“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ Mark Twain
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Week 2 Posts due February 15
Sounds like everyone has some interesting reading ahead. I'm looking forward to reading more about what you're learning and the thoughts you have to share.
As I continued reading my book, the two main characters continue their journey through the different minorities in China. They visit the Korean, Mongolian, and Vietnamese minorities. I read a lot about different people who come from all over Asia to get better paying jobs. I read this story of a family who went to China then illegally immigrated to Australia to sell tea. In Australia, they lived in tents on basketball courts for several months until they could afford to buy a house. But before they could even get enough money the Australian government kicked them out. Yet, even though they lived for months in uncomfortable living situations they were still happy because they got to enjoy New Year's twice.
For me it puts things into perspective. No matter where you go and what happens, you just have to make the best of it. So whatever happens on this China trip, I plan on enjoying every second of it.
This does really put into perspective how they were forced to live for months at a time. Very cool to hear that there were still mentions of happiness despite their living conditions.
This is a great oulook to have in life; be happy with what ever you have no matter how little it might be. Such a bright outlook on life can get you through a lot of struggles.
Your book sounds awesome.. It's cool that it's an inspirational story. And it's so true, we can't control the things that happen to us in this world, but we can definitely control how we look at them and handle them.
What an inspiration ! I should've picked that book. Unfortunately though we cannot control what happens, we as Christians know that the happenings of this world are not in our hands, but with firm faith in God we can change our outlook. The Lord will never give us more than we can bare, so why be gloomy when things do not always go our way? Our Father says he only has plans to prosper us.
In continuing to read my book I have learned more about how the oppression of business and growth effected the lives of many. There were several methods that were attempted because of communist/socialist views that greatly hindered the growth of businesses. For example, the idea of "eating from the same pot" meant that every worker was rewarded in the same way despite work ethic or effectiveness. This contributed to a huge downfall in efficiency and work ethic. Methods and laws changed frequently due to their lack of effectiveness which caused more strain on the business community as they tried to keep up with new regulations.
I can see how rewarding everyone the same no matter the work performance, could become a downfall for any organization. If you have workers who work extremely hard, and those who do just enough to get by, it would be unfair to reward them the same. This book reminds me of the story in Matthew 20:1 of the workers in the vineyard, that received the same paid for doing, different amounts of work.
As i continue to progress through my book; something interesting happened in the storyline. IN china the people haven't had the opportunity to hear about many different car brands; however they certainly knew about the mercedes. The Machine Building Minister left china and traveled to germany to propose a dual operation factory in germany; he expected to see the streets lined with Mercedes but was surprised when he saw all VWs. Spur of the moment he and his entourage traveled to Wolfsburg walked right up to the Head office gate and demanded to speak to someone in charge. While most businessmen/women are not this aggressive or spur of the moment there is something to be said for having that little bit of edge when it comes to making certain decisions. That 1 decision started a huge domino effect with a great outcome.
This sounds very interesting, it seems to tie into the book I am reading as well. I also agree with you about a business man who has that "edge" and can confidently make spur of the moment decisions. It seems that the whole country benefited from his aggressive business tactic.
As I continue reading, I learned that in the late 1970’s, China experienced a two decade growth sprout that caused them to raise material welfare, which left millions in poverty and propelled China from near autarchy into regional and global prominence. This sparked the development of China into an investment and trade partner with the U.S.
This is an interesting point about China's recent history that I really haven't heard much about. China's economy and infrastructure have grown by leaps and bounds in past few decades, but they've made some mistakes too.
It's interesting how it took this event to get China to invest and trade with the U.S. I also wonder how much longer they will continue to partner with the United States.
As I dug deeper into my book, I came across some interesting points I'd like to share. The first being how foreign technology has influenced the development of the auto industry in China. In 1963 China produced 11 total passenger cars. Now fast forward to 2002 and the Chinese auto companies are producing over two million cars! To pull of this feat China had to learn fast and adapt to new technologic advances. My second point, the Cultural Revolution that took place in China left the country with practically nothing in the way of equipment or knowledgeable workers, this forced China into a "make or buy" dilemma. They were forced to learn quickly in an attempt to catch up to the rest of the modern world. To accomplish this they borrowed heavily from Japanese technology. Then in the 1980's made joint deals with both AMC and VW auto companies. It was not until the early 1990's that their auto industry really started to take off though.
