Human-centred consulting

1. Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A): Prior to acquiring or merging with a company in a foreign market, investors may want to understand how local interests influence regulatory approval processes, antitrust regulations, and foreign investment restrictions. This knowledge can help investors assess the likelihood of regulatory hurdles and evaluate the potential impact on the deal timeline and structure.
2. Joint Ventures: When forming a joint venture with a local partner in a foreign market, investors need to consider how local interests, including those of the partner and other stakeholders, may influence the regulatory framework governing the partnership. Understanding the political and economic dynamics that shape business regulations can help investors anticipate potential challenges and negotiate favourable terms for the joint venture.
3. Cross-Border Investments: Investors seeking to make direct investments or establish operations in a foreign market may inquire about the influence of local interests on investment regulations, tax policies, and industry-specific regulations. This information is crucial for assessing the regulatory risks associated with the investment and developing strategies to navigate complex regulatory environments.
4. Infrastructure Projects: Investors involved in infrastructure projects, such as energy, transportation, or telecommunications, may want to understand how local interests, including government priorities, community concerns, and environmental regulations, impact project approvals and permitting processes. Insights into the regulatory landscape can help investors anticipate potential delays or obstacles and incorporate risk mitigation measures into project planning.
5. Real Estate Development: Investors interested in real estate development projects in foreign markets may seek information on how local interests influence zoning regulations, land use policies, and permitting requirements. Understanding the political and social dynamics that shape regulatory decisions can help investors assess the feasibility of development projects and anticipate potential regulatory challenges.

1. Infrastructure Projects: Investors interested in infrastructure projects, such as building highways, bridges, or public transportation systems, may want to understand how local leaders collaborate with higher authorities, such as regional or national governments, to secure funding, permits, and approvals for these projects. Insights into these interactions can help investors assess the feasibility and timeline of infrastructure investments.
2. Real Estate Development: In the real estate sector, investors may inquire about how local leaders engage with higher authorities to influence zoning regulations, land use policies, and development approvals. Understanding these interactions can provide insights into the political and regulatory environment for real estate development projects and help investors anticipate potential hurdles or opportunities.
3. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Public-private partnerships involve collaboration between government entities and private sector investors to develop and operate infrastructure or public services. Investors considering PPP projects may seek information on how local leaders negotiate with higher authorities to structure partnership agreements, allocate risks and responsibilities, and secure government support for the projects.
4. Energy and Natural Resources: In industries such as energy and natural resources, investors may want to understand how local leaders interact with higher authorities to negotiate the adaptation of regulatory requirements to market and operational conditions. For example, insights into these interactions can help investors assess the political and regulatory risks associated with the technical supply chain of renewable energy projects.
5. Government Contracts and Tenders: Investors interested in bidding for government contracts or tenders may inquire about how local leaders influence procurement processes and decision-making at higher levels of government. Understanding the relationships between local leaders and higher authorities can help investors navigate the complexities of government procurement and identify potential opportunities for business development.

Consumer Electronics: Electronics companies must evaluate the effectiveness of benchmarking against established brands versus emerging competitors. Insights into their product features, pricing strategies, and customer satisfaction can inform the company’s market entry and positioning strategy.

Fashion Industry: Fashion brands need to assess how benchmarking against luxury fashion houses versus fast-fashion retailers impacts brand positioning. Understanding competitors’ design, quality, and marketing strategies can guide their own brand development and market entry decisions.

Automotive: Car manufacturers should study the impact of benchmarking against traditional car makers versus new electric vehicle startups. Insights into their technological innovations, pricing, and customer engagement strategies can help in optimising their own market entry approach.

Pharmaceuticals: Pharmaceutical companies must evaluate the use of benchmarking against generic drug manufacturers versus brand-name drug companies. Understanding competitors’ research, development, and distribution strategies can inform their own market entry and product positioning.

