Harvard Business Review on Doing Business in China (Harvard Business Review Paperback Series) [Paperback]

Harvard Business School Press (Author), Rick Yan (Author), Kenneth Libeberthal (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1591396387 | ISBN-13: 978-1591396383 | Publication Date: December 1, 2004 | Edition: 1

This is the 50th title in the "HBR" paperback series. It highlights what every company must know to successfully enter and compete in the world's fastest-growing economy. The potential opportunity in China is huge: it is home to a quarter of the world's population, domestic consumer spending in China is growing by up to 10 per cent a year, and relaxed regulatory restraints have opened China up to unprecedented levels of foreign investment. This book will help multinational corporations and the managers who work in them understand the implications of China's current stage of development and develop strategies for effectively competing in this environment.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Harvard Business School Press

Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: Harvard Business Press; 1 edition (December 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591396387
• ISBN-13: 978-1591396383
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #711,268 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but isolated perspectives, November 4, 2006

By 

An expat based in Beijing (US and China) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harvard Business Review on Doing Business in China (Harvard Business Review Paperback Series) (Paperback)

Like other HBR articles, the articles in this collection on Doing Business in China are well written and presented, with each examining a particular issue in a fairly coherent way.

However, as they are written by different authors, there is an inevitable lack of cohesion among the articles. For example, in article "Entering China: An Unconventional Approach" (pages 105-121), author Vanhonacker argues that since "Chinese companies...typically have a more immediate interest in profits than foreign investors do," "joint ventures do not offer foreign companies what they need to succeed in China." Yet, in article "Trouble in Paradise" (pages 141-161), authors Xin and Pucik present a case study, where the dilemma faced by the American general manager is such that while his US-based boss wants him to improve the joint venture's profitability from a 4% ROI to a 20% ROI, the Chinese deputy general manager wants to grow the joint venture by acquiring another local Chinese enterprise!

In my experience, the scenarios presented in the two articles are pretty academic because the reality is much more messy than that and hardly rests on such a simple black/white trade-off. Indeed, we now know that the China challenge is multifaceted. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an integrated framework that distills what it takes to succeed in China (how to think as well as what to do) by running a central, balanced theme across all these perspectives.

It is fair to say that although eight useful articles are put together in one volume, this book lacks the above mentioned central theme.

To find such a central theme, you will have to read Dr Wei Wang's The China Executive: Marrying Western and Chinese Strengths to Generate Profitability from Your Investment in China. In it, you will find a road map to business success in 21st-century China.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A little dated but a good read., April 12, 2006

By 

Jose Ledesma Fuentes (San Juan, PR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harvard Business Review on Doing Business in China (Harvard Business Review Paperback Series) (Paperback)

Dont be fooled by the 2004 publising date most of the articles inluded here are from the late 90's early 00's. Otherwise a good read and well worth the $14 price tag.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Typical HBR compilation..., December 26, 2006

By 

Mark White "whitey" (Des Moines, IA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harvard Business Review on Doing Business in China (Harvard Business Review Paperback Series) (Paperback)

The articles are, in sum, quite dated and general. Nothing leading edge here as the content is published through the HBS grist mill that greatly enhances the publishing record of their faculty but adds little of current value.

Nevertheless, for the beginner in China, there is some knowledge here, but, again, keep in mind that the business environment in China moves fast and the information here was several years outdated when published.