Week 9 - Angela Oh

The process of creating a start-up requires research and development of not only the product or service, but also the market. The market is just as important as the product; it is imperative that companies understand the audience they are catering to and their culture. As Rowan discusses in "Expectations, Social Context, and Miscommunication, there are distinctly different cultures in the US and Vietnam. In order to succeed in Vietnam, one must adjust to the culture, practices, and norms of Vietnam, rather than adhering to an American context. For example, Vietnamese professional culture is different from US as professional relationships are created through personal means. Rather than using networking sites like LinkedIn, business people form relationships and partnerships through personal meetings with coffee and/or alcohol. In addition, traditional gender roles are still pertinent in Vietnam, so one must not assume that a female will and can fulfill the obligations that Western culture allows women to do. This traditional orientation permeates throughout Vietnamese society in other ways as well, including age differences (respect/truth) and the prioritization of loyalty (over competence). Locals are also not straightforward, and many travelers complain that Vietnamese society tends to lie. Without being aware of these different aspects of Vietnamese society, a start-up will definitely struggle to adjust and succeed in a foreign context.

Our start-up is making sure to be aware of our market: young adults in the Silicon Valley. We understand the typical smart phone user and how easy it is to both download and delete an application. Users can be very fickle and harsh if their first experience is unpleasant or inefficient. In addressing this, our application is prioritizing user experience and application design to ensure the application is useful and simple for our main audience. In addition, we are currently conducting research through surveys and focus groups to understand our market's orientation and opinion on certain aspects of the application in order to have a more comprehensive outlook of our market. 

Question: What are methods in which start-ups can enhance their understanding of their target market? Is it necessary to physically immerse into the country? 

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