Food and Beverage: Food producers need to assess the effectiveness of benchmarking against organic brands versus conventional food producers. Insights into their sourcing, production, and marketing strategies can guide their own market entry and competitive positioning.

Construction: Construction materials suppliers should evaluate the use of benchmarking against local suppliers versus international brands. Understanding competitors’ supply chain efficiency, pricing, and quality standards can help in optimising their own market entry strategy.

Technology Sector: Tech companies must assess the impact of benchmarking against established tech giants versus innovative startups. Insights into their product development, market strategies, and customer loyalty can inform their own market entry and positioning.

Healthcare: Medical equipment suppliers need to evaluate the use of benchmarking against established industry leaders versus emerging tech-based health companies. Understanding competitors’ innovation, regulatory compliance, and customer service can guide their own market entry and competitive strategy.

Energy Sector: Energy companies should study the use of benchmarking against traditional energy suppliers versus renewable energy companies. Insights into their production, pricing, and sustainability strategies can inform their own market entry and positioning.

Retail: Retailers need to understand the effectiveness of benchmarking against established brick-and-mortar stores versus successful e-commerce platforms. Insights into their inventory management, customer experience, and marketing strategies can guide their own market entry and channel management.

Consumer Goods: Retailers need to assess the market share and influence of major suppliers. Insights into supplier dominance can help retailers understand potential monopolistic pressures and adjust their sourcing strategies accordingly.

Automotive Industry: Automotive manufacturers must evaluate the concentration of suppliers in the market. Understanding the market power of key suppliers can inform negotiations and strategies to mitigate monopolistic impacts.

Pharmaceuticals: Pharmaceutical companies need to analyse the market share and control exerted by key players in the supply chain. By understanding these dynamics, companies can anticipate monopolistic influences and adjust their procurement and pricing models.

Technology Sector: Tech companies should assess the dominance of key suppliers, particularly in the semiconductor industry. Insights into supplier monopolies can help in planning production and managing supply chain risks effectively.

Food and Beverage: Food producers must evaluate the market concentration of major ingredient suppliers. This knowledge can help in identifying monopolistic tendencies and in developing strategies to secure stable and competitive supply contracts.

Construction: Construction firms need to gauge the control of material suppliers in the market. Understanding the market dominance of key suppliers can aid in project planning and cost management.

Textile Industry: Clothing manufacturers should assess the market share of international suppliers. By understanding the concentration of suppliers, companies can identify monopolistic pressures and negotiate better terms.

Energy Sector: Energy companies need to understand the market control of oil and gas suppliers. Insights into supplier monopolies can inform pricing strategies and risk management practices.

Healthcare: Hospitals and clinics must evaluate the market share of medical supply providers. Understanding supplier dominance can help in budgeting and securing reliable and competitive sources of equipment and medication.

Retail: Retailers need to understand the market influence of major suppliers, especially during peak seasons. Insights into supplier monopolies can help in planning inventory and setting competitive prices.

Consumer Electronics: Electronics companies need to evaluate the saturation of the smartphone market. Insights into the number of competitors, market growth rates, and consumer demand can help determine if entering this market is viable or if differentiation strategies are necessary.

Fashion Industry: Fashion brands must assess the saturation of the athleisure market. By analysing the number of existing brands, trends in consumer preferences, and market growth, companies can decide whether there is space for a new entrant or if niche marketing is required.

Automotive: Car manufacturers should study the saturation of the electric vehicle (EV) market. Understanding the number of current players, the pace of technological advancements, and consumer adoption rates can inform decisions about market entry or innovation needs.

Pharmaceuticals: Pharmaceutical companies need to evaluate the saturation of the generic drug market. Insights into the number of competitors, pricing pressures, and regulatory challenges can help determine if there is room for new products or if strategic partnerships are needed.

Food and Beverage: Food producers must assess the saturation of the plant-based meat market. By examining the number of existing brands, consumer trends, and market growth, companies can decide whether to enter this market or to focus on product differentiation.

