英文文獻與翻譯:產(chǎn)品生命周期理論

外文翻譯：

產(chǎn)品生命周期理論

原文來源：

Raymond Vernon..《International investment and international trade in the product cycle》

譯文正文：

產(chǎn)品生命周期（product life cycle），簡稱PLC，是產(chǎn)品的市場壽命，即一種新產(chǎn)品從開始進

入市場到被市場淘汰的整個過程。費農(nóng)認為：產(chǎn)品生命是指市上的的營銷生命，產(chǎn)中和人的生命一

樣，要經(jīng)歷形成、成長、成熟、衰退這樣的周期。就產(chǎn)品而言，也就是要經(jīng)歷一個開發(fā)、引進、成

長、成熟、衰退的階段。而這個周期在不同的技術(shù)水平的國家里，發(fā)生的時間和過程是不一樣的，

期間存在一個較大的差距和時差，正是這一時差，表現(xiàn)為不同國家在技術(shù)上的差距，它反映了同一

產(chǎn)品在不同國家市場上的競爭地位的差異，從而決定了國際貿(mào)易和國際投資的變化。為了便于區(qū)分，

費農(nóng)把這些國家依次分成創(chuàng)新國（一般為最發(fā)達國家）、一般發(fā)達國家、發(fā)展中國家。

典型的產(chǎn)品生命周期一般可以分成四個階段，即介紹期（或引入期）、成長期、成熟期和衰退期。

就像是人類，產(chǎn)品也有它自己的生命周期，從出生到死亡經(jīng)過各種階段。

新產(chǎn)品投入市場，便進入了介紹期。此時產(chǎn)品品種少，顧客對產(chǎn)品還不了解，除少數(shù)追求新奇

的顧客外，幾乎無人實際購買該產(chǎn)品。生產(chǎn)者為了擴大銷路，不得不投入大量的促銷費用，對產(chǎn)品

進行宣傳推廣。該階段由于生產(chǎn)技術(shù)方面的限制，產(chǎn)品生產(chǎn)批量小，制造成本高，廣告費用大，產(chǎn)

品銷售價格偏高，銷售量極為有限，企業(yè)通常不能獲利，反而可能虧損。

當產(chǎn)品進入引入期，銷售取得成功之后，便進入了成長期。成長期是指產(chǎn)品通過試銷效果良好，

購買者逐漸接受該產(chǎn)品，產(chǎn)品在市場上站住腳并且打開了銷路。這是需求增長階段，需求量和銷售

額迅速上升。生產(chǎn)成本大幅度下降，利潤迅速增長。與此同時，競爭者看到有利可圖，將紛紛進入

市場參與競爭，使同類產(chǎn)品供給量增加，價格隨之下屬，企業(yè)利潤增長速度逐步減慢，最后達到生

命周期利潤的最高點。

產(chǎn)品走入大批量生產(chǎn)并穩(wěn)定地進入市場銷售，經(jīng)過成長期之后，隨著購買產(chǎn)品的人數(shù)增多，市

場需求趨于飽和。此時，產(chǎn)品普及并日趨標準化，成本低而產(chǎn)量大。銷售增長速度緩慢直至轉(zhuǎn)而下

降，由于競爭的加劇，導(dǎo)致同類產(chǎn)品生產(chǎn)企之間不得不加大在產(chǎn)品質(zhì)量、花色、規(guī)格、包裝服務(wù)等

方面加大投入，在一起程度上增加了成本。

產(chǎn)品進入了淘汰階段。隨著科技的發(fā)展以及消費習(xí)慣的改變等原因，產(chǎn)品的銷售量和利潤持續(xù)

下降，產(chǎn)品在市場上已經(jīng)老化，不能適應(yīng)市場需求，市場上已經(jīng)有其它性能更好、價格更低的新產(chǎn)

品，足以滿足消費者的需求。此時成本較高的企業(yè)就會由于無利可圖而陸續(xù)停止生產(chǎn)，該類產(chǎn)品的

生命周期也就陸續(xù)結(jié)束，以至最后完全撤出市場。

產(chǎn)品生命周期是一個很重要的概念，它和企業(yè)制定產(chǎn)品策略以及推廣策略有著直接的聯(lián)系。管

原文正文

The product life cycle of the products, as PLC is life, namely a market new products into the market

from the start to the whole process of elimination by the market. Vernon: refers to the city life, the life of

the marketing and human life during, experiences, growth, maturity, recession this cycle. Is product, also is

to experience a development, introduction, growth, maturity and recession. But this cycle in different

countries, the technical level of time and the process is not the same, there exists a large gap between

period of time, and it is this time, for different countries in technology gap, it reflects the same products in

different countries on the market competition status, which determines the differences between

international trade and investment. In order to facilitate distinguish the countries, Vernon, innovative

nation (usually divided into the most developed countries), usually developed countries and developing

countries.

Typical product life cycle generally can be divided into four stages, namely introduction , growth,

maturity and recession.

