How did two previously unknown Chinese companies suddenly leap to the forefront of the high tech business of global telecommunications infrastructure? Competitors, the telecom industry, and the U.S. Congress all want to know. In Making the Connection, Beijing-based business strategist David Wolf plumbs the history of the industry to find an answer, and comes to some unexpected - and controversial - conclusions. For anyone interested in one of the most dynamic industries in China, an industry that has played a key role in China's economic development, and one that, will serve as a bellwether for how Chinese business will develop and globalize in the future.
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David Wolf, in this "monograph" as he terms it, apparently set out with specific purpose of proving that innovation -- not government support -- is the source of Chinese telecom equipment vendors' success. Presumably this is a reaction to foreign complaints that Huawei and ZTE are only successful because they've been coddled by the Chinese government. This premise might (might) be accurate, but unfortunately Mr. Wolf doesn't quite make his case. The Chinese government hindered rather than aided the rise of Huawei and ZTE, according to Mr. Wolf, though without much justification and using a very narrow definition of the term "aid". He re-defines "innovation" as being a sort of hyper-customization and then declares it, again without much supporting evidence, to be the reason for Huawei's success. And he mostly sidesteps the role that shockingly low prices have played in the Chinese vendors' international success -- prices that aroused the suspicion about the companies in the first place.
This is unfortunate, since the Chinese vendors' growth rate is undeniable, and there are some fascinating stories that could be told on this subject. For example, exactly, have Huawei and ZTE managed to produce products that are "good enough" sell them at such low prices -- profitably? (Are they even profitable?) How can they engage in hyper-customization in an industry that, historically, was critically dependent on hyper-commoditization? Do the Chinese telecom vendors represent the first concrete example of foreign companies having helped create the monsters that come back to destroy them?
Alas, Mr. Wolf hardly acknowledges the role of foreigners in the rise of the Chinese vendors. While joint ventures (JVs) are discussed, Mr. Wolf does not describe how JVs were all but mandatory for foreigners to enter the Chinese market, much less that the terms of the JV (and, indeed, many other telecom-related agreements) invariably mandated "technology transfer", i.e., "teach us how to build what you're selling to us". The "Chinese" TD-SCDMA cellular standard was authored almost entirely by Siemens. But Mr. Wolf paints a picture of the local vendors' having stood up essentially via their own chutzpah. This is a rather rosy characterization.
A good portion of the work is dedicated to arcane (but interesting, if you're from the industry, which I am) aspects of the evolution from the very beginning of telecommunications in China: the networks and operators thereof, the regulators, and the equipment manufacturers. But, distant history aside, the narrative seems to be based almost entirely on information that's publicly available -- or at least common knowledge amongst industry observers -- as opposed to primary research collected through on-the-ground interviews with insiders. A bit more first-hand accounting of how these companies (and their foreign competitors) think and operate would have been welcome. But the occasionally-distracting punctuation and other editorial errors would seem to imply a rush to publication.
Mr. Wolf states that while the work was funded in part by Huawei, the company did not exercise any editorial control over the final product. I have no doubt that this is genuine. But it doesn't take a PhD in psychology to conclude that there was a strong disincentive to level any serious criticisms against that company, as one does not bite the hand that feeds. This is especially true of Mr. Wolf, who, as PR man, is more dependent than most on his personal reputation amongst companies in China. Amusingly, even the well-known case in which Huawei pilfered Cisco software source code and used the code in its own products -- which was proved in court -- is characterized as "alleged".
This is unfortunate, since the Chinese vendors' growth rate is undeniable, and there are some fascinating stories that could be told on this subject. For example, exactly, have Huawei and ZTE managed to produce products that are "good enough" sell them at such low prices -- profitably? (Are they even profitable?) How can they engage in hyper-customization in an industry that, historically, was critically dependent on hyper-commoditization? Do the Chinese telecom vendors represent the first concrete example of foreign companies having helped create the monsters that come back to destroy them?
Alas, Mr. Wolf hardly acknowledges the role of foreigners in the rise of the Chinese vendors. While joint ventures (JVs) are discussed, Mr. Wolf does not describe how JVs were all but mandatory for foreigners to enter the Chinese market, much less that the terms of the JV (and, indeed, many other telecom-related agreements) invariably mandated "technology transfer", i.e., "teach us how to build what you're selling to us". The "Chinese" TD-SCDMA cellular standard was authored almost entirely by Siemens. But Mr. Wolf paints a picture of the local vendors' having stood up essentially via their own chutzpah. This is a rather rosy characterization.