Construction: Construction materials suppliers should evaluate the saturation of the sustainable building materials market. Understanding the number of competitors, market demand for green construction, and growth projections can help in deciding whether to enter this market or explore alternative opportunities.

Technology Sector: Tech companies need to assess the saturation of the wearable technology market. Insights into the number of existing products, innovation rates, and consumer adoption can inform decisions about market entry or the need for unique value propositions.

Healthcare: Medical equipment suppliers must evaluate the saturation of the telemedicine market

1. Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A): A company is considering acquiring another business and needs to ensure they are negotiating with a key decision-maker who has the authority to agree to terms and make commitments.
2. Supplier and Vendor Contracts: A business is negotiating with a potential new supplier or vendor and needs to confirm that the representative they are in discussions with has the proper authority to finalise contracts and pricing agreements.
3. Strategic Partnerships: When entering a joint venture or strategic alliance, a company needs to verify that they are dealing with the right individual who can commit resources and align their organisation’s strategic goals with the partnership.
4. International Trade Deals: A company is negotiating with a foreign entity and requires confirmation that the counterpart is the legitimate representative with the authority to make binding agreements on behalf of their organisation.
5. Real Estate Transactions: In high-value real estate deals, it is crucial to ensure that the person they are negotiating with has the necessary authority and credentials to finalise the deal, especially when dealing with complex property portfolios or multi-party ownership.
6. Regulatory Approvals and Compliance: A business is seeking regulatory approval for a new product or service and needs to engage with the right regulatory officials or compliance officers who can facilitate the approval process.
7. Crisis Management and Conflict Resolution: During a crisis or dispute, a company may need to quickly identify and negotiate with the key stakeholders who have the authority to make decisions and resolve the issue.
8. Customer and Client Negotiations: When dealing with major clients, a business needs to ensure that they are communicating with the decision-makers who can approve purchases, contracts, or changes in service agreements.
9. Investment and Funding: A startup or growing business is seeking investment and needs to confirm that they are pitching to the right venture capitalists or investors who have the authority to make funding decisions.
10. Government and Public Sector Contracts: When bidding for government contracts, a company must ensure that they are negotiating with the appropriate government officials or procurement officers who can make final decisions on contract awards.

1. Technology Licensing Agreements: In negotiations for technology licensing agreements, investors may seek assurance that their intellectual property, such as patents, copyrights, or trade secrets, is adequately protected. This is particularly important when licensing proprietary technology to international third parties for commercial use.
2. Joint Ventures and Strategic Partnerships: When entering into joint ventures or foreign partnerships, investors often share valuable intellectual property with their partners to collaborate on new products or services. In such deals, investors need to ensure that their IP rights are protected and that appropriate agreements are in place to govern the use, ownership, and protection of shared intellectual property.
3. Mergers and Acquisitions: In mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions, intellectual property assets can significantly influence the value of the deal. Investors acquiring or merging with other companies may inquire about the target company’s intellectual property portfolio, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets, to assess its strength, relevance, and protection status.
4. Supply and Distribution Agreements: Investors negotiating international supply and distribution agreements, particularly in industries such as manufacturing, retail, or pharmaceuticals, need to protect their intellectual property rights related to product designs, branding, and proprietary processes. This ensures that their products are not counterfeited, copied, or infringed upon by suppliers, distributors, or competitors.
5. Franchise Agreements: In international franchising agreements, investors grant franchisees the right to use their brand name, trademarks, and business processes in exchange for fees and royalties. To protect their brand identity and reputation, investors must ensure that franchisees adhere to strict guidelines and standards for the use of intellectual property.
6. Research and Development Collaborations: Investors collaborating with research institutions, universities, or other companies on research and development (R&D) projects need to safeguard their intellectual property rights arising from the collaboration. Clear agreements outlining ownership, licensing terms, and confidentiality provisions are essential to protect the results of collaborative R&D efforts.

