ABSTRACT
China is the most populous developing country in the world with a population of 1.3 billion people. This makes up one quarter of all the world’s consumers. For many years, before the 1980s, this large market offered few opportunities for international marketers. The reasons for this were:
China operated a rigid command economy. From 1949 to 1978, the economy developed slowly, and China participated in little trade with the outside world. No foreign investment was allowed or invited in this period.
