「草刈り場」

English translation: Fertile ground

10:01 Feb 1, 2017
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Internet, e-Commerce / IT infrastructure
Japanese term or phrase: 「草刈り場」
このような場合、自社の顧客層にニーズがないからと待ちの姿勢でいると、変化の波が来た時には、その顧客層は先行事業者の「草刈り場」になってしまう。
What does the above term "草刈り場" mean here. I searched the meaning and I understand it could be interpreted as a place where many people with similar interests compete.

The original context is as below. The paragraph talks about the measures that communication carriers should adopt such as look at the activities of global vendors and anticipate the trends in WAN market rather than focus on their customer base.

市場の方向性は、イノベーションを主導するベンダーが次に何を仕掛けようとしているかで決まる。このような場合、自社の顧客層にニーズがないからと待ちの姿勢でいると、変化の波が来た時には、その顧客層は先行事業者の「草刈り場」になってしまう。通信事業者は、市場の成熟度を無視した早すぎる投資は避けるべきだが、少なくとも市場を牽引する側に立つべきである。

Shall appreciate any valuable inputs.
Kala Kumar
Indonesia
Local time: 09:15
English translation:Fertile ground
Explanation:
"Fertile ground" as in "This market/sector/area becomes fertile ground for...."
Idiomatic and preserves the reference to pastures/grassland etc.

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Note added at 7 hrs (2017-02-01 17:17:05 GMT)
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"Hunting ground" might also work.
Selected response from:

Patrick Hideo Kirby
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:15
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3Fertile ground
Patrick Hideo Kirby
3 +2a metaphor for a promising market to make profits from
Port City
3 +1KUSAKARIBA (a place where everybody can grab benefit)
Kayoko Kimura


  

Answers


29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
KUSAKARIBA (a place where everybody can grab benefit)


Explanation:
Other meaning of KUSAKARIBA is explained as "place (or organization, etc.) from which numerous people hope to benefit". I think it is good to show the Japanese expression as well as a meaning. There is no simple English word to explain this.


    https://kotobank.jp/word/%E8%8D%89%E5%88%88%E5%A0%B4-483037
Kayoko Kimura
United States
Local time: 21:15
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you so much. Well explained


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Chrisso (X)
3 days 4 hrs
  -> Thank you!
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
a metaphor for a promising market to make profits from


Explanation:
It metaphorically means a promising market to make profits from.
"A grass field to mow" is a metaphor for a place where promising customers gather, offering profit-making opportunities.
Instead of using this idiomatic expression, you can just say to the effect that the potential customers would be taken up by the pioneering vendors.




Port City
New Zealand
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you for the translation. Your answer was indeed very helpful


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Chrisso (X)
3 days 4 hrs
  -> Thank you!

agree  Isely Mills
21 days
  -> Thank you!
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Fertile ground


Explanation:
"Fertile ground" as in "This market/sector/area becomes fertile ground for...."
Idiomatic and preserves the reference to pastures/grassland etc.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2017-02-01 17:17:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"Hunting ground" might also work.

Patrick Hideo Kirby
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:15
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Chrisso (X)
2 days 23 hrs

agree  Isely Mills
21 days

agree  aphx
127 days
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