1. Manufacturing Joint Venture: An investor is considering forming a joint venture with a local manufacturing company in a foreign market to produce and distribute goods locally. Compliance with localisation rules, such as sourcing a certain percentage of materials or components locally, is essential for the joint venture to qualify for government incentives or to avoid tariffs on imported goods.
2. Infrastructure Development Project: A consortium of investors is bidding for a large-scale infrastructure development project in a new market. To secure the contract, the consortium must demonstrate its commitment to localisation by subcontracting a portion of the project to local companies and ensuring that the supply chain complies with local content requirements.
3. Technology Transfer Agreement: A technology company is negotiating a technology transfer agreement with a local partner in a foreign market. Compliance with localisation rules may involve transferring technology know-how or establishing local research and development facilities to support the development and adaptation of technology solutions to local market needs.
4. Government Procurement Contract: An investor is bidding for a government procurement contract in a foreign market to supply goods or services to a public agency. Compliance with localisation rules, such as employing local workers or using locally sourced materials, may be a mandatory requirement to qualify for the contract and to ensure fair competition with local businesses.
5. Retail Expansion: A retail company is planning to expand its operations into a new market by opening stores or distribution centres. Compliance with localisation rules governing the supply chain, such as labelling requirements or restrictions on importing certain products, is necessary to ensure seamless operations and to avoid regulatory hurdles in the target market.

High-Tech Merger Negotiation: A US-based technology company is negotiating a merger with a Japanese firm. The American negotiators are perplexed by the Japanese team’s long pauses and indirect answers, interpreting them as emotional hesitancy. However, these behaviours are rooted in cultural differences, as Japanese negotiators often use silence as a sign of respect and careful consideration. By understanding this cultural nuance, the US team can differentiate between cultural communication styles and actual emotional responses.

Automotive Supply Chain Partnership: A German automotive company negotiating with a Chinese parts supplier observes the Chinese team’s deferential and non-confrontational communication style, mistaking it for emotional discomfort. In reality, these behaviours reflect cultural norms of respect and hierarchy in Chinese business practices. Recognising this cultural context helps the German team address genuine emotional issues separately from cultural communication norms.

Pharmaceutical Licensing Deal: During a pharmaceutical licensing negotiation between a British company and an Italian partner, the British team misinterprets the Italian counterparts’ expressive and passionate communication as emotional volatility. In Italian culture, such expressiveness is a normal part of business interactions. By distinguishing these cultural traits from actual emotional distress, the British team can navigate negotiations more effectively.

Consumer Electronics Market Entry: A consumer electronics company entering a competitive market aggressively negotiates with local Spanish distributors to secure the best prices. While this approach secures immediate cost benefits, it risks undermining long-term relationships. By incorporating elements of mutual benefit, such as shared marketing efforts and transparent pricing models, the company ensures competitive strategies do not erode trust.

Energy Sector Joint Venture: In an energy sector joint venture, a multinational company competes for control over project management. Although competitive tactics are essential, the company balances this by fostering open communication and showing respect for the local Italian partner’s expertise and constraints. This approach ensures that while the company pursues its competitive goals, it also maintains respect and trust with the local partner.

Fashion Retail Supply Chain Management: A fashion retailer negotiating supply terms with garment manufacturers in China aims for the lowest possible costs to remain competitive. However, the retailer also invests in fair trade practices and ensures that negotiations are transparent and respectful of the manufacturers’ conditions. This strategy helps maintain a competitive edge without compromising mutual respect and trust.

Financial Services Acquisition: A financial services firm in Europe is negotiating an acquisition with a Latin American bank. The European team, focused on financial metrics, overlooks subtle emotional cues indicating the Latin American bank’s concerns about cultural integration and employee welfare. Recognising these cues could lead to a more comprehensive and successful negotiation outcome.

Renewable Energy Project: An American company is negotiating a renewable energy project with a Chinese partner. The American team, focused on technical details, misses the Chinese team’s emotional signals about the project’s potential impact on local communities and their need for assurances. By tuning into these emotional cues, the American company can better address the Chinese partner’s concerns and foster a stronger partnership.

