·莱维特有同样的观点,他认为:“新的竞争不是在企业生产的产品上,而是在以包装、服务、广告、顾客建议、贷款融资、送货上门服务、仓储以及其他顾客看重的服务形式出现的产品附加值上。
”消费者报告59(6)(1994年6月):400-3。
图12—1 不同产品层次的例子更确切地说,正是消费者对产品特点、性能、品牌名称及意义、与品牌相联系的公司的整体感觉的认知和感觉,使得某一产品有别于众多产品而脱颖而出。
品牌首先是产品,但是可以在产品上添加一些层次,以利于与其他类似产品相区分。
这些区别可以是理性的、有形的——与该品牌的产品特性相联系,或者是象征性的、感性的、无形的——与品牌蕴含的意义相联系。
营销学大师Alvin Achenbaun认为:从以上的例子看出,有品牌的商品可以是有形物品(如桂格燕麦、王子牌网球拍或者福特Taurus 轿车),服务(如美国航空公司、美国银行、美国泛美保险公司),零售店(Bloomingdale 百货公司、美体专营店或Safeway 超市),人物(比尔·克林顿、汤姆·汉克斯、迈克尔·乔丹),地点(巴黎、加州、澳大利亚),组织(红十字会、美国汽车协会、滚石唱片等),或者是想法(如堕胎权、自由贸易以及言论自由等)。
一些产品通过产品的性能创造了竞争优势。
例如,柯达、吉列、索尼、3M以及其他一些产品多年来成为本产品领域的名牌产品,部分原因在于持续的创新。
研发部门的持续投入造就了顶尖的产品,尖端的大众市场营销实践确保了消费品市场对新技术的采用。
其他一些品牌通过非产品的方式创造了竞争优势,如可口可乐、CK、香奈尔5号香水、万宝路香烟以及其他一些品牌,通过理解消费者动机、欲望,围绕他们的产品建立相关的吸引人的形象,都已经成为了本领域的领军产品。
通常,这些无形的形象联想是识别该领域产品的唯一方式。
品牌,尤其是那些强势品牌,拥有不同种类的联想,营销人员在作营销决策时,应当考虑到这些关于品牌的联想。
有些品牌的营销人员通过悲惨的教训学到了这一课。
与品牌相关联的联想不仅种类不同,而且建立联想的手段也不少。
整个营销计划应当有助于消费者对于品牌的理解。
英特品牌评估公司的John Murphy认为:创建成功的品牌应当把所有的不同因素以独特的方式相结合——产品或服务应当品质好,能够满足消费者的需求。
品牌的名称必须吸引人,并且与消费者对该品牌的理解相一致。
包装、促销、定价以及其他因素同样经得住适用性、吸引力、差异化的考验。
营销人员通过给产品命名来突出产品的特点,从而建立起消费者对这种品牌产品的忠诚信赖感,以此增加产品的价值,为企业创造利润。
事实上,许多公司最昂贵的资产并不是那些有形资产,如厂房、设备以及不动产,而是那些无形资产如管理技术、营销、融资、操作技术。
最为重要的无形资产就是品牌。
所以,品牌是昂贵的无形资产,对此应当仔细地管理。
我们下面探讨为何品牌是如此的重要。
品牌为何如此重要?一个明显的问题就是,品牌为何重要?品牌的哪些功能使得它对营销人员如此重要?我们从几个不同角度来揭示品牌对消费者和企业的重要性。
图12—2揭示了品牌对于二者的不同作用。
图12—2 品牌的作用消费者对于消费者来说,品牌有助于消费者辨识产品的制造商,使消费者能够找到应负责任的零售商和制造商。
最重要的是,品牌对于消费者有特殊的意义。
由于长期使用并熟悉产品的营销实践,消费者已经了解某些品牌。
他们知道哪些品牌能够满足他们需求,哪些品牌不能够满足需求。
所以,品牌简化了顾客的购买决策过程。
如果消费者知晓某种品牌,并且对该品牌有一定了解,在做购买决策时就不会有顾虑,不需花大量时间搜寻产品信息。
从经济学角度看,品牌减少了消费者搜寻产品的内部(消费者思考成本)和外部(消费者的搜寻成本)成本。
在了解某种品牌的基础上,如产品的质量、特点等等,消费者可以就那些不了解的东西做出假设和合理预期。
品牌所蕴含的含义十分深刻。
品牌和消费者的关系可以看作是一种合同或契约。
消费者之所以对某种品牌信任和忠诚是由于他们对该品牌有一种默认。
该产品的质量、特点、性能始终如一,价格合理、促销计划与行动得力,的确为消费者提供了产品的效用。
消费者一旦认识到某种品牌的优势和利益,并且得到了满足,消费者很可能继续购买该品牌的产品。
品牌的利益不仅仅体现在产品功能上。
品牌还具有象征意义,有利于消费者塑造自我形象。
某些品牌与某种人联系在一起,反映了使用者独特的价值观或个性。
购买一个品牌的产品,消费者是要传递这样的信息——他是什么样的人或者他想成为什么样的人。
正如哈佛大学的Susan Fournier评论的那样:保持与众多品牌的关系可以缓解人们因社会传统被抛弃而感到的“自我空虚”的困惑,并让他们沉着地应对变幻莫测的世界。
形成与品牌的关系并维持它在后现代社会中所起到的众多的文化作用。
普利斯特奖获得者Daniel Boorstein 认为,对于很多人来说,品牌起到了兄弟会、宗教组织以及服务组织的作用,品牌帮助人们意识到自己是什么样的人,帮助人们将做人的定义传递给他人。
品牌在向消费者显示某些产品特征时也起至关重要的作用。
研究人员根据产品的特点或利益,可将产品分为搜寻产品、体验产品和信用产品。
搜寻产品的特点可以通过感官体察(如产品的牢固性、尺码、颜色、款式、重量、产品的成分构成等)。
体验产品中有些潜在的重要特征,仅仅通过观察是无法发现的。
消费者需要通过试用和体验才能获得(如产品的耐用性、服务质量、安全性、是否容易使用等)。
信用产品的特点是消费者无法观察和体验(如保险商品)。
由于人们难以评定信用产品的特点和利益,对于消费者来说,这些产品的品牌就成为衡量产品质量和其他特点的重要标志。
品牌可以减少购买决策的风险。
当消费者购买、消费产品时,存在多种风险。
(1)功能风险:产品质量没有达到消费者的预期。
(2)健康风险:产品可能对使用者或他人的身体健康造成伤害。
(3)价格风险:产品与购买价格不符。
(4)社会风险:由于使用产品而给使用者带来的尴尬。
(5)心理风险:产品影响了使用者的心理健康。
(6)时间风险:由于选择不合适的产品而带来的选购满意产品的机会成本。