Market research for servitized offerings: A case study in the Chinese Province of Guangdong

Abstract

Servitization has already diffused to a reasonable extent in European manufacturing industries. While several studies have shown and analyzed this development, little is known about the needs and behaviour of manufacturers with regard to services in emerging industries, e.g., in the so-called BRIC countries. Consequently, service providers have to conduct their own market analysis to obtain a deeper understanding of the target foreign market. However, in reality, manufacturers are uncertain of how to conduct this type of service market research. Therefore, this study presents a typical market research analysis for servitized offerings in emerging manufacturing industries. This work entails a study of the demand of manufacturers for services in emerging markets based on a quantitative survey that was conducted in the Chinese province of Guangdong. To obtain a deeper understanding of the existing service needs in emerging industries, we conducted market research for manufacturers that offer services abroad. On the basis of our experiences with this study in China, we describe the challenges for manufacturers in conducting market research analysis and the managerial implications of designing a suitable market entry mode. Consequently, this article aims to support industrial firms in conducting their own market research and in developing individual market entry modes, with a focus on BRIC countries.