For Western Professional Service Firms looking to enter Asia

Although not exactly a stampede, there has been an increasing number of PSF’s from developed countries entering the emerging markets of Asia, not only the BRIC economies but also countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand etc. These firms are often looking to move beyond the saturated and slow growth markets of their homeland and explore the opportunities in the fast growing emerging markets of Asia which often require the specialized skills that firms from developed nations can offer.

Any type of internationalization presents risks due to the lack of local knowledge foreign firms have about a new market and in particular for PSF’s, the business and regulatory environment which can differ substantially from what a PSF is used to in their domestic market. Additionally, given the restrictions placed on law and accountancy firms especially, it is often necessary to find a local joint venture partner to be able to operate in a certain locale. This is one of the most problematic areas since research shows that over 50% of alliances are unsuccessful.

We have helped a number of PSF’s access Asian markets and with our network of offices all over Asia, we have the people on the ground who understand the local business environment and culture. The services we offer in this area include:

• Market profiling, assessment, and analysis
• Entry strategy and risk analysis
• Partner identification, screening, and contact
• Alliance strategy, planning, and implementation
• Marketing strategy and planning
• New business development and launch

Contact Robert Sawhney at bob@srchk.com to see how we can help you achieve your internationalization objectives.