The main point I would say that is essential to success in china is adaptation. If a business is able to adapt well to its surroundings, i.e. the ability to easily change its products and services to match the needs of the local consumer.
Just because a company has been successful in other large countries with big markets, does not mean that they have what it takes to succeed everywhere. Being able to change a product range, or the way a service is provided to the consumer needs to be carried out in order to do well in China. Take for example Starbucks coffee, what Starbucks did right in China is a perfect example of how food brands can succeed despite rising labour and real estate costs, and increased competition on the Mainland. Instead of trying to force onto the market the same products that work in the U.S, such as whip cream-covered frozen coffee concoctions, Starbucks developed flavours (such as green tea-flavoured coffee drinks) that appeal to local tastes. This change in the products that Starbucks offer is the reason why people in china bought into the Starbucks chain, by seeing products that they would normally drink, and having drinks made to their own needs and wants Starbucks was able to cater precisely to what they wanted by doing research into what would work well. As well as the products, Starbucks also changed the way in which the consumers actually got their drinks. Rather than pushing take-out orders, which account for the