I find it interesting that China expanded its industry before it had any sort of structures in place to sustain that growth. I wonder if they are still heavily indebted or tied to the Japanese.
My book has covered some of the auto dealings between China and America as well. Their negotiation styles are completely different. It’s amazing. Shirley Young, an advisor to the GM vice president in charge of China operations, said that there is no such thing as international business, because nations don’t talk to one another, neither do companies. Only people do. It’s interpersonal business, that’s why face-to-face meetings and relationships are so important to the Chinese.
My book has temporarily detoured from charts and statistics long enough to discuss something of more interest - high speed freight transport systems. I learned about the train technology called Maglev levitation, in which the train 'surfs' along the track, lifted and guided by magnets. This system is in current use in China. The author states that it is the best type of transport for the high demand of travel that China requires and is unmatched in speed (310+ mph) compared to conventional steel and rail trains. However, due to high costs of construction and electromagnetic radiation concerns, Maglev technology vs. traditional trains can still be a highly debated topic in China.
The train system in China is amazing, I can't wait to ride a train for the first time. I heard that it is the fastest train system worldwide. I wonder why no one else in the world has thought about magnetize trains?
In my reading this week, my book talked about the need to "vet" all of the China-stories that you hear. The book gives us a simple four-step process. Simply asking the following questions can be the difference between success and failure in China. When did it happen? Anytime you hear a story or receive advice about business in China, make sure it is recent. Where exactly did this happen? Relevance, especially geographically, is key to understanding anything about Chinese business. Who are the Chinese involved? Check the generations involved. It changes things drastically. Who are the foreigners? Consider the effects of stereotypes and cultural misunderstandings on the story. As I prepare for this trip, I will definitely keep these guidelines in mind when listening to different people and their advice.
"Shanghaied in Shanghai?" is the title of my books first chapter. I was intrigued right away. Shanghai is the only city in Webster's Dictionary honored as a verb. Unfortunately the definition isn't what I hope to encounter while in Shanghai.
During February 1995, Ford Motor Company had been talking with Shanghai Auto for some time. On February 6th, the Clinton administration put a 100% tariff on Chinese goods coming into the U.S. because of their continuous violations of intellectual property agreements. Beijing responded with tariffs on U.S. exports to China as well as threatening to end all joint ventures with American automakers. If they wouldn't have come to an agreement, think of the effect that would have on our economy now?
I never knew "shanghai" could be used as a verb! And yes, hopefully that will not happen to us while we're over there! Also, that's good that they came to an agreement because we benefit a lot from doing business with China.
In continuing my reading, one thing that stood out was what made China's manufacturing costs so low. The biggest factor is that China has an enormous labor pool at only about one-ninth the cost of direct labor than the U.S. Additionally, insurance, building, land, occupancy, and utility costs are much lower. Another factor is that China has significantly less taxes than the U.S.
I think it will be interesting to see how China's labor costs are affected as the country becomes more modernized and people's standard of living increases. Also, as they progress they will need to increase taxes, so it is a matter of how and what kind of taxes they increase.
My first chapter was about the myth about China being one market. To an extent, China is homogeneous, however there is great separation in the population in income disparity. Also the book brought out that three main age groups share different ideologies (under 26, 26-55, 55+). There is also a big variety in foods that are consumed from different regions of the country.
I never really thought of China having a big variety in foods. It is sad at how large the income difference is between well-off Chinese families and not so fortunate families.
My book is about the Economic reform in China, and it's really interesting to read about the process and different stages (they have it broken down into four stages) that took place, beginning in 1978, when the reforms began in rural China. The initial break from the fully controlled planning system that China was operating under seems to have been "the easy part" as I continue to read and understand all the challenges that were faced as China tried to move towards a free market.
This sounds very interesting. I have never thought about breaking the reforms down into stages, I have thought it as more of a gradual process that was one whole movement.
