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Case Study

Cephalosporin wars in China: Competing in the Chinese antibiotic market

By Gail E. Hendersen and William A. Fischer

21 pages

July 2000

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Reference: IMD-3-0947

After twenty years of economic reforms, the Chinese competitive terrain is in upheaval. New competitors, new markets, and new means of competition, are all conspiring to change the nature of doing in business in China, in a fundamental way. This case chronicles the experience of one industry segment – cephalosporins – over the past few years. Cephalosporins are a type of anti-biotics that are now in their fourth generation of product development. They have been in China for more than twenty years, and are an example of intense competition among both foreign-invested, and Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturers. Almost all of the major international brand names are presently represented in the Chinese market, as well as a host of both successful and not-so successful domestic competitors. This case, based on interviews with many of these firms, as well as an abundance of market data collected from several sources, depicts the changing nature of competition in China today, and provides the reader with sufficient information to draw conclusions regarding market attractiveness and market-entry and competitiveness strategies.

Keywords

Industry Analysis, Pharmaceuticals

Settings

China
1998-1999

Type

Published Sources

Available Languages

English

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