Bringing Big Data to China’s Big Machines
Not long after news of Covid’s spread in China hit papers around the world, so did photos of a remarkable feat: the building of a 1,000-bed hospital in a mere […]
Shifting from Recovery to Retooling in China
Companies in China are moving to the second phase of the Covid-19 crisis. During the first phase they focused on protecting their employees and their assets. The second recovery phase […]
Managing Covid-19 & the Return to Work
As any crisis fades, it’s important to capture what was learned before it’s forgotten. We need to recall surprises, reflect on how they were successfully dealt with, and think about managing […]
The Rise of Bangladesh: Asia’s Next Frontier Market
Despite a promising economic outlook, foreign investors in Bangladesh must remain attentive to political and social developments in the country. With the COVID pandemic ongoing and 70% of the country’s […]
How Prepared is Your China Cybersecurity?
The ubiquity of data brings new risks. At a recent IMA Asia forum, members discussed those risks and how best to cope with the evolving cybersecurity environment in China. Governments […]
B2B Digital Marketing Growth Strategies in China
‘Everything will be digital.’ This is the mantra when marketing to Chinese consumers and buyers. The same forces of technological change that have transformed global B2C firms in China are […]
US-China Geopolitics: Uncharted Territory Ahead
How does one operate in a world where policies can be overturned overnight with a tweet? A recent IMA Asia meeting of Asia and China CEOs delved into the uncharted […]
Promising Outlook for Southeast Asia Manufacturing
2019 has been a bad year for global manufacturing and no less so in Southeast Asia. The pain for ASEAN’s factory sector is apparent in the region’s contracting Purchasing Manager’s […]
Coping With China’s Shifting Distributor Network
Distributing goods in China can be complicated and confusing. Although the China market is large, it is also highly fragmented. Achieving economies of scale can be elusive when distributors are […]
Stepping Up Innovation in China
The pursuit of innovation is changing business models in China. MNCs are addressing competitive challenges by localising innovation efforts. At a recent IMA CEO Forum meeting China CEOs cited numerous […]
Infrastructure Spending Propping up ASEAN Construction
The IMA Asia ASEAN Demand Watch reports look at the latest trends in specific industrial sectors across ASEAN. Our reports combine insights from three sources: Interviews with IMA Asia Forum […]
Beyond the Hype: Getting Ready for China’s Social Credit System
China’s Social Credit System (SCS) will fundamentally change the way business operations are regulated in China. It’s time to move past the dire warnings of a dystopian future and manage […]
Consumers Are Not of One Mind in Southeast Asia
This article is based on the findings of IMA’s Asia Demand Watch – ASEAN Consumers. Consumer demand remains a key driver of growth in Southeast Asia, but demand trends are diverging. The divergence […]
Cracks Appearing in China’s Consumer Confidence
This article is based on the findings of IMA’s China Demand Watch – Consumers. Cracks are starting to appear in China’s resilient consumer confidence and steady retail sales performance. Constraints […]
B2B Digital Distribution: Finding the Missing Customer
E-commerce has blazed like a wildfire through China’s consumer landscape, seeding digital-first enterprises and pushing legacy businesses to adapt or die. Chinese consumers’ fast adoption of all things digital, from […]
Compliance Redux: Vigilance is Essential in China
Seven years into China’s anti-corruption campaign, the pursuit of corporate malfeasance, conflicts of interest and fraud continues. After the 2014 GSK scandal, foreign firms were put on notice that a […]
MNCs are Restructuring Asia Pacific Operations (Again)
The push for innovation, the search for talent, and competitive pressures require that new entrants and long-established players rethink their Asia business strategies and organisation structure. Companies often restructure their […]
Powering Finance in China with Artificial Intelligence
In the next five years, experts predict CFOs in China will have a complete financial picture in real time on their phone. They will be able to scroll through the […]
Optimise or Transform with New Technologies?
It can be tempting to integrate new technologies such as AI, big data and blockchain in response to the relentless hype around them. As one IMA Asia member put it, […]
Segmenting China’s Market to Increase Profits
Foreign firms in China are reining in efforts to grab market share at all costs and are taking a hard look at their bottom line. In the past, growth businesses […]