My reading for this week discussed the topic of cost innovation and how it has allowed consumers around the world to receive more at a dramatically lower price. Chinese companies have taken advantage of high-cost countries by threatening their ability to earn high margins on their products, but instead offer customers more product choices with a greater amount of customization. An example of this occurred with China International Marine Containers Group (CIMC). Its success came from becoming the leader in producing shipping containers within China, which in turn made it one of the largest players in the world. CIMC used its success from its positioning within China to become cost competitive in manufacturing compared with its established global competitors. Today CIMC is dominating the shipping containers industry with more than 55 percent of the global market share, which is six times larger than its nearest competitor. I find it very interesting that these Chinese companies have become very successful in being cost competitive by adopting the principle of low margins but high volume sales.
In the first chapter of my book Bucknall talks about the Chinese behavior patterns. To the Chinese family comes first, but groups outside of the family are very important as well. This importance of groups helps the Chinese be able to embrace the communist approach that a job is for life. Another thing I found interesting about Chinese behavior patters is that the Chinese are superstitions despite the fact that they are all well educated. Despite the well educated side of the Chinese culture, many want to hold on to traditions and this is shown by being superstitious. Some of these superstitions can involve colors and numbers.Just like in the United States, Chinese people have different characteristics based on where they come from. There are Northern Chinese from Beijing and surrounding areas and Southern Chinese from the Guangdong province. Because China is controlled by the government there is not much importance in Human Rights, the government is encouraging the view that the wealthy are more important.
Rural china takes off china experienced a rabid growth in the rural enterprise during the 1970 even tho the political situation in china hasn't chanced. I found in the first two chapters that the author use in text bibliography. The Author used 59 situations that takes up the majority of the first chapter. I found that I had to skip pages if I wanted to fallow the Authors train of thought.
In my reading of "ChinAmerica" this week, I discovered something interesting about how some Chinese do negotiations. The author talked about how when negotiating with Chinese, it is a sign of strength for them to get the upper hand in negotiations with foreigners. Their mindset is if the foreigners are stupid enough to not know the price of goods, they deserve to be cheated. He also mentioned that he had been treated well by other Chinese, who would give him free food and treat him with kindness. But, he did not appreciate how some Chinese negotiated.
I find it very interesting that the Chinese view negotiations as a sign of strength and knowledge of products. It will be important for us as we travel China to have some sort of knowledge of what we will be purchasing this way we will not be thought of as stupid foreigners.
The book I'm reading China Business Culture by Dr. Karen Wang has been interesting so far. I haven't gotten deep enough to see all the complexities and mysteries of Chinese business culture but am interested in learning more. The book says that the following topics will be covered and demystified, "Chinese managerial style; the significance of business networks; the best way to co-operate with various departments of the Chinese government; skills of negotiation; the cultural essence of Chinese commerce; Chinese consumer psychology; and the most effective way of promoting goods and services in the world's largest market". I'm excited to figure these things out for myself !
In my reading of "Factory Girls", the author explains a lot of the hardships these women face while working for factories. The women compared each other "like models of different cars", asking how much each other made and if room and board was included. An interesting fact I learned is that factories tend to hold the women's first 2 months of pay as incentive for them to not leave and find work at another factory. Interesting way to keep workers...
In my reading of The Chinese Tao of Business, I came across a story about China's modern-day hero. Pan Shi Yi's life is about going from poverty to success through hard work, perseverance, and good luck, at the same time of keeping home-spun values. His mother became sick and they spent most of their money to try to make her well, and that included giving Pan's two sisters up for adoption to their neighbor. When Pan went to engineering school he did so well that he received a scholarship to a university and graduated with a degree in Petroleum Engineering. Today, he is Beijing's largest private real-estate developer. Some of his famous real estate properties are located in Beijing's version of Wall Street. I found this inspiring because of all the odds against him becoming anything.
As I continued reading my book, the two main characters continue their journey through the different minorities in China. They visit the Korean, Mongolian, and Vietnamese minorities.
