China - A Young Market
China enjoys one of the most rapidly developing economies in the world, with average annual GDP growth of 9.4% over the past quarter-century. China today consumes half the world's concrete, one-third of the world's steel and is the world's second-largest importer of petroleum. With over 1.3 billion people, China is also the most populous
country in the world.
But market research in China is still in its infancy, with industry consensus about methods and practices yet to emerge. However, Market Probe China's early commitment to research in China has positioned us to become a leading market research authority on the emerging Chinese market.
One way the Chinese market differs from the American or European market is the importance of personal relationships. To do business in China, you first need to make friends. While Mandarin is the official language, there are 10 major spoken language groups in China with numerous local dialects, many of them mutually unintelligible.
Another challenge facing market research in China is the innate skepticism of many Chinese, whose historic tendency has been a distinct dubiousness toward the unfamiliar. Unlocking this market can only be accomplished with a thorough knowledge of local customs, cultures and languages. Successful market research in China requires multiple methods and diligence in building relationships of trust with client, respondent and the public in general.
Dr. Jingkui Xu
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