外文翻译----产品生命周期理论
外文翻译：
产品生命周期理论
原文来源：Raymond Vernon.《. International investment and international trade in the product
cycle 》
译文正文：
产品生命周期（product life cycle ），简称PLC，是产品的市场寿命，即一种新产品从开始进
入市场到被市场淘汰的整个过程。费农认为：产品生命是指市上的的营销生命，产中和人的生命一样，要经历形成、成长、成熟、衰退这样的周期。就产品而言，也就是要经历一个开发、引进、成长、成熟、衰退的阶段。而这个周期在不同的技术水平的国家里，发生的时间和过程是不一样的，期间存在一个较大的差距和时差，正是这一时差，表现为不同国家在技术上的差距，它反映了同一产品在不同国家市场上的竞争地位的差异，从而决定了国际贸易和国际投资的变化。为了便于区分，费农把这些国家依次分成创新国（一般为最发达国家）、一般发达国家、发展中国家。
典型的产品生命周期一般可以分成四个阶段，即介绍期（或引入期）、成长期、成熟期和衰退期。就像是人类，产品也有它自己的生命周期，从出生到死亡经过各种阶段。
新产品投入市场，便进入了介绍期。此时产品品种少，顾客对产品还不了解，除少数追求新奇的顾客外，几乎无人实际购买该产品。生产者为了扩大销路，不得不投入大量的促销费用，对产品进行宣传推广。该阶段由于生产技术方面的限制，产品生产批量小，制造成本高，广告费用大，产品销售价格偏高，销售量极为有限，企业通常不能获利，反而可能亏损。
当产品进入引入期，销售取得成功之后，便进入了成长期。成长期是指产品通过试销效果良好，购买者逐渐接受该产品，产品在市场上站住脚并且打开了销路。这是需求增长阶段，需求量和销售额迅速上升。生产成本大幅度下降，利润迅速增长。与此同时，竞争者看到有利可图，将纷纷进入市场参与竞争，使同类产品供给量增加，价格随之下属，企业利润增长速度逐步减慢，最后达到生命周期利润的最高点。
产品走入大批量生产并稳定地进入市场销售，经过成长期之后，随着购买产品的人数增多，市场需求趋于饱和。此时，产品普及并日趋标准化，成本低而产量大。销售增长速度缓慢直至转而下降，由于竞争的加剧，导致同类产品生产企之间不得不加大在产品质量、花色、规格、包装服务等方面加大投入，在一起程度上增加了成本。
产品进入了淘汰阶段。随着科技的发展以及消费习惯的改变等原因，产品的销售量和利润持续下降，产品在市场上已经老化，不能适应市场需求，市场上已经有其它性能更好、价格更低的新产品，足以满足消费者的需求。此时成本较高的企业就会由于无利可图而陆续停止生产，该类产品的生命周期也就陆续结束，以至最后完全撤出市场。
产品生命周期是一个很重要的概念，它和企业制定产品策略以及推广策略有着直接的联系。管理者要想使他的产品有一个较长的销售周期，以便赚取足够的利润来补偿在推出该产品时所做出的一切努力和经受的一切风险，就必须认真研究和运用产品的生命周期理论，此外，产品生命周期也是推广人员用来描述产品和市场运作方法的有力工具。
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 these 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 stages e.g. birth, growth, maturity, decline and death. A similar life-cycle is seen in the case of products. The product life cycle goes through multiple phases, involves many professional disciplines, and requires many skills, tools and processes. 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 assert four things:
1. that products have a limited life,
2. product sales pass through distinct stages, each posing different challenges, opportunities, and problems to the seller,
3. profits rise and fall at different stages of product life cycle, and
4. products require different marketing, financial, manufacturing, purchasing, and human resource strategies in each life cycle stage.
Four phases of the product life cycle.
1.First 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 purchase this product. In order to expand the market, to producers, the cost of sales promotion product promotion. This stage because of the restrictions in production technology, product batch production and manufacturing cost is high, the advertising expenses, product sales price is on the high side, sales is limited, the enterprise may not usually profit, instead of losses.
2.The second 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 see profitable, participate in the competition, to enter the market similar products supply, price increases, the enterprise profit growth subordinate gradually slow down, finally reached the highest profit life cycle.
Stage 3: mature
The product into mass production and stable to enter the market sale, after growing, with the purchase of the products after tends to increase, and market demand. At this time, and more standardized products, low cost and production. Sales growth to slow down, because until the competition between enterprises in similar products to increase in product quality, specifications, design, packaging, etc, increasing investment in degree increased 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 enterprise 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 enterprises 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 used to describe the product promotion personnel market operation methods and powerful tool. However, in the process of developing marketing strategy, product life cycle, but seemed too, because 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 use also is restricted.
There are four stages in product life cycle. These are:
proliferation of competing products
brand differentiation and feature diversification is
emphasized to maintain or increase 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
increased sales
Lessons of the product life cycle (PLC)
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 services die. Jeans may die, but clothes
probably will not. Legal services or medical services may die, but depending on the social and political climate, probably will not.
Even though its validity is questionable, it can offer a useful 'model' for managers to keep at the back of their mind. Indeed, if their products are in the introductory or growth phases, or in that of decline, it perhaps should be at the front of their mind; for the predominant features of these phases may be those revolving
around such life and death. Between these 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 purposes 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 useful 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 based 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.
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
increase in competitors entering the market prices tend to drop due to the
4. Saturation and decline stage