The subject of what can and cannot be researched in China is a contentious one, and – as with data collection methods – there is a tendency for the ‘uniqueness’ of China to be exaggerated in this respect.

In terms of subject matter, the truth is that there is very little difference between what can be researched in China and what can be researched in Western countries. Culturally, there is no great reticence in terms of providing information

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By Hayden Hong

Every day, more organizations are eagerly embracing the concept of offshore outsourcing to lower costs, increase efficiency and productivity, and enable employees to focus on the innovative, core endeavors that drive business forward.

IT departments have been early adaptors of outsourcing projects and services. Now manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM), original design manufacturers (ODM), independent software vendors (ISV), system integrators (SI), and value-added resellers (VAR) whose products rely on embedded software and hardware across countless industries are exploring the benefits of offshore outsourcing to stretch their R&D dollars.
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One of the most widely discussed subjects about doing business with Chinese people is the concept ‘Guanxi’. Literally ‘Guanxi’ means “being closed into a system”.

Not without reason, the term Guanxi often isn’t translated into English. In some occasions Guanxi is translated as ‘networking’, but that doesn’t really get to the deeper meaning of the word. While networking is based on knowing which person does what …

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How Is The Information Collected?

By Matthew Harrison, Director of B2B International China

Telephone and face-to-face interviews

Data collection in China is an area around which a number of ‘urban myths’ have developed. The most common of these is the statement that Chinese people (businesspeople or consumers) are unwilling to provide information over the telephone, and that face-to-face interviews are necessary in the majority of cases.

This is a gross exaggeration. In reality, there has been a significant move towards telephone-based research in business-to-business research (as well as consumer projects) over the past 5 years. It is now estimated that 50-55% of data collection in business-to-business markets is obtained via telephone, against around 10% in the year 2000.
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With the Beijing Olympics now fewer than 90 days away, travelers lucky enough to get tickets – or those just wanting to see the city hosting the Games – along with business people wanting to expand are thinking about China.

China’s long history and rich culture have helped shaped the formation of its modern society. Although China has come a long way in the last 30 years, just because “Prison Break” is a hit show and young people wear blue jeans doesn’t mean that it isn’t culturally very distinct.

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