Marketing software in Japan: Success factors in different product strategies

Abstract

This paper investigates small and medium-sized software firms’ success factors in the Japanese market. Findings of this study suggest that, due to the immaterial nature of software products, distribution and packaging has a less important role, while understanding Japanese business practices is ranked high along with customer satisfaction, honesty, and characteristics of a product. The findings also highlight the importance of distinguishing different kinds of software businesses based on their product strategies when analyzing success factors in a target country. For instance, the Japanese language assumed an important role in enterprise solution firms and in mass market software business, while its role in tailor-made software solution firms was less visible.