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Archive for the ‘Global Research’ CategoryNext Entries »Global Opportunities AboundThursday, April 23rd, 2009
A recent article in BtoB Marketing – Thinking global may help U.S. marketers – argues that many emerging international markets still offer rich opportunities for domestic marketers, even in spite of the global economic downturn. China in particular, is suggested as a market still offering excellent opportunities for U.S. companies. It is useful to note that the country’s premier, Wen Jiabao, last month predicted an 8% growth in China’s GDP this year, which, while not as large as last year’s growth, is still better than that of many countries. One potential opening highlighted is for U.S. companies that put an emphasis on customer service. They may be able to take advantage of overseas opportunities, as it is suggested that companies in a number of other countries are much less tolerant of poor customer service. In China, for example, 55% of companies have switched vendors in the past year because of perceived unfulfilled customer service expectations. Sweden (46%), India (44%), Italy (44%), Finland (43%) and companies in Asian countries other than China (36%) all have a tendency to switch vendors more than their US counterparts (22%). With emerging markets such as China and India having increasing service expectations, there is the assumption that they may not be loyal to particular brands, suppliers, etc. Resultantly, they may be willing to make the potentially lucrative move from their existing domestic partners to foreign counterparts, as long as these new companies can offer them what they are looking for. To find out how we can help you to grasp the opportunities presented by China and other Asian markets, visit www.b2binternational.com/China Best Global BrandsMonday, October 6th, 2008
For the eighth successive year, Coca-Cola has been named the most valuable global brand. In the annual survey conducted by BusinessWeek and Interbrand, which evaluates brand value on the basis of how much it is likely to earn for the company in the future, IBM has this year climbed one spot to No. 2, pushing Microsoft down to No. 3. Other notable climbers in the 2008 poll include Google (climbing to No. 10 from No. 20 last year), Apple, Amazon.com, Zara and Nintendo. Newcomers to this year’s list include H&M, Thomson Reuters and the ubiquitous BlackBerry. Several financial services giants – among them Merrill Lynch, Citi and Morgan Stanley – have fallen way down the rankings, a undoubted reflection of the difficulties facing financial markets presently. In spite of this, HSBC and Visa have managed to buck the trend. According to Interbrand’s Global CEO, the rise and fall of many brands is certainly linked to the state of the global economy. In addition to the current credit crisis, influencing factors have included the growth of emerging markets, and an increased emphasis on sustainability worldwide. Customers in many emerging markets are experiencing new-found wealth, and luxury brands in these countries are reaping the rewards. Porsche, Prada, Ferrari and Giorgio Armani all feature in the top 100 global brands, and have seen great success in emerging markets during the past year. Sustainability and better environmental credentials are also gaining importance, and are not restricted to any one industry or sector. From automotive manufacturers improving fuel efficiency, to energy companies investing in cleaner, greener, renewable energy sources, sustainable business practices are a real ‘hot topic’. Brands that are benefiting from greater sustainability on this year’s chart include GE, Mercedes, Honda and BP. In times of uncertainty, it is more important than ever to focus on your brand. Your brand is central to everything you do, and its value should never be underestimated.
Think Global or Think Local?Monday, September 29th, 2008
Let’s face it – all businesses need to make a profit, and most are constantly thinking of ways to increase profits. There are many different strategies which will enable you to do this, among them:
Alternatively, you might decide to adopt a different tack and focus on reducing costs, perhaps by:
If you are considering this option, the next question you will likely ask yourself is should I be looking overseas or closer to home? The truth is there is no one correct answer. At one time or another, B2B International has undertaken research into just about every conceivable industry sector somewhere in the world, and the reality is that your perfect partner may be on the other side of the globe or just around the corner. For some companies, manufacturers in rapidly-industrializing areas such as China, India and South East Asia provide the ideal solution; for other organizations, local and national manufacturers will better suit your needs. According to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, some smaller, regional manufacturers are thriving in the current economic environment because they are able to adapt more quickly to changing market conditions and thus able to be more responsive to customers. Pam McDonough of the Alliance for Illinois Manufacturing highlights that the Chicago area generates two-thirds of the state’s $72 billion in manufacturing output and supports nearly 1 million manufacturing jobs. New technology and productivity continue to make big cost reductions. That’s why the small manufacturers are doing well. They’re close to the customer. They’re nimble and flexible, and they can configure things to order for customers. To read the full version of this article, click here. More money allocated to global marketingTuesday, August 26th, 2008 
A recent online survey conducted by BtoB found that more than half of business-to-business marketers are increasing their overseas marketing budgets. This is in the face of global economic tightening, which is being felt in the United States as much as – if not more than – anywhere. Although the survey only questioned a relatively modest 274 marketers, it should come as no surprise that organizations are increasingly turning to non-US markets for business opportunities. Indeed, over the past 12 months, US companies have commissioned B2B International to conduct competitive intelligence studies and to research market assessment opportunities in more than 60 different countries worldwide. Of those respondents to the BtoB survey who indicated that they expect to be increasing their non-U.S. marketing spend:
Of those companies who are not expecting to see any increase in their international marketing budgets, the vast majority (87.8%) plan relatively minor negative adjustments of between just 1% and 10%. 12.2% are decreasing non-U.S. budgets by more than 10%. Of all the b-to-b marketers responding to the survey:
In spite of looking to increase international marketing budgets, many companies highlight the difficulties associated with this, including the challenges of entering new markets, handling different languages, and coordinating global efforts. To read about BtoB’s survey in full, please click here. US Clients Move Focus to Developing EconomiesThursday, August 14th, 2008
Over the past year, B2B International has observed a sea change in clients’ global research and market intelligence requirements, reports Director of International Operations Matthew Harrison. “Throughout our history B2B International has obviously placed a great deal of importance on international research. Our clients demand not only that we are capable of researching the markets of interest to them, but also that we have a rounded experience of a variety of geographies. Over the past 10 years, half of our work has been international in scope, so we feel that we have delivered in terms of international experience.” Over the past 12 months, however, we have noticed a significant shift in emphasis towards developing economies. Clients who previously were asking us to research the UK, USA and France are now increasingly asking us to look at Eastern Europe, Central Asia and East Asia. The number of different countries we have researched over the past year alone has grown by around 40%, with Russia, China and Ukraine being areas of particular growth. Four new geographies were researched for the first time by our team, in the shape of Libya, Mozambique, Tanzania and Azerbaijan. This growth has been led by our US clients. In the past year we have researched over 60 different countries for US organizations, particularly manufacturers whose domestic markets have often matured and who are therefore seeking to grow their client bases amongst the rapidly industrializing Eastern countries. We have implemented a huge variety of research techniques in developing geographies; however, by far the most common are market assessment and competitive intelligence studies. This reflects the rapidly changing nature of so many Eastern markets and our clients’ recognition that their market intelligence must constantly be refreshed. Whilst these may be challenging markets to research, they certainly add interest to the job and also differentiate our company. How many businesses are genuinely capable of obtaining information from Libyan Government officials or Mine owners in Azerbaijan? Our ability to ask and answer the most difficult questions in the most difficult locations is one of the things that mark us out from the competition. Next Entries » |
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