メタボリック対策に、国がメタボ健診を始めてから2年が経過した。滑り出しこそダイエットのための消費が盛り上がったが、当時の熱気は次第に薄れて、腹筋などを鍛える道具の売れ行きは下降線をたどり、特定保健商品も振るわない。政策の動向をみて、伸びるビジネスに乗り遅れてはいけないと、多くの企業が殺到する。最近では、子供手当ての支給をあてこんで、子供ビジネスに多くの企業が殺到している。また、グルメ志向の高まりに便乗して、グルメ関連のビジネスも大流行である。

流行が下火になると、売上が少ない企業から、市場を去っていく。そして、一時の流行を振り返って、やはり、本業にもっと力を入れておけばよかったという反省だけが残る。どんな種類のビジネスであっても、流行が終わって最後に残るのは、初期段階で市場に参入し、厳しい競争を勝ち抜く資本力のある企業だけである。流行が下火になると、流行を煽った事実を忘れて、バブルがはじけたとマスコミが大騒ぎをする。政党が代われば、選挙対策だけで施行された政策がどうなるのか、誰にも分からない。企業にとって、競争相手がシナジー効果のない流行のビジネスに進出したら、競争相手を打ち負かす絶好のチャンスと言える。(Written by Shigeo Sunahara of CBC, Inc.)

No. 50: Stay away from the trendy business. (May 31, 2010)
The Japanese government started the specified health examination as a measure for metabolic syndrome about two years ago. Buck then, consumption of products related to dieting was a social phenomenon, but the enthusiasm consumers showed two years ago has faded away drastically these days. Neither instruments to strengthen abdominal muscle nor products to prevent metabolic syndrome sell fast today. Seeing the trend of government policy, many companies rush into new business that seems promising to keep abreast of others. Today, many companies go into business for children in anticipation of the benefits for children to be provided by the government. Taking advantage of the gourmet boom, an increasing number of companies branch out into the gourmet business.

When the zeal subsides, a company that has the smallest sales is the first to quit the market, and most companies quit the market with reflective consciousness that they should have exerted much energy in the core business. In whatever kind of business, only a few companies that went into the market in the initial stage and that have enough capital to compete in the highly competitive market can survive. When the zeal ends, mass medial makes a lot of noise without mentioning the fact that it fed the boom. No one can tell precisely what the policy enacted only for the election will be if the regime changes. It is a perfect opportunity for a company to beat its competitors if they branch into trendy business that offers no synergy effect.