Directions: Fill in
each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only
once. Not that there is one word more than you need.
|
A.
region B. initiative C. sticks D. domestic E. priority F. shrinking G. solid H. matters I. classic J. expanding K. indefinable
|
UNIQLO's founder tries to find a way to
beat Zara and H&M
When asked what guides his vision of
UNIQLO, Tadashi Yanai, its founder and chief executive, pulls off the shelf the
1987 autumn/winter collection catalogue of Next, a mass-market British
retailer. All of the clothes are so {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, he says, that they could be worn
today. While Zara of Spain and H&M of Sweden follow fashion trends without
having any original thought, UNIQLO of Japan {#blank#}2{#/blank#} to timeless basics.
Mr. Yanai has a/an {#blank#}3{#/blank#} base at home from which to develop
into his Western competitors' main markets of Europe and America. But instead
his {#blank#}4{#/blank#} remains Asia. "Asia is the engine
of growth today," he says, pointing to the millions of consumers across
the {#blank#}5{#/blank#} who are reaching the middle class.
UNIQLO will open its first shop in India this year and is considering {#blank#}6{#/blank#} into Vietnam and other countries (it
has already opened networks of shops in Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand).
The success or not of UNIPLO's overseas operations {#blank#}7{#/blank#} greatly to investors at home. Fast Retailing's shares — Mr. Yanai owns just over 20% of the firm — have been rising since 2015, nalysts estimate, largely owing to its international expansion and improved logistics (物流). At home the firm is closing stores because the population is {#blank#}8{#/blank#}. Last year UNIQLO's international profits overtook its {#blank#}9{#/blank#} sales for the first time and its foreign operation profits almost equaled its Japanese equivalent.
Though they are very different markets,
Europe and America offer a cautionary tale. UNIQLO in America struggled outside
the big cities of the east and west coasts. Growth in America remains {#blank#}10{#/blank#} for UNIQLO both there and in Europe.
However, Mr. Yanai, an enthusiastic fan of globalization, is confident that he
can guide UNIQLO through the changes needed.