Like human beings, products also have their own life-cycle. From birth to death human beings pass

through various birth, growth, maturity, decline and death. A similar life-cycle is en in the ca

of products. The product life cycle goes through multiple phas, involves many professional disciplines,

and requires many skills, tools and process. Product life cycle (PLC) has to do with the life of a product

in the market with respect to business/commercial costs and sales measures. To say that a product has a life

cycle is to asrt four things:

products have a limited life,

t sales pass through distinct stages, each posing different challenges, opportunities, and

problems to the ller,

s ri and fall at different stages of product life cycle, and

ts require different marketing, financial, manufacturing, purchasing, and human resource

strategies in each life cycle stage.

Four phas of the product life cycle.

stage: (into)

From design to production into market entry test until stage. The new products put on the market, and

introduced into. Now, the customers have few varieties of products, product also don't understand a few

exceptions, the pursuit of new customers almost no actual purcha this product. In order to expand the

market, to producers, the cost of sales promotion product promotion. This stage becau of the restrictions

in production technology, product batch production and manufacturing cost is high, the advertising

expens, product sales price is on the high side, sales is limited, the enterpri may not usually profit,

instead of loss.

cond stage: growth

When entering into products, sales success, entered the growth. The product is growing by test results,

the buyer accepted gradually products. This is the demand growth stage, rapidly rising demand and sales.

Production cost greatly, rapid growth in profits. Meanwhile, the competitor will e profitable, participate

in the competition, to enter the market similar products supply, price increas, the enterpri profit growth

subordinate gradually slow down, finally reached the highest profit life cycle.

Stage 3: mature

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The product into mass production and stable to enter the market sale, after growing, with the purcha

of the products after tends to increa, and market demand. At this time, and more standardized products,

low cost and production. Sales growth to slow down, becau until the competition between enterpris in

similar products to increa in product quality, specifications, design, packaging, etc, increasing investment

in degree incread cost.

Stage 4: a recession

The product is entered the knockout stage. With the development of science and technology and

spending habits change wait for a reason, product sales and profit continued to decline, the products on the

market has aging, cannot adapt the market demand, the market has better performance and other low price

of new products, to meet the needs of the consumers. Now the enterpri will cost is higher due to be

unprofitable and gradually stop production, the product life cycle, and also has ended last completely

withdrawn from the market.

The product life cycle is a very important concept, and enterpris to develop product strategy and

promotion strategies have direct contact. Managers want to make his products have a long enough to make

sales cycle, the profit to compensate for the products in all the efforts and through all risks, we must

carefully study and application of the product life cycle theory, in addition, the product life cycle is ud to

describe the product promotion personnel market operation methods and powerful tool. However, in the

process of developing marketing strategy, product life cycle, but emed too, becau the strategy is the

product life cycle and the reasons of the current products, can make the person thinks of the best promotion

strategy, in addition, when the product performance in the prediction of the product life cycle u also is

restricted.

There are four stages in product life cycle. The are:

Stage Characteristics

1. Market introduction stage

? costs are high

? slow sales volumes to start

? little or no competition

? demand has to be created

? customers have to be prompted to try

the product

? makes no money at this stage

2. Growth stage

? costs reduced due to economies of

scale

? sales volume increas significantly

? profitability begins to ri

? public awareness increas

? competition begins to increa with a

few new players in establishing market

? incread competition leads to price

decreas

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3. Maturity stage

? costs are lowered as a result of

production volumes increasing and

experience curve effects

? sales volume peaks and market

saturation is reached

? increa in competitors entering the

market

? prices tend to drop due to the

proliferation of competing products

? brand differentiation and feature

diversification is emphasized to maintain

or increa market share

? Industrial profits go down

? costs become counter-optimal

? sales volume decline or stabilize

? prices, profitability diminish

? profit becomes more a challenge of

production/distribution efficiency than

incread sales

Lessons of the product life cycle (PLC)

4. Saturation and decline stage

It is claimed that every product has a life period, it is launched, it grows, and at some point, may die. A

fair comment is that - at least in the short term - not all products or rvices die. Jeans may die, but clothes

probably will not. Legal rvices or medical rvices may die, but depending on the social and political

climate, probably will not.

Even though its validity is questionable, it can offer a uful 'model' for managers to keep at the back

of their mind. Indeed, if their products are in the introductory or growth phas, or in that of decline, it

perhaps should be at the front of their mind; for the predominant features of the phas may be tho

revolving around such life and death. Between the two extremes, it is salutary for them to have that

vision of mortality in front of them.

However, the most important aspect of product life-cycles is that, even under normal conditions, to

all practical intents and purpos they often do not exist (hence, there needs to be more emphasis on

model/reality mappings). In most markets the majority of the major brands have held their position for at

least two decades. The dominant product life-cycle, that of the brand leaders which almost monopolize

many markets, is therefore one of continuity.

Thus, the life cycle may be uful as a description, but not as a predictor; and usually should be

firmly under the control of the marketer. The important point is that in many markets the product or brand

life cycle is significantly longer than the planning cycle of the organisations involved. Thus, it offers little

practical value for most marketers. Even if the PLC (and the related PLM support) exists for them, their

plans will be bad just upon that piece of the curve where they currently reside (most probably in the

'mature' stage); and their view of that part of it will almost certainly be 'linear' (and limited), and will not

encompass the whole range from growth to decline.

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