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What Can and Can’t Be Asked?
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, and as the Chinese become increasingly aware of market research, obtaining their views is, if anything, becoming easier.
Most of the areas in which it is difficult to obtain information are similar to those that are difficult in the West. Company’s financial data, such as profit and loss information, is an obvious example, and this can be as much to do with lack of knowledge as lack of willing on the part of the respondent. It is true that certain areas of social research are closely monitored, as are attempts to seek details from Government on contentious issues. The Government is, however, seen as more of a help than a hindrance by most agencies, particularly due to its comprehensive documentation of regulations, policies and industry trends, all of which make environmental analysis of a market far easier than in most Western markets.
An area where there is a difference between Chinese and Western respondents is in the types of questions that can be asked. Chinese respondents are particularly honest about what they do and do not know, making them extremely reliable in market assessment projects where hard facts and statements are required. In contrast to respondents in many Western countries, Chinese respondents will not make up answers in order to avoid looking foolish. The flip side of this is when qualitative research is being conducted, and the researcher requires ideas rather than statements of fact. Projective questions such as, “in an ideal world, what would be the qualities of the perfect supplier? tend to work far less well than in Western markets, as do speculative questions, such as, “by approximately how much do you think the market will grow over the next year?Whereas in Western markets these questions may result in the most comprehensive answers in the study, in China they would often be met with a curt “I have not thought about it? and “no-one can tell? respectively.
For more information on market research in China, visit the website for B2B International China.
This entry was posted
on Monday, August 6th, 2007 at 9:35 am and is filed under International Market Research, Market Research, Market Research China, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research.
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