Working in China 227manufacturer of Dove soap, goes head to head with most of its
global competitors in China. Companies that wouldn’t imagine
taking Unilever on in Europe or the United States because the
cost of entry is far too high to gain market share view China
as fair game. The brand battlefield in China contains more
players than almost any other country in the world.
Too Many Choices
Because they have so many choices, Chinese are fickle consumers.
There is no brand loyalty. Historically, goods were so scarce and the
choice so limited that almost no one would consider using their
grandmother’s brand of laundry detergent. It is likely that granny
didn’t even have a washing machine. She was lucky if she had a bar
of soap to wash her clothes with, rather than just plain water. If every
two months when you go to the market there is a brand new product
to try, why just stick to one?China Map Creating Your Personal
One of the biggest challenges for a newcomer in China is
to map the business environment. It is hoped that before
sending you to an overseas posting, your company has done
its business due diligence, established a legitimate presence
in China, and is handing you a business to add value to and
grow. If all of these minor details have been well attended,
to the important thing for you to do is to orient yourself as
quickly as possible.
One of the best ways to do this is through expatriate
business organisations. There are a number of business
organisations and clubs that provide a forum for you to
share and compare views with your contemporaries from
your home country and other parts of the world. In a rapidly
changing business environment where information comes at
a premium and is neither transparent nor easy to pinpoint,
belonging to the right organisations is a great way to stay
abreast of China business.
Some of the better business organisations to plug yourself
into are your home-country chamber of commerce. Contact
your nearest consulate for details. Those that are most active
in China include: