The development of local marketing knowledge within joint ventures: An analysis of the performance of Belgian multinationals in China

The rapid transition of the Chinese economic system from centrally planned to market mechanisms created a new market structure and changed the ways in which business had been conducted in China. Among these changes is the transformation in the marketing environment, which has introduced fragmentation and uncertainty and increased the complexity of operations. This chapter discusses the effectiveness of five Belgian joint ventures in China's fragmented environment and demonstrates the contributions they have made in terms of knowledge transfer and organizational learning, particularly in terms of formulating and managing local marketing strategies.