Pay attention to cultural effect on China market research
As a professional service agency engaging in China market research for foreign corporations, SG thinks, the cultural distinctiveness and adaptability should always be taken into account when implementing China market research. Subtle cultural differences will most likelyresult in the interpretations of responses when interviewing. For example, Chinese company representatives are more reluctant to speak negatively of their companies or positively of their competitors, and sometimes make claims with no rational basis. A professional consultant must have firsthand experience with primary research, be able to read the implications from the literal meaning, ask questions that solicit concrete answers. Thus, when doing market research in China, all the data collected must be cross-checked and validated. Another serious problem in study is about the adaptability of analytical models. Most China market research companies are familiar with such western consulting tools as Porter's Five Forces, PEST, SWOT, etc. the key is that any model must be done through two different lenses, Western and Eastern. These typical analytical models, originated in western vision, need to return to a Chinese perspective, and analyze where there are consistent overlaps between the two approaches and conduct gap analysis where there are differences to avoid bias. The differences are probably explained again from the cultural background. You'd better use local resources for market research in China– Chinese nationals. They understand their culture best and their culture understands them best. SG is one of domestic market research providers with rich experience of combining international practices with local culture. The China market research service that SG offers benefits foreign businesses in the following aspects: To acquire Chinese business environment, the market size, the opportunities and the challenges, as the groundwork of market entry strategy decision To explore Chinese consumers' needs, and the extent of product acceptance and satisfaction, so as to improve client's
product or service in China. To reveal how the product is marketed effectively in China, for instances, the media for advertising, the distributions for sale, the preferred package, price, etc. The consultation for client's marketing tactics in China Enterprise survey to enhance the possibility of market entry or business cooperation like benchmarking on forerunner's business
operation practice in China, or due diligence on potential local partners' credit, capacity, and performance.