Luxury Goods Partnership: A Chinese luxury goods company is negotiating a partnership with an Italian retailer. The Chinese team is primarily concerned with market share and profitability, missing the Italian partner’s emotional emphasis on brand heritage and craftsmanship. Recognising and addressing these emotional aspects can strengthen the negotiation and lead to a more balanced and respectful partnership.

1. Franchise Agreements: Before granting a franchise licence to a local partner, an investor in the fast-food industry wants to ensure that the potential franchisee has a positive reputation for customer service, cleanliness, and adherence to brand standards. Assessing the partner’s reputation can help protect the investor’s brand integrity and minimise the risk of reputational damage.
2. Real Estate Development: When partnering with a local developer for a large-scale real estate project, an investor needs to evaluate the developer’s reputation for completing projects on time, within budget, and to a high standard of quality. Understanding the developer’s reputation can mitigate project execution risks and safeguard the investor’s financial interests.
3. Technology Transfer Agreements: In negotiations for technology transfer agreements with local research institutions or companies, an investor seeks to assess the reputation of potential partners for innovation, research capabilities, and intellectual property protection. Evaluating the partner’s reputation can help ensure the success of technology transfer initiatives and protect the investor’s intellectual property rights.
4. Supply Chain Partnerships: Before establishing partnerships with local suppliers or manufacturers in emerging markets, an investor in the consumer goods industry wants to evaluate the reputation of potential partners for ethical business practices, labour standards, and environmental sustainability. Assessing the partners’ reputation can help mitigate supply chain risks and uphold the investor’s corporate social responsibility commitments.
5. Tourism and Hospitality Ventures: When investing in tourism or hospitality projects in a new market, an investor needs to assess the reputation of local hospitality partners, such as hotel operators or tour companies, for customer satisfaction, safety standards, and cultural sensitivity. Understanding the partners’ reputation can enhance the visitor experience and contribute to the success of the investment venture.

1. Joint Ventures: Before entering into a joint venture with a local partner in a foreign market, investors want to confirm the authenticity of the partner’s claimed connections with government officials, industry leaders, or key stakeholders.
2. Strategic Partnerships: When forming strategic partnerships to expand into new markets, investors need to verify the credibility of their potential partners’ network to ensure alignment with strategic objectives and enhance market penetration.
3. Government Relations: In industries heavily regulated by the government, such as energy or infrastructure, investors may inquire about their partner’s connections with regulatory authorities to facilitate permit approvals, regulatory compliance, and project execution.
4. Supply Chain Management: When outsourcing manufacturing or sourcing materials from international suppliers, investors seek assurance that their partners have legitimate connections within the supply chain to ensure reliable and efficient procurement processes.

1. Financial Statements: Investors may want to verify the accuracy of financial statements provided by the partner, including revenue, expenses, profits, and cash flow.
2. Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Verification of compliance with laws, regulations, licences, permits, and certifications relevant to the partner’s operations.
3. Ownership and Management: Confirmation of the partner’s ownership structure, key executives, board members, and their qualifications.
4. Reputation and Track Record: Investigation into the partner’s reputation, track record, past performance, client testimonials, and references.
5. Operational Capabilities: Assessment of the partner’s operational capabilities, facilities, equipment, workforce, supply chain, and technology infrastructure.
6. Litigation and Legal Issues: Identification of any ongoing or past litigation, disputes, legal issues, or regulatory investigations involving the partner.
7. Market Position and Competitive Landscape: Analysis of the partner’s market position, competitive strengths, market share, customer base, and growth prospects.
8. Intellectual Property: Verification of intellectual property rights, patents, trademarks, copyrights, and licensing agreements held by the partner.
9. Environmental and Social Responsibility: Evaluation of the partner’s environmental policies, social responsibility initiatives, sustainability practices, and adherence to ethical standards.