Lifting Profits in China’s Ever More Demanding Market
When growth in China begins to sputter, executives often reflexively seek out new growth opportunities. For some premium industrial brands, this might mean making ‘good-enough’ products in order to chase […]
The Need for Innovation and Speed in China
China’s unique digital ecosystem is accelerating ‘the need for speed’, and the necessity to adapt to China’s environment of innovation. But HQ often clings to their own digital investments, even […]
Will Smart Cities drive Southeast Asia business?
Cities in Southeast Asia are getting ‘smarter’ and their higher IQ is driving new business for many companies in the region. Adoption of smart cities technology will boost economic growth […]
Unlocking Chinese Innovation and Speed-to-Market
Chinese companies have become known as masters of incremental innovations brought to market at blistering speed. Alibaba, Tencent and Huawei have aptly demonstrated what Chinese entrepreneurship can accomplish. Every day, […]
Accessing China’s Mountain of Gold Data
Personal data is equivalent to gold for brands seeking to reach China’s billion plus consumers. Two groups in China are accumulating mountains of data riches and they know the value […]
Is It a Trade War or Compliance Blitz?
Foreign firms in China are navigating a new, uncertain landscape thanks to tariffs, increased red tape, and the possibility of consumers turning against the US. For global executives, responding to […]
Managing China’s Receivables Risk as Market Stress Rises
It is no secret that China has avoided a looming credit crisis for years. While the government is taking great strides to clean up the shadow banking and off-balance sheet […]
Building the Belt and Road Initiative Into Your Strategy
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will shape the way companies perform and will be an important part of corporate strategy in the years to come. China already has committed […]
The US-China Trade War Reaches Deep into Supply Chains
The US-China trade dispute has consequences far beyond those products and companies hit directly by higher US and China tariffs. The ‘America First’ approach to trade is likely to lead […]
Is Digital Automation Transforming China’s Manufacturing?
Digital automation has been a solution to counterbalance high labour costs across most of the developed world. But why is it so important in China, where labour costs remain relatively […]
Catching the Next Wave of China’s Consumer Growth
China’s consumer market is poised for levels of growth that will outstrip even the past three decades. China already leads the world in e-commerce, digital payments, high-speed rail, and the […]
How One Firm Went Local to Tap China’s Growth Potential
Going local – by buying Chinese firms or inversely, bringing on Chinese owners – can boost the pace of organic growth in China for foreign firms. Often, firms that have […]
Artificial Intelligence Takes a Leap Forward in China
‘To compete in China, AI needs to be part of your thought process. While you may not be using it, your Chinese competitors most definitely are, and these include more […]
The Ageing of China: The Conventional Wisdom is Wrong
China’s middle-aged and senior citizens present the most exciting growth opportunities in coming decades for consumer firms, and they are likely to be a valuable presence in future workforces. At […]
ASEAN’s Frontier Markets
The markets remain small, poor, and risky, but a dynamism is apparent in all three of ASEAN’s so-called “Frontier Markets” of Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. Asia CEO Forum and […]
The Transformation of China
Too often the discussion about China focuses on its growth figures when the real story lies in the massive transformation underway across key segments of the economy. Beijing continues to […]
The Rise of Xi Jinping & his OBOR Initiative
How Asia will work from 2018 onwards was partly on show in May at the One Belt, One Road or “OBOR” meeting in Beijing. Chinese media set a new benchmark […]
Moving into China’s New Sweet Spot: The Mid-Market
With China’s mid-range segment growing faster than the upper or lower ends of the markets, a focus on the ‘sweet spot’ of the mid-tier segment – where quality, elevated pricing, […]
Is Digital Marketing in China Replacing the Sales Team?
China’s unique digital environment, combined with its considerable market size and large base of early adopters, present a strong case for giving more autonomy to local marketing teams. The Great […]
Consumers Underpin Asia’s Growth; Policy & Capex Set the Speed Limit
Over recent decades, Asia’s growth has increasingly been defined by domestic demand, particularly from consumers. Consumers now dominate in Asia’s growth outlook, but the story varies enormously by country. Japan […]