质量信号的选择与潜在替代压力——对专业服务跨国公司进入中国市场初期策略的分析

Choice of Quality Signals and Potential Substitute Effect——The Strategies of Transnational PSFs Entering China's Market

专业服务跨国公司在市场进入初期,以质量信号作为歧异化战略的具体实施方式之一。文章在分离均衡条件下对其质量信号的选择策略进行了研究。选择何种质量信号,受到服务成本差异程度、来自相邻市场的替代压力和重复购买性等因素的制约。如果专业服务跨国公司提供服务的替代程度较低时,高价格会成为最优的质量信号。相反,如果相邻市场对细分市场有一定的替代压力时,花费性广告更有可能作为质量信号出现。文章据此对专业服务跨国公司的未来的质量信号策略和市场渗透方式作出了预测。

In the initial period, transnational Professional Service Firms （PSFs） tend to choose quality signals as tools in implementing their differentiation strategy. This paper discusses how they make the decisions and what factors influence the choice under the separating equilibrium. Cost difference, potential substitution pressure and non-repeated purchasing feature are the major ones leading to the result. If transnational PSFs have higher service costs and lower substitution pressures from competing market, they may choose high price as quality signal. Otherwise, dissipative advertising will be the quality signal. We also give the predictions on transnational PSFs＇ future signaling and penetration strategies in China.