太古洋行糖品营销活动研究(1884—1941)

The Study on Sugar Marketing & Selling of Butterfield & Swire(1884-1941)

近代以来,随着区域国民经济发展、东西互动频繁等因素的不断累积,东亚地区糖品消费数量呈快速递增趋势,糖品贸易获利丰厚,以经营东西方贸易起家的怡和、太古集团,率先捕捉到这一商机,分别于1878年、1881年在英属香港投资精糖制造业。太古集团所属太古车糖公司于1884年正式建成投产,其精糖产品进入市场之初就面临着同城怡和集团所属中国制糖公司糖品的强有力竞争,19世纪末以来又遭遇了欧洲及日本等同行的削价竞争。作为太古车糖公司总代理商的太古洋行,一方面积极调整糖品营销策略,适应时局及市场的不断变化需求;另一方面,确立东亚市场为精糖销售的"主战场",并努力开拓东南亚、南亚、中东及非洲等新市场,形成可资转圜的市场纵深格局。太古洋行的成功营销活动,首先助力太古车糖公司多次渡过危机,并且日益发展壮大起来;其次,在亚洲地区普及了精糖消费观念,形成了精糖消费新主张;再次,加剧了东亚糖业经济旧格局的解体并助推了新格局的形塑,使英属香港精制糖业成为东亚糖业格局中的重要一极;最后,其大胆的营销制度转型及尝试,为太古集团企业制度生成及发展提供了蓝本及试验机会。

With the enhance of factors including of development of regional economy and East-West interaction, the consumption of sugar in Eastern Asia was quickly expanded and merchants could make huge fortune by sugar trade. Jardine, Matheson ＆ Co. and John Swire ＆ Sons Co. invested the industry of refined sugar respectively in 1878 and in 1881. When Tai Koo Sugar Refining Company Ltd refined sugar from the year of 1884, John Swire ＆ Sons Co. was facing the intense competition with the China sugar refinery company Ltd that was found by Jardine, Matheson ＆ Co. in Hong Kong. John Swire ＆ Sons Co. has to fight with other merchants from Europe and Japan since the end of 19＇a century to secure the market shares. As the general agent, Butterfield ＆ Swire not only adjusted the policies of marketing ＆ selling to adapt to the market, but also exploited new market in the Southeast Asia, South Asia, Middle East and Africa to find more chance. The success of marketing ＆ selling made Tai Koo Sugar Refining Company Ltd overcome the crisis of sugar economy and become bigger and bigger. And then, consumption of refined sugar in Eastern Asia become more popular for the effort of Butterfield ＆ Swire. Thirdly, the birth of new pattern in Eastern Asia was benefit from the impact of Hong Kong refined sugar industry. Finally, the change and trial of sugar marketing ＆ selling by Butterfield ＆ Swire has promoted the development the of enterprise system of John Swire ＆ Sons Co.