BeijingMan: Faces in TianAnMen Square

Friday, September 14, 2007

Faces in TianAnMen Square

Above: TianAnMen Square during the Pig Year 2007. Photo gallery below.

Faces in TianAnMen Square
PICTORIAL -Two afternoons during Golden Pig Year 2007

Usually China's population grows 15M per year but 2007 was a Golden Pig Year with 22M new citizens. And Beijing got 170.000 new born babies.

TianAnMen Square is the center point of Middle Kingdom, China. Every Chinese citizen must see Beijing and TianAnMen Square.

In 2007 I did two times a TianAnMen photo safari, in February and in September. Chinese tourists were busy in snapping pictures of each other. I joined the party with 100 pictures per hour. Many of the people in my pictures came to talk and we took pictures together.

These pictures were taken by Canon 20D and EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM. Click to enlarge.

BeijingMan aka Kippo

List of BeijingMan Postings

______________________________

Above-1: TianAnMen Square, Beijing, February 2007.

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Above-45: TianAnMen Square, Beijing, February 2007. Red flags, then People's Heroes Monument. Mao Zedong Memorial Hall building.

Above-46: TianAnMen Square, Beijing, February 2007. Rostroom with Mao's picture is at the North side of the square. There Mao announced the birth of P.R.China on October 1st 1949. High on top is red logo of China, national enblem, GuoHui.

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TianAnMen Square in Beijing
+ Not small, many people from around China
+ Observe Chinese people who visit their capital first time
+ Goose walk and flag show every day at sunrise and sunset
+ Chinese like to take pictures with foreigners
***** HISTORY AND PEOPLE *****

BeijingMan aka Kippo

A Finn in Beijing
- 1994 first business with Beijing
- 1998 moved to Beijing for 15 years

Chief Rep China of Teleste Corp, a cable TV company, listed in Nasdaq OMX. Sales to mainland Chinese markets. Partners. Guanxi. Biddings. Business development: JV with two partners. Customers in 26 mainland provinces.

Co-founder in HappyHan Company, a China startup. Sold in two years.

Business Development for Nokia China, the years leading to market leadership. Seven roles in China: in Networks, Mobile Phones and Research Center. JV process Nokia-Neusoft. Partner evaluations. Talent seach. Strategy. Sales. Market share. Organizational changes. Patent Grant. China's 1st Prepaid Service. China SMS market-making and activation project, 1,5 years.

How Nokia's phones reached well over 30% market share in China?
- low cost manufacturing
- product portfolio
- best UI for SMS texting
- deep distribution network

Chinese have their own mentality but no fear about it.

If you'd like BeijingMan to share his knowledge about Chinese Mentality in management meeting or for your China project, contact beijingman@icloud.com

-- BeijingMan

BeijingMan Backgrounder

China Business Q/A

Q: Is China different is it?
Education, Guanxi, face,
hierarchy, sensitivity.
Respect. Media, Internet.
Business and selling/buying.
Standards. Partnerships.
Communication, indirectness.
Information availability.
Mentality, values, identity.
Motivation. Different.

Q: China for Individuals?
Many skilled individuals
come to China to learn
Mandarin. Can find local
partners and establish
companies: arts, marketing,
design, eatz etc. Compete
with knowledge and quality.

Q: China for SMEs?
Often no resources for Guanxi.
SMEs face fierce price
competition as they have no
brand, meaning low margin.
China's scale is an enabler
but it must be understood.
It requires ability to take
risk and think big, commonly
not strong points for SMEs.

Q: China for MNCs?
Most MNCs succeed in China
if not in competition with SOEs.
Production for export, sales
for mainland markets.

Q: Biz words in Mandarin?
New words are invented,
verify the accuracy!

Q: Talents available?
Yes but Confucian education system suppress innovation.
How to find real talents?
Then, how to motivate?

Q: Innovated in China?
Glorious past. But now
Chinese are latecomers,
have confidence problem.
Cost reduction by redefining
products and processes.
SMEs as innovation force.

