As a professional service agency engaging in China market research for foreign corporations, JyS thinks, the cultural distinctiveness and adaptability should always be taken into account when implementing China market research.
Subtle cultural differences will most likely result 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¨C Chinese nationals. They understand their culture best and their culture understands them best.
JyS is one of domestic market research providers with rich experience of combining international practices with local culture. The China market research service that JyS offers benefits foreign businesses in the following aspects: |
