GCiS uses international methods and local access to understand markets in China and create value for our clients. We have experience doing custom research projects of all sizes, all levels of complexity and all points of the research spectrum. GCiS provides client-centered research. In other words, everything we do, from initial consultation to strategic analysis, is geared to help the client achieve their business goals.

We strongly believe, based on our experience here, that a strong operational understanding of how to approach these markets and make sense of them is vital. This means, for example, not just knowing that most drugs in China are purchased in hospitals, but how the dynamics of this works, who controls the process, and how this is changing.

Specific Services
As all GCiS research projects are custom-designed or modified, any type of study, with any level of depth or comprehensiveness is possible. Here are some of our more specific programs:

Comprehensive End-user Assessments
These are popular, and constitute a thorough assessment of market demand, including technical and purchasing issues, perception of suppliers, market size, demand by industry, bet opportunities in the market, and a wide range of other issues.

Distribution and Channel Assessments
These are more in-depth studies, focusing on channel structure, performance, distributors, service, geographical analysis, and others. These are often driven by the need to structure or re-assess one’s sales and/or operations.

Competitor Research and/or Tracking
These deal with a wide range of market issues from a competitive angle, and can be very focused on a small number of competitors, with in-depth profiles, or on the competition in general.

Partner or Distributor Search, Due Diligence
GCiS has a partner (investment, channel) search program composed of three stages, depending upon search criteria and universe of candidates.

Feasibility Studies
For introduction of a new product, production facility, or business in China, GCiS can conduct a feasibility study to determine potential demand and options.

Comprehensive Market Assessments
Typically, a GCiS study is a combination of these. It totally depends on the Client’s need, which in turn relates to their specific objective or strategic considerations (decision-making) of the in this market.

GCiS Research can deal effectively with any point on the “Research Matrix” in the context of business to business. This can be more at the industry level, more at the product level, or a combination of these. This can be in the realm of Demand Research (from end-users), or Supply Research) based on supplier research- or, preferably, incorporating both of these in the same project, with cross-verification of data.

Market Elements
GCiS research can be more comprehensive, or more in-depth. Some of the market elements that we regularly research and analyze are shown here:

• Acquisitions, Alliances and Strategic Relationships;
• Barriers to Entry;
• Benchmarking (competitive, other);
• Competitive Structure and Environment;
• Competitor Strengths, Weakness and Strategies;
• Contact Information for End-users, Distributors;
• Demand analysis, including End-user Demographics, Market Potential, End-user Psychology and budgets/Spending Power;
• Distribution Structure and Analysis;
• Government Policies and Industry Involvement.
• Installed Base (by end-user segment, by region, etc.);
• Investment Analysis (investment case studies by company/project);
• Laws & Regulations – the Legal Environment;
• Macro-economic, Regional, and End-user Demographics;
• Market History in China;
• Market Scenarios;
• Market Share (foreign & domestic companies), by Industry/Segment/Region/Product;
• Market Size (by region, application, product segment, etc.);
• Market Structure and Definitions of Key Terms;
• Performance Analysis
• Pricing Analysis (by primary, secondary channels);
• Product Description, Analysis and Substitutability;
• Project History, Projects, Schedules;
• Prospects for Change (opinions of market experts and analysts);
• Segmentation (by product, applications, competitor, end-user)
• Supply Analysis (including pricing, market entry, substitution, etc.);
• Supply and Key Component Pricing and Analysis;
• SWOT and Management Analysis;
• Technology Trends and Analysis;
• WTO Issues

Strategic Analysis & Recommendations
The "Top of the Pyramid" in research is typically the strategic analysis and recommendations that a company needs to take more effective actions, as shown in the figure. GCiS excels at providing our clients the strategic insights they need, both in formal recommendations and consultation. However, in China, in order to reach the top of the pyramid it is necessary to base these on a solid foundation of research, data and analysis.

In Conclusion
The reason that any company commissions research is to gain insight and information of a reliable nature. The uses of this information can range from high level strategic decisions to specific market and product questions, as shown in this figure. GCiS performs this entire range of research on a daily basis in the business-to-business realms.

The specific needs and situation of the Client is what matters most.

The knowledge compiled must be in-depth and accurate. It must reflect the current reality in an unbiased and objective fashion. It should cover all of the relevant factors, influences and variables. Upon this is built the levels of analysis that bring meaning to each particular issue, question or decision. Regardless of the level of the issue at hand (strategic, tactical, definitional, etc), this level of depth is needed in order to ensure that the knowledge fulfills requirements for accuracy and dependability.

This level of depth not only provides rigorous integrity to the research process, but also assures clients that the process has been thorough and thoughtful.

Please also see Research Methods.

For additional information on any of these services, please E-mail us and request the GCiS Research Intro PDF file.

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