Manage External Factors

I just returned from a trip to Asia... Japan being one of the stops. I didn't have a lot of time to soak in the local culture, but the one image that is burned into my brain is the line-up for Krispy Kreme donuts in Tokyo (picture included).

According to my Tokyo-based colleagues, there is a 60 to 90-minute wait for Krispy Kreme, from opening to closing, every day, rain or shine. That blows my mind.

Krispy Kreme is struggling mightily here in the US amidst low-carb crazes, South Beach and other diets. Whereas in Japan, dieting is less of a social issue. It's tough to anticipate external factors when introducing new products and services, but they have the power to make or break.

The question I have is how to appropriate respond to external factors / societal pressures. Should Krispy Kreme expand in Japan (and China for that matter)? If I recall correctly, amid the low-carb diet craze, Krispy Kreme released a drinkable donut in the U.S. Essentially, a donut-flavored milkshake... lower on carbs, but outrageously high in fat.

So, no answers - just questions. Companies need to include social / environmental factors in their ideations. In retrospect, I think many sessions I've been a part of have zoomed in too much to product details. How do you include external factors? How do you keep larger issues in the back of your mind when digging into a new product or service? Most importantly, what's your favorite kind of donut (and would you wait 90 minutes to get one)?