Commodity Chains and Marketing Strategies: Nike and the
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Transcript Commodity Chains and Marketing Strategies: Nike and the
Commodity Chains and
Marketing Strategies: Nike
and the Global Athletic
Footwear Industry
Miguel Korzeniewicz, Ch. 18, pp. 163-172
(Excerpted from Korzeniewicz, “Commodity
Chairs and Marketing Strategies…,” in Gereffi &
Korzeniewicz, eds., Commodity Chains and
Global Capitalism,1994)
1
Global Commodity Chains (GCC)
GCC: the complex global network of
economic links which ties together groups,
organizations, and regions involved in the
production and distribution of goods
GCC analysis is a development of the world-
system or global-system perspective (which,
themselves grow out of dependency theory)
(Gereffi & Korzeniewicz, eds., Commodity Chains and Global Capitalism, 1994)
2
GCC challenges idea that “development” in
capitalism is contained within nation-states
Development in context of capitalism is a
global process
GCC tracks the organizational, geographical,
& cultural dimensions of world-wide chains for
the manufacture & distribution of goods
e.g.,clothing, automobiles, food, & drugs
(Gereffi & Korzeniewicz, eds., Commodity Chains and Global Capitalism, 1994)
3
Focusing on the distribution segment of GCC
Inadequate attention has been paid to the
design, distribution and marketing nodes
within a GCC
Yet these are often the sources of innovation
that allows firms to capture greater shares of
wealth in a commodity chain
4
Athletic footwear market shows how
GCCs are embedded in cultural trends
Marketing & consumption patterns in “core”
shape production patterns in peripheral and
semi-peripheral countries
The social organization of advertising,
fashion, and consumption shapes the
networks & nodes of GCCs
5
Trends in the US Athletic Shoe Market
Continued phenomenal rates of growth
Highly segmented by consumer age groups
Teenagers the most important consumers
Athletic shoes constructed and promoted
among teens as important & visible symbol of
social status and identity
6
Sports footwear market highly
segmented by:
Consumer age group
Model/target sport
Price
Price rather than appearance & functionality is
the key factor differentiating athletic shoes as
status symbols
7
Nike Corporation has become the largest and
most important sneaker company in the US
In 2004, Nike’s share of market is 42%
# 2: Adidas (27%)
# 3: Reebok (12%)
8
The key to Nike’s rise?
ability to capture a succession of nodes along
GCC, increasing its expertise and control
over critical areas:
design
distribution
marketing
advertising
9
US Athletic Footwear Industry % Market Share
by Sales Volume (2004)
Nike
Adidas
111
3 2
5
Reebok
6
Puma
42
New Balance
12
Sketchers
K-Swiss
Vans
27
Asics
Saucony
10
The most fundamental industry
innovation is the creation of a market
constructing a convincing world of symbols,
ideas, and values harnessing the desires of
individuals to the consumption of athletic
shoes (165)
11
Pd. 1: Gaining control over import &
distribution nodes of GCC (1962-1975)
Nike sells tens of millions of sneakers in the
US annually, yet all manufacturing operations
are conducted overseas
Nike begins importing shoes from Japan
Nike concentrates its design, distribution, and
marketing activities in the US
12
Nike is the archetype of a global
sourcing strategy: subcontracting
Nike originated by importing shoes from
Japan
It has subcontracted nearly all of its production
overseas ever since
Nike’s VP for Asia-Pacific: “We don’t know the
first thing about manufacturing.”
13
Pd. 2: Marketing as an upgrading
strategy (1976-1984)
Nike enhances competitive position by
extending control to marketing
Nike redesigns subcontracting strategy to
seize new opportunities in Southeast Asia
First in South Korea & Taiwan
Later, China, Thailand, and Indonesia
14
Pd. 3: Design, advertising, and return
to the semiperiphery (post-1985)
Another period of high growth based on
innovations in product design and advertising
“Air Nike” comes out
Nike signs its most popular endorser, Michael Jordan
Continued targeting new niche markets
e.g., aerobics & athletic apparel
Subcontracting strategy changes again
returns to South Korea for more specialized,
sophisticated, and experienced manufacturers
15
Conclusions
Case study confirms a division of labor between core
& peripheral/semi-peripheral countries
Core specializing in services
Periphery/semi-periphery specializing in manufacturing
Korean and Chinese firms produce the actual shoe,
as US-based Nike promotes the symbolic nature of
the shoe – and appropriates the greater share of
value from sales
16