About this course: This course is designed to help learners sell their products, goods and services to Chinese consumers. To achieve this goal, the course will use evidence-based research in psychology, economics, legal studies and marketing to help learners understand the historical, economic and legal contexts of doing business in China and the behavioral characteristics of Chinese consumers. The course will cover topics in Chinese and global marketing, Chinese consumers, institutional and cultural influence on consumer motivation and behaviors in Chinese markets, and brand management in China.
Who is this class for: This course is for individuals who want to do business in China, including selling products and providing services to Chinese consumers, starting a business, or establishing a direct investment project in China. Participants who need to manage employees and business organizations in China will also benefit from this course.
Created by:Â Â The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Taught by:Â Â Prof. Letty Kwan, Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology
| Basic Info | Course 1 of 4 in the Doing Business in China Specialization |
| Level | Beginner |
| Commitment | 4 weeks of study, 3 hours/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
The Chinese Consumption Market
China is a big consumption market. It is a distinctive consumption market because of its unique contextual and cultural factors. Why do Chinese consumers spend big money on luxury brands? What roles do historical, contextual and cultural factors play in influencing Chinese consumption habits? The current module seeks to answer these questions.
11 videos, 4 readings
- Video: Entering the China Market
- Reading: Acknowledgement
- Reading: Copyright and eLearning Guidance at CUHK
- Reading: Pre-course survey
- Video: 1.1 The Growth of the Middle Class and of China as a Country
- Video: 1.2 The Sociological and Economic Characteristics of Chinese Consumers
- Video: 1.3 An In-Depth Look at Why Chinese Consumers Like Luxury Brands
- Video: 1.4 The Effects of Lay Elitism on Consumption Choices
- Video: 1.5 Dialogue with Scholar: Professor Chi-yue Chiu
- Video: 1.6 The Effects of Agency on Consumption Choices
- Video: 1.7 Dialogue with Scholar: Professor Krishna Savani
- Video: 1.8 This Week's Recap
- Video: 1.9 Dialogue with Practitioner: Susanna Chiu
- Reading: Week 1 Reading List
- Discussion Prompt: Have you ever made a choice because it fitted 'the norm' rather than because it was what you actually preferred?
Graded: Week 1 Quiz
Graded: Week 1 Homework
WEEK 2
Digital Marketing and Relationship Management
The Internet has created plenty of business opportunities in China. The current module highlights how you can manage relationship with Chinese consumers in the digital era.
8 videos, 2 readings
- Video: 2.2 The Online Shopping Behaviour of Chinese Consumers
- Video: 2.3 Relationship Building in China
- Video: 2.4 What Is Guanxi Management, and Why Is It Important?
- Video: 2.5 Renqing, and the Cultivation of Guanxi with Chinese Consumers Online
- Video: 2.6 Utilizing New Media to Communicate With Chinese Consumers
- Video: 2.7 Dialogue with Practitioner: Stewart Li
- Video: 2.8 Dialogue with Scholar: Professor He Lingnan
- Reading: Week 2 Reading List
- Discussion Prompt: Have you ever had a particularly good or bad experience with a company’s customer services?
- Reading: Interim survey
Graded: Week 2 Quiz
Graded: Week 2 Homework
WEEK 3
Materialism and Conspicuous Consumption
Chinese consumers are found to be more materialistic in a cross-national survey conducted by the I.C.E lab at CUHK. Unlike Western consumers, the rising levels of materialism for Chinese consumers are not driven by low self-esteem. This lecture explains how lay elitism and social mobility affect Chinese consumption characteristics such as materialism, conspicuous consumption and acceptance of culturally mixed products.
8 videos, 1 reading
- Video: 3.2 Materialism in China
- Video: 3.3 Reasons behind Materialism and Conspicuous Consumption in China - Part 1
- Video: 3.4 Reasons behind Materialism and Conspicuous Consumption in China - Part 2
- Video: 3.5 The Impact of Relational Mobility on Culturally-Mixed Products
- Video: 3.6 The Psychological Profiles of Chinese Consumers
- Video: 3.7 Dialogue with Scholar: Professor Carlos Torelli
- Video: 3.8 Dialogue with Practitioner: Anthony Lau
- Reading: Week 3 Reading List
- Discussion Prompt: Can you name a few culturally-mixed products that you have seen?
Graded: Week 3 Quiz
Graded: Week 3 Homework
WEEK 4
Self-Brand Connection, and How to Build a Strong Brand in China
Consumers are becoming increasingly likely to see products from traditional and modern cultures at the same time, and products from different cultures in the same space. Experiencing two or more cultures simultaneously can elicit different responses from consumers. Recognizing the increasing importance of branding in China, this module highlights how you can successfully project the personalities and values that your brand represents without eliciting negative sentiments in your target consumer population.
5 videos, 2 readings
- Video: 4.2 How to Build a Strong Brand in China
- Video: 4.3 Dialogue with Scholar: Professor Dongmei Li
- Video: 4.4 Introduction of a Foreign Brand into the Chinese Market
- Video: 4.5 Dialogue with Scholar: Professor Carlos Torelli
- Reading: Week 4 Reading List
- Discussion Prompt: Can you name a couple of examples where branding was unsuccessful or elicited negative sentiments in consumers?
- Reading: Well Done!
Graded: Week 4 Quiz
Graded: Week 4 Homework
FAQs
How It Works
Coursework
Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.
Help from Your Peers
Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.
Certificates
Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.
Creators
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Founded in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a forward looking comprehensive research university with a global vision and a mission to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West. CUHK teachers and students hail from all corners of the world. CUHK graduates are connected worldwide through an expansive alumni network.
Pricing
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| Access to course materials | Available |
| Access to graded materials | Available |
| Receive a final grade | Available |
| Earn a shareable Course Certificate | Available |
Ratings and Reviews
This is a very good entry marketing class for those who would like to know how about how to enter Chinese market.
It was my first to to use peer grading system and it helps me to understand what are important elements in each assignments. It also gives me feedback from other student and it helps me to understand how my idea is perceived and valued outside classrooms.
Very well explained and rich in content. Highly recommend for everyone aiming to start or develop a business in China!
Excellent!
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Excellent course to learn about Chinese consumers and China market