Q: Indirect communication?
For Chinese smart way to
communicate, can be exciting!
In families, workplaces,
meetings and negotiations.
For foreigners frustrating.
Verify translations.

Q: Jump into assumptions?
Chinese don't speak directly
and don't take just face
value of others speech. They
are used to read between
the lines, make assumptions.
For foreigners frustrating.
If Chinese hold a strong
position In negotiation,
they can become very direct.

Q: Sharing information?
Information availability is not
fluent. Info is an asset,
give and expect to receive.
Access to info needs Guanxi,
for foreigners difficult.

Q: Personal responsibility?
Usually avoided with ifs,
buts, excuses and conditions.
Group responsibility - mostly.

Q: Problem solving ability?
Not bad, but no systematic
approach, preventive planning.
Documenting, communicating?

Q: Front Door or Backdoor?
Chinese are masters removing
blocks by using backdoor.
Rule-of-law born foreigners
don't know about backdoors.
And there always is.

Q: Details or concepts?
Chinese are detail oriented,
Technical details wanted.
Abstract conceptual views
not wanted, value not seen.

Q: Proactive or reactive?
Confident but not for own
ideas, reactivity rules. Proactive
attitudes driven by rewards.

Q: Chinese hard working?
Often yes. But culture and
system limits efficiency.
Result is often only about.

Q: Readiness for teamwork?
Every Chinese is expected to
be head taller than the others.
Trust and sharing is difficult.
Management and motivation
are Chinese science.

Q: Quality and Standards?
Often different standards.
Quality, assumed or expected
might be acceptable for
a Chinese, but might be
imperfect for a foreigner.
This is changing better.

Q: Progress by plan?
Chinese approach is step
by step. After each step
re-evaluate, then next step.
Guanxi needs flexibility,
not format or schedule.

Q: Risk taking, decisions?
Chinese have learned to
avoid mistakes and to seek
Confucian middle way.
Money is the key booster.

Q: Results oriented?
Result counts, but mainly
based on clear reward.

Q: Guanxi in Mainland?
It is more than connections,
LinkedIn, Facebook, lobbying
or tea/coffee together.
It's business art, insurance
and career enabler.
It's differentiation in situation.
It's exchanging favors.
It's private, and needs care.
Learn about Guanxi, accept
that only Chinese can master
it, their ancient Yi.

Q: Is MoQi important?
Build MoQi, "silently agree"
makes working smooth.
Enables invisible support
and increases productivity.

Q: Chinese and emotions?
Poker face reputation!
But very low threshold
on controlling emotions.
Critical views may cause
emotional reaction, not
followed by the reasoning.
A few exceptions.

Q: Face saving problem?
Face is stronger than facts.
To admit a problem is complex
issue: pride vs loss of face.
Lack of open communication
means confusion at work.

Q: Red Face, White Face?
Role playing is common
in Chinese negotiations.
Good cop, bad cop system.
When in strong position,
Chinese can be direct.

Q: Laws and rules?
Has laws but legal
protection still weak.
Find an industry expert
to clarify the practices.

Q: IPR, piracy realities?
Not a copy. Our creative
persons just have similar
experience background
as yours, said a Chinese
VP of a NASDAQ listed
company, about their
100% proven copy product.
Confidence on own ideas weak.

Q: Corruption, bribery?
Complex issue, fight
continues. But taking
a cut is not considered
as a crime.
Factors: mindset, rules,
transparency, Guanxi,
auditing, approvals.

Q: Competition in China?
Fierce, not always fair,
sometimes unhealthy.
Besides price and features
it's Guanxi, Treat and Brand.
Learn Chinese sales process.
Learn about bidding process.
Learn what is essential in
Chinese sales presentation.
Learn the idea of meetings.
Learn Chinese image and PR.
Learn about the gift process.
Chinese businesses have
certain culture advantage.

