The Importance of 1. Needs Analysis

Industrial market research is a complex and professional work, involving multiple industries, fields and levels, requiring a large investment of time, manpower and capital. If there is no clear and reasonable demand analysis, it may lead to the following problems:

The research goal is not clear, can not determine the value and significance of the research;

The research object is inaccurate and cannot cover the key factors of the target market;

The research content is not sufficient, unable to understand the essence and law of the market;

Inadequate research methods to obtain valid and reliable data and information;

the scope of the study is not appropriate and cannot balance the depth and breadth of the study;

The research results are not satisfied and cannot achieve the expected goals and effects.

Therefore, demand analysis is the premise and foundation of industrial market research, and it is the key link to ensure the quality and effect of research. Through the needs analysis, we can clarify the direction and focus of the research, plan the process and steps of the research, optimize the resources and cost of the research, and improve the efficiency and effect of the research.

Steps to 2. Requirements Analysis

Requirements analysis is a dynamic and systematic process, which needs to be flexibly adjusted according to the specific situation. In general, requirements analysis can be divided into the following steps:

Determine the purpose of the study. Research purpose refers to the problems or needs to be solved or met through industrial market research, which is the core of guiding the whole research process. To determine the purpose of the research, the following questions need to be clarified: Why is the research being done? What problem or need is being addressed or met? What effect or goal is being achieved? What kind of advice or support is being given to whom?

Identify the research object. The research object refers to the market subject or element to be investigated and analyzed, which is the key factor affecting the research results. To determine the research object, the following questions need to be clarified: Which industry or field to study? Which market or market segment to study? Which products or services to study? Which customers or users to study? Which competitors or partners to study?

Determine the research content. The research content refers to the market data and information to be obtained and analyzed, which is the main content of the research results. To determine the research content, the following questions need to be clarified: What aspects or aspects of the market should be understood? What characteristics or attributes of the market should be understood? What current conditions or trends of the market should be understood? What opportunities or challenges of the market should be understood? What laws or principles of the market should be understood?

Identify research methods. Research methods refer to the methods and tools used to obtain and analyze data and information, and are the key links to ensure the validity and reliability of research. To determine the research method, the following questions need to be clarified: what data source or channel should be used? What data type or form should be used? What data collection or acquisition method should be used? What data processing or analysis method should be used? What data display or presentation method should be used?

Determine the scope of the study. The scope of research refers to the market scope and time range to be investigated and analyzed, and is the key link to balance the depth and breadth of research. To determine the scope of the study, the following questions need to be clarified: What is the geographical or regional scope to be covered? What is the scale or hierarchical scope to be covered? What is the time or period scope to be covered? How many variable or dimensional ranges to be considered?

Considerations for 3. Requirements Analysis

Demand analysis is an important part of industrial market research, and the following aspects need to be paid attention:

Requirements analysis needs to be fully communicated and coordinated, especially with the entrusting party, decision-making party, implementation party and other relevant parties to ensure the consistency and feasibility of requirements;

Demand analysis needs to fully investigate and evaluate, especially related factors such as market reality, customer demand, competitive situation, etc., to ensure the rationality and effectiveness of demand;

Requirements analysis needs to be fully balanced and optimized, especially in terms of resources, costs, time, quality, etc., to ensure the controllability and optimization of requirements;

The needs analysis needs to be fully documented and updated, especially in terms of changes in requirements, progress, results, etc., to ensure traceability and timeliness of requirements.

Application of 4. Demand Analysis in Industrial Market Research

In order to better illustrate the application of demand analysis in industrial market research, this paper briefly introduces the following two cases in the light of the specific cases of the clients of Shangpu Consulting Services:

A well-known domestic electronics manufacturing enterprise commissioned Shangpu Consulting to conduct market research on industrial robots to provide support for its expansion of new business. After a needs analysis, Champ Consulting identified the following points:

The purpose of the study is to understand the scale, structure, trend, opportunity and competition of the industrial robot market, and to provide the basis and suggestion for customers to formulate reasonable market entry strategy;

Research object: industrial robot manufacturers, sellers, users, industry associations, etc;

Research contents: definition, classification, function, technology, application, standard, etc. of industrial robot; scale, structure, distribution and growth of industrial robot market; demand characteristics, driving factors and restricting factors of industrial robot market; competition pattern, main manufacturers and products of industrial robot market; development trend, opportunities and challenges of industrial robot market;

Research methods: using literature analysis, expert interviews, questionnaires and data analysis, to obtain and analyze first-hand and second-hand data and information;

Research scope: covering the whole country, focusing on the eastern region and the central and western regions; covering large, medium and small-scale enterprises, focusing on manufacturing and service industries; covering2018-2020The time range of the year, focusing on2020annual data; consider the range and dimensions of variables such as product type, application area, and industry attributes.

A well-known foreign chemical company commissioned Shangpu Consulting to conduct research on China's specialty chemicals market to provide support for its expansion of the Chinese market. After a needs analysis, Champ Consulting identified the following points:

Objective: To understand the general situation, characteristics and development direction of China's specialty chemicals market, and to provide basis and suggestions for customers to evaluate the attractiveness and potential of China's market;

Research objects: manufacturers, sellers, users and industry associations of specialty chemicals;

Research contents: definition, classification, function, technology and application of specialty chemicals; general situation, scale, structure and growth of China's specialty chemicals market; demand characteristics, driving factors and constraints of China's specialty chemicals market; competition pattern, major manufacturers and product advantages and disadvantages of China's specialty chemicals market; development direction, opportunities and challenges of China's specialty chemicals market;

Research methods: using literature analysis, expert interviews and data analysis, etc., to obtain and analyze second-hand data and information;

Research scope: covering the whole country, focusing on East China and South China; covering large, medium and small enterprises, focusing on automobile, electronics and pharmaceutical industries;2018-2020The time range of the year, focusing on2020annual data; consider the range and dimensions of variables such as product type, application area, and industry attributes.

Conclusion

Industrial market research is a professional and complex work that requires adequate and reasonable demand analysis before proceeding to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the research. The needs analysis needs to determine the purpose, object, content, method and scope of the study, while paying attention to adequate communication and coordination, adequate investigation and evaluation, adequate balance and optimization, adequate recording and updating.