Takaaki Ishikawa

This study aims to examine the impact of sales channels, either direct or indirect, on the profitability of software companies in Japan, and to further elucidate the differences in international competitive advantages by comparing Japanese firms with U.S. SaaS companies. This study analyzes the financial data of Japanese software manufacturers listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange over the three-year period from 2020 to 2022. Companies are classified into direct sales and indirect sales groups based on their revenue and operating profit margins. Additionally, Welch’s t-test was performed to compare the profitability of these companies, and comparisons were also made with U.S. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies. The analysis revealed that Japanese companies adopting indirect sales channels exhibited statistically significantly higher profitability than those using direct sales channels (t = 2.3828, p = 0.0263, mean difference = 0.1701). Moreover, Japanese companies with indirect sales channels also demonstrated significantly higher profitability when compared to U.S. SaaS companies (t = 4.7911, p = 0.00001, mean difference = 0.3874). These findings suggest that, particularly in the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) market, the use of indirect sales channels effectively bridges the IT literacy gap and enhances profitability. This study concludes that indirect sales channels serve as a strategic factor that strengthens the competitive advantage of Japanese software companies and contributes to the improvement of profitability.

This study investigates how sales methods, service management, and resource allocation influence the operating profit margins of Japanese software companies, with a focus on marketing strategies and profitability improvement. While Japan’s software market continues to grow, domestic companies face challenges such as low profit margins, reliance on subcontracting, and declining international competitiveness. Using data from 124 software companies listed in the Nikkei industry-specific section between 2021 and 2023, this study employs multivariate regression analysis to identify actionable strategies for enhancing profitability.
The results reveal that the selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expense ratio negatively affects operating profit margins, emphasizing the importance of cost control. Companies that adopt indirect sales channels achieve significant cost efficiency, improving profit margins (coefficient: -0.1363). Furthermore, while the ratio of sales growth to gross profit growth positively influences profitability (coefficient: 0.0084), its effect is relatively modest. In contrast, the revenue efficiency ratio emerges as the most influential factor, where a 1% improvement corresponds to a 0.72% increase in operating profit margins (coefficient: 0.7166). These findings underscore the critical role of optimizing resource allocation and aligning sales strategies with marketing objectives to achieve sustainable profit growth.
This study contributes to the literature by integrating marketing-oriented strategies with operational efficiency, addressing the often-overlooked interplay between these factors. By offering practical insights into channel strategies, cost optimization, and resource allocation, this research provides a roadmap for Japanese software companies to strengthen their competitiveness in both domestic and international markets.