Q: Sourcing in China?
Industry experts are the key
in finding required quality
and rock-bottom price,
otherwise you overpay.
Currency risks.

Q: Joint Ventures in China?
Wanted for value-add and
for mainland market access.
Risk of competitor creation.

Q: R&D unit in China?
• Localization of products
• Chinese standards
• Research projects
• Cultural findings
• Inventions and patents
• Lower cost

Q: Mission, vision, strategy?
Careful with all business
and industry specific
words. Chinese are often
confused with new business
words. Their exact meaning
is seldom understood or
clear in mainland China.
Ask business plan, and wait
while others take opportunity.

Q: Chinese mentality?
Market economy develops
rapidly but Chinese
individuals change in
very slow motion.
Recruit with thought.
Provincial/SOE mentality
still very strong.

Q: Gamblers by nature?
Chinese are born gamblers,
have gambling mentality,
feel good when gambling.
Reward motivates.

Q: Chinese Backchannel?
If face is lost, emotions
can take control. This can
lead to badmouthing and
defamation, anti-strategies
and lose of control.

Q: Chinese bureaucracy?
Has scale, width and depth,
Might become a roadblock.
But situation is improving,
basic procedures often
available via Internet. Test
your nerves with Beijing
Tax Claim system.

Q: Chinese analysts?
Improving, but often lack
global perspective, have
limited angle and horizons
resulting subjective view.

Q: U.S. or EU style?
China goes towards U.S.
business style. Power of
money and marketing gets
mixed with Guanxi and
privileged information.

Economy and Markets
China's economy mix now:
- 1/3 SOEs
- 1/3 Chinese private
- 1/3 Foreign investment

Q: Chinese Trends 2013
Chinese SOEs consolidate,
gain power, efficiency, scale
and will reduce competition.
MNCs competing against SOEs
will have trouble.

Chinese SMEs need new products
and foreign brands to break
through and get stock listed.

Growth continues. Every year
10-15M migrant workers move
to cities and need it all.
Storms and fireworks.

Online shopping grows.
Consumers search the lowest
price. Low cost delivery.

Q: Foreigners weak point?
No doubt the Chinese way.
Chinese say about
foreigners:
Even if you tell them, they
still don't understand.

HQs abroad can become
barriers as they lack
insider's view and realities
about Chinese speed and
way of business conduct.
HQs don't understand
Chinese mentality.

China consultants abroad
(foreigners or Chinese)
seldom have practical
expertise about situations
in Chinese industries.
Most have never made a
transaction in China (key
in learning the facts).

Q: China Myths, Mysteries?
No mysteries, no myths.
Guanxi, money, mentality.
Progress towards market
economy. Joining WTO
released China's potential.
Streets are filled with cars.
Learning process has begun.

Ask BeijingMan

Q: What is it foreigners don't get right about business in China?

No.1
It's already a cliché: the culture. Chinese mentality, how people think, have learned to behave and do,. The business culture which mixes culture, Guanxi and capitalism. Projects, JVs and SMEs can fail for culture and mentality reasons.
No.2
Guanxi is the way of business in China. Sales: your product is just 50%, your Guanxi is the other 50%. To win the bid, good Guanxi is a must. Partners: Guanxi means motivation to join to really work for you. Buyers: Guanxi opens opportunities with right pricing.
No.3
Macro information everywhere. Big numbers, yes. Lack of real industry expertise prevents access to knowledge, markets and projects to succeed.
No.4
Western experience doesn’t prepare well for China. Many admire China's modern surface without understanding Chinese mentality. Westerners are stuck into their lawful and rational model without understanding Chinese emotions and flexibility. China dilemma is the principles vs. flexibility needed by Chinese business environment, and for Guanxi.
No.5
Language barrier leaves most foreigners an outsider.

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Friday, September 14, 2007

Faces in TianAnMen Square

Welcome! HuanYing!

BeijingMan aka Kippo

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