ReplyDeleteI read a lot about different people who come from all over Asia to get better paying jobs. I read this story of a family who went to China then illegally immigrated to Australia to sell tea. In Australia, they lived in tents on basketball courts for several months until they could afford to buy a house. But before they could even get enough money the Australian government kicked them out. Yet, even though they lived for months in uncomfortable living situations they were still happy because they got to enjoy New Year's twice.
For me it puts things into perspective. No matter where you go and what happens, you just have to make the best of it. So whatever happens on this China trip, I plan on enjoying every second of it.
This does really put into perspective how they were forced to live for months at a time. Very cool to hear that there were still mentions of happiness despite their living conditions.
DeleteThis is a great oulook to have in life; be happy with what ever you have no matter how little it might be. Such a bright outlook on life can get you through a lot of struggles.
DeleteYour book sounds awesome.. It's cool that it's an inspirational story. And it's so true, we can't control the things that happen to us in this world, but we can definitely control how we look at them and handle them.
DeleteWhat an inspiration ! I should've picked that book. Unfortunately though we cannot control what happens, we as Christians know that the happenings of this world are not in our hands, but with firm faith in God we can change our outlook. The Lord will never give us more than we can bare, so why be gloomy when things do not always go our way? Our Father says he only has plans to prosper us.
DeleteIn continuing to read my book I have learned more about how the oppression of business and growth effected the lives of many. There were several methods that were attempted because of communist/socialist views that greatly hindered the growth of businesses. For example, the idea of "eating from the same pot" meant that every worker was rewarded in the same way despite work ethic or effectiveness. This contributed to a huge downfall in efficiency and work ethic.
ReplyDeleteMethods and laws changed frequently due to their lack of effectiveness which caused more strain on the business community as they tried to keep up with new regulations.
I can see how rewarding everyone the same no matter the work performance, could become a downfall for any organization. If you have workers who work extremely hard, and those who do just enough to get by, it would be unfair to reward them the same. This book reminds me of the story in Matthew 20:1 of the workers in the vineyard, that received the same paid for doing, different amounts of work.
DeleteAs i continue to progress through my book; something interesting happened in the storyline. IN china the people haven't had the opportunity to hear about many different car brands; however they certainly knew about the mercedes. The Machine Building Minister left china and traveled to germany to propose a dual operation factory in germany; he expected to see the streets lined with Mercedes but was surprised when he saw all VWs. Spur of the moment he and his entourage traveled to Wolfsburg walked right up to the Head office gate and demanded to speak to someone in charge.
ReplyDeleteWhile most businessmen/women are not this aggressive or spur of the moment there is something to be said for having that little bit of edge when it comes to making certain decisions. That 1 decision started a huge domino effect with a great outcome.
This sounds very interesting, it seems to tie into the book I am reading as well. I also agree with you about a business man who has that "edge" and can confidently make spur of the moment decisions. It seems that the whole country benefited from his aggressive business tactic.
DeleteAs I continue reading, I learned that in the late 1970’s, China experienced a two decade growth sprout that caused them to raise material welfare, which left millions in poverty and propelled China from near autarchy into regional and global prominence. This sparked the development of China into an investment and trade partner with the U.S.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThis is an interesting point about China's recent history that I really haven't heard much about. China's economy and infrastructure have grown by leaps and bounds in past few decades, but they've made some mistakes too.
DeleteIt's interesting how it took this event to get China to invest and trade with the U.S. I also wonder how much longer they will continue to partner with the United States.
DeleteAs I dug deeper into my book, I came across some interesting points I'd like to share. The first being how foreign technology has influenced the development of the auto industry in China. In 1963 China produced 11 total passenger cars. Now fast forward to 2002 and the Chinese auto companies are producing over two million cars! To pull of this feat China had to learn fast and adapt to new technologic advances. My second point, the Cultural Revolution that took place in China left the country with practically nothing in the way of equipment or knowledgeable workers, this forced China into a "make or buy" dilemma. They were forced to learn quickly in an attempt to catch up to the rest of the modern world. To accomplish this they borrowed heavily from Japanese technology. Then in the 1980's made joint deals with both AMC and VW auto companies. It was not until the early 1990's that their auto industry really started to take off though.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that China expanded its industry before it had any sort of structures in place to sustain that growth. I wonder if they are still heavily indebted or tied to the Japanese.
