A step-by-step guide to producing a market entry report, reviewing how it is conducted and how it can add value to operational business logistics.
To understand a respective industry, it is important to consider all aspects that may impact your business. The increase of global threats posed to all industries makes the need for market entry understanding critical, allowing greater depth of knowledge into business logistics, opposing threats, opportunities, policies, actors, disputes, and more.
This blog provides a step-by-step guide to understanding how to use intelligence to develop an effective market entry report to protect your business and maximize return on investment. Understanding all of the unique threats and opportunities a region offers your business allows you to reduce risk and business interruption whilst minimizing financial losses.
For this guide, an example of a mining company considering setting up operations in Kyrgyzstan will be used to provide context and show the considerations at each stage of the report.
As every market entry report is completely unique to each organization, the sections within it can vary massively from the history of the sector in the country to a regulatory overview to a review of any potential security threats – all depending on your business priorities and the markets you are considering entering. However, for a mining company looking to expand operations in Kyrgyzstan, some top considerations would be:
The structure outlined above will provide detailed information about the Central Asian market that allows security and risk professionals to understand the current and historical situation and the level of risk it poses to their organization if they do enter Kyrgyzstan.
At Sigma7, we use Intelligence Collection Plans (ICPs) to ensure our analysts see the world through your eyes, this information is critical for the planning and direction of the report ensuring you have all of the information you need to make an informed decision.
Some examples of questions our analysts would consider are:
Once the report plan is agreed upon, analysts will use a multitude of resources to gather data which forms the basis of their analysis. Analysts are trained to consider source accuracy, biases, and availability, as well as the depth, breadth, and accuracy of the data, to provide verified information that meets the brief.
A review of tactical, operational, and strategic level intelligence is required. By using the Sigma7 risk and threat monitoring platform you can gain an understanding of historical security incidents within the region as well as emerging threats and current incidents. Our Russian speaking analysts are experienced in reviewing and verifying, where possible, the public record throughout Central Asia.
In addition, at Sigma7, we have well-developed human source networks in all the jurisdictions in which we are active. These on-the-ground sources give us an informed analysis of what is really going on, adding color and context to the information we retrieve from the public record. This is particularly important in regions where there is little transparency and restrictions on the media or where information is easily manipulated by rival factions or political agendas. Our sources have been carefully developed over many years, covering the country concerned. They typically include local and ex-patriate business figures, journalists, civil society and NGO leaders, lawyers, and sources close to regulators, ministries, and other relevant state institutions. We carefully curate a variety of perspectives from objective and reliable contacts with direct knowledge of the issues at hand. We then triangulate these with other sources of information to produce a balanced and well-rounded analysis.
All information from threat reporting, the public record, and human source reporting are rigorously analyzed and integrated. The report would contain a comprehensive review of the target market. The aim is to provide an assessment of what matters most to your business and to understand the potential security, reputational, and compliance risks you might face. The actionable intelligence in our reports can help you reduce risk and identify potential opportunities.
Below is a short overview of the security situation for mining companies considering entering the Kyrgyzstan mining industry. This serves as an example of what is possible within a market entry report, however, it is worth noting a full market entry report would be comprehensive – it could be upwards of 100 pages of analysis covering every aspect of risk for your business.
The image shows a selection of incidents related to the mining sector in Kyrgyzstan [Image source: Intelligence Fusion].
As can be seen, the nature of incidents varies, with the most common mining-related incidents being protests at mining sites, either carried out by local communities who become frustrated with the environmental impact of mining on local areas or protests and strikes among mining employees. Thefts from mines and mining vehicles are also recorded, albeit less frequently, and highlight that even with criminal reporting being restricted in Kyrgyzstan, such incidents are reported in local media.
Not seen in the image above is the impact of issues such as government intervention and influence over private enterprise in Kyrgyzstan, including in the mining sector. The recent nationalization of the Kumtor Gold Mine and ensuing arbitration with Centerra Gold highlight that risk to the mining sector not only comes from physical incidents such as thefts and protests seen in the above image but also from internal politics and society. Furthermore, open-source reporting and analysis highlighted that the nationalization of Kumtor mine was not without warning, as political narratives had revolved around the mine for years before the actual nationalization.
The image shows an example of protests related to the mining sector in Kyrgyzstan [Image source: Intelligence Fusion].
A common theme within mining-related protests in Kyrgyzstan is environmental damage caused by the mine and the impact that this has on areas such as local agriculture. Within these protests, tactics such as road blockades of routes used by mining vehicles are common. Protests among employees are also common, with local media commenting on deeper issues such as resentment between foreign owners and local laborers. This issue has been seen at mines not just in Kyrgyzstan but across the whole Central Asia region, particularly at mines owned by Chinese companies. With these issues in mind, it is important for companies to be aware of local factors and ensure that staff on the ground are equipped with a strong understanding of both local dynamics and broader geopolitical dynamics.
Download our free community engagement report for further insights.
As a further example, below is a short extract of information from the business intelligence experts at Sigma7. This is the kind of commentary you could expect within a market entry report:
Corruption is a serious and long-standing problem in Kyrgyzstan. Outwardly, the government is welcoming to foreign direct investment, and there are no limits on foreign ownership or control. There have also been publicized anti-corruption drives led by the President. However, the enforcement of existing laws to protect investors is weak. This was demonstrated by a dispute between the Kyrgyz government and a large foreign investor in May 2021, which saw the Kyrgyz government raid the offices of a subsidiary of the foreign investor and fine it USD 3bn for alleged environmental damages caused by running a mine. Several sources said high-level corruption involving senior politicians and senior members of law enforcement and the judiciary is commonplace and difficult to navigate for those not familiar with the market.
As mentioned above, these reports are unique and fully tailored to your organization – this means they can be presented in whatever way works best for you. It could be highly visual or a traditional text-heavy report; the content and headings would be 100% specific to your business needs. Otherwise, if you just require the raw data and want to use that to draw your own conclusions and produce your own market entry report, you can request a free trial of our threat intelligence platform here.
Sigma7 is comprised of an elite group of specialized risk service teams; this allows customers to draw upon a wealth of industry-leading knowledge and skills from across the globe. We can help you improve the way you assess, mitigate, and respond to risk. A market entry report is one of many of our services, but it is something that is being increasingly requested as businesses navigate a volatile changing landscape – reshoring assets due to political instability, climate change, legal issues, and more. Or for businesses with a desire to expand operations, there are now more threats than ever to consider to make sure your decision is financially viable.
We report over 20,000 new threats each month, with a database of over 1,300,000 historical incidents that can be drawn upon for context. With over 350 risk professionals across the globe, we are trusted by large multinational brands such as Amazon, Credit Suisse, Guinea Alumina Corporation and many more.
To discuss your business needs, request a demo of our risk platform or to get a quote for your bespoke market entry report – Get in touch.
Authors: Jade Patel; Max Taylor; Steven Preston; Oliver Gorton
Introducing Sigma7. We are building a new kind of risk services platform to enhance value for the world’s most prominent and complex businesses. Our mission is to help organizations create competitive advantage through actionable risk insights and business outcomes. We work globally across risk domains, apply modern technologies, and integrate the services of respected specialist brands in risk services.
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