Suk‐ching Ho

Executive Insights: Growing Consumer Power in China: Some Lessons for Managers

The economic reform in China has led to the emergence of a consumer society. Concomitant with the development of the consumer society comes a growing power of the consumers in the marketplace. This is occurring in the form of consumers’ rising awareness of their rights and increasing readiness to take the companies to court to protect their rights. The author describes seven litigation cases pertaining to consumer issues that involve multinational corporations operating in China. The author identifies some general characteristics that cut across the cases, along with suggestions and managerial implications.

Advertising in China: Looking Back at Looking Forward

With Chinas decision to readjust its economy in 1979, marketing and advertising also came to the fore. Foreign advertising is officially welcomed, and it accounts for some 6 per cent of advertising turnover over the years. Since advertising as a marketing tool is still very much in its formative stage, this paper examines the findings of two empirical studies to highlight the prospects and problems of employing advertising as a marketing tool in China. It is concluded that the Chinese advertising set-up should not be viewed as a Madison Avenue of the East but be assessed in the light of the idiosyncratic nature which pervades the current economic adjustment in the country.

An assessment of theoretical and methodological development in consumer research on Greater China: 1979‐1997

Looks at consumer research in Greater China including Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Maps out the contributions within this area and guides future research. Examines the state of the art over the 1979‐97 period, with particular emphasis on the topics that have been researched, the extent of the theory development in the field and the methodologies used in conducting research. Uses content analysis to review 75 relevant articles. Suggests that, while a considerable breadth of topics have been researched, there remains much to be done, there is further room for theoretical development in Chinese consumer behaviour studies; and the methodologies used need improvement and further refinement.

An Assessment of Theoretical and Methodological Development in Advertising Research on Mainland China: A Twenty-Year Review

Abstract Notwithstanding the increase research interest in advertising in China in the past two decades, there has been no comprehensive review of this literature that assesses contributions and guides future research endeavors. This paper attempts to examine the state of research in the area over the 1979–98 period. Our findings suggest that the research/publication on advertising in China is in the early stage of development as evidenced by a wide range of topics remained under-researched, a deficiency of theoretical- or conceptual-based research and the utilization of relatively less advanced research methods and analytical techniques.

Consumer Protection in China: The Current State of the Art

A thriving consumer market is gradually emerging in China following the 1979 economic reform. In the pursuit of greater profits, malpractices on the part of the enterprises at the expense of the consumer are on the increase. An attempt is made to take an early glimpse into the current state of consumer protection, hitherto not an issue in this country.

An Exploratory Investigation into the Food-Shopping Attitudes and Behavior of Chinese Shoppers

Abstract The global food retailers, having landed in mainland China for over a decade, will need to compete with the local wet market in the fresh food retail arena in order to expand their overall market share to stay viable in the long run. Such a move will mean that the global modern food retailers have to compete with a traditional counterpart which, for decades, has been considered the only ideal venue to purchase fresh produce and meat by the Chinese customers. Whether the global food retailers can overcome their limitations in the perishable category visavis, the wet market depends on many factors. An in depth understanding of their market segments is undoubtedly a prelude to improving the effectiveness of their marketing strategies and enhancing their probability of success. This paper reports on an exploratory research that achieves a certain degree of success in demonstrating the feasibility of employing the variable foodshopping attitudes and behavior in examining the issue of foodshopping destination of the Chinese shoppers and draws preliminary managerial implications for the global food retailers.

Advertising in China—Problems and Prospects

Economic reform in China has revived the importance of the market forces and of advertising. Although advertising has a less important role in the Chinese market than in Western countries, it is the fastest growing industry in China. Foreign participation in advertising is limited and contributes about 10 per cent of Chinese advertising revenues. This paper argues that there is ample opportunity for foreign advertisers. Nevertheless, because the Chinese market is different, foreign advertisers need to be patient when attempting to enter the market. The problems and prospects of advertising in China are pinpointed in this paper. Some precautionary measures for the advertisers are also discussed.

Research on advertising in mainland China: a review and assessment

Examines the recent research on advertising in mainland China over the 1979‐1998 period. Suggests that findings show a sustained effort in academic research/publications on advertising in China is in the early stage of its development and whilst many areas have been researched, there are many more yet to be touched. Concludes that the research is seldom based on established theoretical or conceptual framework and the research methods and types of analysis used have not been very advanced when compared to general advertising research.

New Banking Technology in Hong Kong

The introduction of a financial service – the easy pay system – in Hong Kong is the subject of study. It is a form of electronic fund transfer at point of sale and is considered as a continuous innovation in the evolution of the electronic fund transfer systems. Irrespective of the theoretical benefits – safe, convenient and a sound approach to fund management – associated with the service, the adoption rate is not encouraging. The peculiarities of the marketing issues associated with the life cycle of financial service innovations are discussed. It is contended that the successful introduction of services in the earlier stages of the life cycle may be both an asset and a liability to later innovations. As such, a continuous educational programme is deemed necessary to capitalise on the positive effects carried over from earlier phases of the life cycle.

FROM PUBLIC-FINANCING TO SELF-FINANCING—A TALE OF TWO TRADING FUNDS IN HONG KONG

User charge is an alternative option to privatizing public service provision. But its use as a policy instrument, compared with that of asset sales or contracting out, for instance, is less researched and documented. This paper tries to fill the gap. By contrasting the experiences of employing user charge for two public services in Hong Kong with diametrically opposing results, this paper offers preliminary conclusions on several lessons, which governments, in their drive toward improved efficiency, can learn in commercializing their trading activities. Implications to public policy making are also suggested. These include: the user-pays principle has to be applied equitably, the public service market has to remain depoliticized, the management has to be transformed to behave more entrepreneurially, and the users have to be educated.