DeleteMy book has covered some of the auto dealings between China and America as well. Their negotiation styles are completely different. It’s amazing. Shirley Young, an advisor to the GM vice president in charge of China operations, said that there is no such thing as international business, because nations don’t talk to one another, neither do companies. Only people do. It’s interpersonal business, that’s why face-to-face meetings and relationships are so important to the Chinese.
DeleteMy book has temporarily detoured from charts and statistics long enough to discuss something of more interest - high speed freight transport systems. I learned about the train technology called Maglev levitation, in which the train 'surfs' along the track, lifted and guided by magnets. This system is in current use in China. The author states that it is the best type of transport for the high demand of travel that China requires and is unmatched in speed (310+ mph) compared to conventional steel and rail trains. However, due to high costs of construction and electromagnetic radiation concerns, Maglev technology vs. traditional trains can still be a highly debated topic in China.
ReplyDeleteThe train system in China is amazing, I can't wait to ride a train for the first time. I heard that it is the fastest train system worldwide. I wonder why no one else in the world has thought about magnetize trains?
DeleteIn my reading this week, my book talked about the need to "vet" all of the China-stories that you hear. The book gives us a simple four-step process. Simply asking the following questions can be the difference between success and failure in China.
ReplyDeleteWhen did it happen? Anytime you hear a story or receive advice about business in China, make sure it is recent.
Where exactly did this happen? Relevance, especially geographically, is key to understanding anything about Chinese business.
Who are the Chinese involved? Check the generations involved. It changes things drastically.
Who are the foreigners? Consider the effects of stereotypes and cultural misunderstandings on the story.
As I prepare for this trip, I will definitely keep these guidelines in mind when listening to different people and their advice.
"Shanghaied in Shanghai?" is the title of my books first chapter. I was intrigued right away. Shanghai is the only city in Webster's Dictionary honored as a verb. Unfortunately the definition isn't what I hope to encounter while in Shanghai.
ReplyDeleteDuring February 1995, Ford Motor Company had been talking with Shanghai Auto for some time. On February 6th, the Clinton administration put a 100% tariff on Chinese goods coming into the U.S. because of their continuous violations of intellectual property agreements. Beijing responded with tariffs on U.S. exports to China as well as threatening to end all joint ventures with American automakers. If they wouldn't have come to an agreement, think of the effect that would have on our economy now?
I never knew "shanghai" could be used as a verb! And yes, hopefully that will not happen to us while we're over there! Also, that's good that they came to an agreement because we benefit a lot from doing business with China.
DeleteIn continuing my reading, one thing that stood out was what made China's manufacturing costs so low. The biggest factor is that China has an enormous labor pool at only about one-ninth the cost of direct labor than the U.S. Additionally, insurance, building, land, occupancy, and utility costs are much lower. Another factor is that China has significantly less taxes than the U.S.
ReplyDeleteI think it will be interesting to see how China's labor costs are affected as the country becomes more modernized and people's standard of living increases. Also, as they progress they will need to increase taxes, so it is a matter of how and what kind of taxes they increase.
DeleteMy first chapter was about the myth about China being one market. To an extent, China is homogeneous, however there is great separation in the population in income disparity. Also the book brought out that three main age groups share different ideologies (under 26, 26-55, 55+). There is also a big variety in foods that are consumed from different regions of the country.
ReplyDeleteI never really thought of China having a big variety in foods. It is sad at how large the income difference is between well-off Chinese families and not so fortunate families.
DeleteMy book is about the Economic reform in China, and it's really interesting to read about the process and different stages (they have it broken down into four stages) that took place, beginning in 1978, when the reforms began in rural China. The initial break from the fully controlled planning system that China was operating under seems to have been "the easy part" as I continue to read and understand all the challenges that were faced as China tried to move towards a free market.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds very interesting. I have never thought about breaking the reforms down into stages, I have thought it as more of a gradual process that was one whole movement.
