Customer Reviews

The Art of the Deal in China: A Practical Guide to Business Etiquette and the 36 Martial Strategies Employed by Chinese Businessmen and Officials in China

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
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Brahm's readable narrative does a great job introducing China's 36 Strategies in a business context. The book's strength is the clarity and brevity of each example. Brahm gives a short description of each of the strategies and then uses a relevant modern business example to bring to concept to life for modern readers.

The Book is short - only 160 pages - so it can be read in one sitting or it can be savored and reread over and over again. Brahm's sense of humor comes through in his stories and his "investors Guide to Maotai avoidance" annex is pretty darn funny while also having the value of practicality.

This is a required read for anyone planning on doing business in China or wanting to understand Chinese culture and history.

Practical, witty and sometimes humorus. Brahm does a good job of explaining the differences between legality, intent and the cultural devices that tie everything together with the Chinese. Businessmen need the information badly that's in this book. One might never be able to close the deal without it.

If I were going to improve on this book any it would be in providing more examples. He repeated a few and while the examples were revelant, a fresh example might have given the reader more understanding.

We've been doing business in China for some time, and thought we understood the system and culture well. But Laurence Brahm's book gave us new insights, and language to confirm the insights we already had. An easy read, not a scholarly analysis; storytelling, not data. Read before you get on the plane to Beijing.