Know How! AG opened its first office in Beijing“s Chaoyang District in September 2014. The Chinese team will consists of three employees. The overall aim is to provide e-learning in proven quality to the Chinese market.
We have spoken to Mr. Lorenz Muck, Manager of International Development and General Manager Know How! Beijing Co. Ltd, about the expansion to the Far East.
For almost 20 years, Know How! AG has been providing e-learning solutions. Why Know How! has chosen the Chinese market for expansion?
We already have been active in foreign markets in the recent years. Hereby, we mainly focused on European countries and were able to win numerous customers for our courseware about Microsoft Office through partner companies.
Due to the large spatial distance and the resulting large time shifts, it is difficult to enter the Chinese market only with the help of partner companies. Thus, we decided to enter the Chinese market by opening an own office abroad.
What is your opinion of the Chinese market for e-learning products?
China continues to be a growth market, especially in the field of education and particularly in the area of e-learning. Last year we were exhibitor in a training fair in Shanghai and felt a great interest in our products. Therefore, we are confident that China is the right market for us to continue our growth in recent years.
What are your goals in China?
In the first place, we see the Chinese market in the midterm as growth market with a high potential in the coming years. In addition, we specifically want to support German local businesses, when it comes to the localization of learning content, the transfer to China as well as the implementation of e-learning projects in China.
In your opinion, what is the German companies need?
In my mind, there are two challenges for German companies on site. On the one hand, the challenge is to localize the learning based on the country-specific needs. On the other hand, ensuring that the training is conducted within the qualification scheme of the company: It makes no sense to invest a lot of money in a localization of the content without ensuring the success of learning on site. In the future, Know How! AG can support companies more efficiently with its team on site.
Which topics you want to emphasize on the Chinese market?
In addition to individual e-learning projects, we highlight our Microsoft Office portfolio. We want to offer Chinese offices of leading German companies‘ proven e-learning quality and thus become a reliable partner on site.
How important are social media and collaboration in Chinese companies from your point of view?
We have not fully explored that, but we know that there are cultural differences in collaborative work. We will also deal with this topic at your first Round Table in Beijing in November.
Will the Know How! AG set up other foreign office in the coming years?
We have not quite decided yet.There are of course more exciting and promising markets, we will continue to keep this in mind and will make the right decision in due time.
Seit 1992 entwickelt die Know How! AG als eigenständiges, inhabergeführtes Unternehmen kontinuierlich neue Weiterbildungskonzepte. Der Firmensitz ist in Stuttgart, Niederlassungen bestehen in Konstanz und Augsburg. Als Pionier auf dem Gebiet des Web Based Trainings (WBT) erstellte die Know How! AG bereits 1995 die ersten erfolgreichen E-Learning-Produkte.
Das Unternehmen bietet passende Konzepte und Lösungen im Weiterbildungsbereich für Kunden aus allen Branchen an, denn mehr Wissen bedeutet für die Unternehmen mehr Wert. Individuelle E-Learning-Konzepte, Lernsoftware, praxisorientierte Präsenzseminare, bedarfsorientierte Beratung und zielgruppengerichtete Lernkonzepte zählen zu den Kernkompetenzen des Unternehmens. Mit den Themen Office und Enterprise 2.0 ist die Know How! AG Marktführer im deutschsprachigen Raum.
Kontakt
Know How! AG
Bastian Deckenbach
Magellanstr.1
70771 Leinfelden-Echterdingen
+49 711 78059-16
bastian.deckenbach@knowhow.de
http://www.knowhow.de