DeleteMy reading for this week discussed the topic of cost innovation and how it has allowed consumers around the world to receive more at a dramatically lower price. Chinese companies have taken advantage of high-cost countries by threatening their ability to earn high margins on their products, but instead offer customers more product choices with a greater amount of customization. An example of this occurred with China International Marine Containers Group (CIMC). Its success came from becoming the leader in producing shipping containers within China, which in turn made it one of the largest players in the world. CIMC used its success from its positioning within China to become cost competitive in manufacturing compared with its established global competitors. Today CIMC is dominating the shipping containers industry with more than 55 percent of the global market share, which is six times larger than its nearest competitor. I find it very interesting that these Chinese companies have become very successful in being cost competitive by adopting the principle of low margins but high volume sales.
ReplyDeleteIn the first chapter of my book Bucknall talks about the Chinese behavior patterns. To the Chinese family comes first, but groups outside of the family are very important as well. This importance of groups helps the Chinese be able to embrace the communist approach that a job is for life. Another thing I found interesting about Chinese behavior patters is that the Chinese are superstitions despite the fact that they are all well educated. Despite the well educated side of the Chinese culture, many want to hold on to traditions and this is shown by being superstitious. Some of these superstitions can involve colors and numbers.Just like in the United States, Chinese people have different characteristics based on where they come from. There are Northern Chinese from Beijing and surrounding areas and Southern Chinese from the Guangdong province. Because China is controlled by the government there is not much importance in Human Rights, the government is encouraging the view that the wealthy are more important.
ReplyDeleteRural china takes off
ReplyDeletechina experienced a rabid growth in the rural enterprise during the 1970 even tho the political situation in china hasn't chanced. I found in the first two chapters that the author use in text bibliography. The Author used 59 situations that takes up the majority of the first chapter. I found that I had to skip pages if I wanted to fallow the Authors train of thought.
In my reading of "ChinAmerica" this week, I discovered something interesting about how some Chinese do negotiations. The author talked about how when negotiating with Chinese, it is a sign of strength for them to get the upper hand in negotiations with foreigners. Their mindset is if the foreigners are stupid enough to not know the price of goods, they deserve to be cheated. He also mentioned that he had been treated well by other Chinese, who would give him free food and treat him with kindness. But, he did not appreciate how some Chinese negotiated.
ReplyDeleteI find it very interesting that the Chinese view negotiations as a sign of strength and knowledge of products. It will be important for us as we travel China to have some sort of knowledge of what we will be purchasing this way we will not be thought of as stupid foreigners.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe book I'm reading China Business Culture by Dr. Karen Wang has been interesting so far. I haven't gotten deep enough to see all the complexities and mysteries of Chinese business culture but am interested in learning more. The book says that the following topics will be covered and demystified, "Chinese managerial style; the significance of business networks; the best way to co-operate with various departments of the Chinese government; skills of negotiation; the cultural essence of Chinese commerce; Chinese consumer psychology; and the most effective way of promoting goods and services in the world's largest market". I'm excited to figure these things out for myself !
ReplyDeleteIn my reading of "Factory Girls", the author explains a lot of the hardships these women face while working for factories. The women compared each other "like models of different cars", asking how much each other made and if room and board was included. An interesting fact I learned is that factories tend to hold the women's first 2 months of pay as incentive for them to not leave and find work at another factory. Interesting way to keep workers...
ReplyDeleteIn my reading of The Chinese Tao of Business, I came across a story about China's modern-day hero. Pan Shi Yi's life is about going from poverty to success through hard work, perseverance, and good luck, at the same time of keeping home-spun values. His mother became sick and they spent most of their money to try to make her well, and that included giving Pan's two sisters up for adoption to their neighbor. When Pan went to engineering school he did so well that he received a scholarship to a university and graduated with a degree in Petroleum Engineering. Today, he is Beijing's largest private real-estate developer. Some of his famous real estate properties are located in Beijing's version of Wall Street. I found this inspiring because of all the odds against him becoming anything.
ReplyDelete