A good portion of the work is dedicated to arcane (but interesting, if you're from the industry, which I am) aspects of the evolution from the very beginning of telecommunications in China: the networks and operators thereof, the regulators, and the equipment manufacturers. But, distant history aside, the narrative seems to be based almost entirely on information that's publicly available -- or at least common knowledge amongst industry observers -- as opposed to primary research collected through on-the-ground interviews with insiders. A bit more first-hand accounting of how these companies (and their foreign competitors) think and operate would have been welcome. But the occasionally-distracting punctuation and other editorial errors would seem to imply a rush to publication.
Mr. Wolf states that while the work was funded in part by Huawei, the company did not exercise any editorial control over the final product. I have no doubt that this is genuine. But it doesn't take a PhD in psychology to conclude that there was a strong disincentive to level any serious criticisms against that company, as one does not bite the hand that feeds. This is especially true of Mr. Wolf, who, as PR man, is more dependent than most on his personal reputation amongst companies in China. Amusingly, even the well-known case in which Huawei pilfered Cisco software source code and used the code in its own products -- which was proved in court -- is characterized as "alleged".
More About the Author
David Wolf is President and Chief Executive Officer of Wolf Group Asia (WGA), a Beijing-based strategic corporate communications advisory firm. Counseling American, Chinese, and European clients in the innovative and creative industries, David specializes in managing complex communications challenges by helping clients rethink their strategies, positioning and actions as well as their brands and messaging. WGA was named Asia-Pacific Boutique Consultancy of the Year for 2011 by SABRE/Holmes Report in June 2012.
David concurrently serves as Senior China Strategist for global public relations firm Burson-Marsteller, advising B-M's clients and client teams, and is a founding partner of the Burson-Marsteller Leadership Institute, a professional education and research organization made up of a coalition that includes B-M, Young & Rubicam, Landor Associates, Penn Schoen Berland, Acewood, and WGA. David has conducted trainings and facilitated meetings for over 70 companies, governmental organizations, educational institutions, and NGOs, and has developed over a dozen innovative professional training courses.
In addition, David is called upon by regional and global media as an analyst and commentator on business in China, and is a regular contributor to publications like The Holmes Report, Media, AdAge magazine, and WARC. David is an Editorial Advisor for the China Economic Quarterly, and serves on the advisory board of the Research Center for Chinese Politics and Business at Indiana University in the United States. He is the author of several published reports, and his first book, Making the Connection: The Peaceful Rise of China's Telecommunications Giants, was released in April.
Before starting WGA in 2005, David led the Asia-Pacific Technology Practice for Burson-Marsteller, leading a team of nearly 50 professionals in offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, Singapore, and Sydney. David took the Asia-Pacific post after having founded B-M's Technology Practice in China in 2000, growing it into China's largest technology, media, and telecommunications public relations organization and winning a dozen major industry awards for client work.
Prior to joining Burson-Marsteller, David was Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Claydon Gescher Associates (CGA), a boutique strategy and public affairs consultancy based in Beijing with a focus on media, entertainment, and telecommunications. He was responsible for daily operations and long-term growth planning. Clients served include Intel, HBO Asia, Reuters, DeBeers/Stockdale, PanAmSat, Turner International, and Irdeto Access.
David has lived in China since 1995 and currently resides in Beijing with his family. David holds a Masters degree in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from the University of California, Davis. In addition to English, he is fluent in Mandarin and Spanish. David is active in the international scouting movement, serving as Cubmaster of BSA Pack 3944 in Beijing, and is a PADI-certified Rescue Scuba Diver.
David concurrently serves as Senior China Strategist for global public relations firm Burson-Marsteller, advising B-M's clients and client teams, and is a founding partner of the Burson-Marsteller Leadership Institute, a professional education and research organization made up of a coalition that includes B-M, Young & Rubicam, Landor Associates, Penn Schoen Berland, Acewood, and WGA. David has conducted trainings and facilitated meetings for over 70 companies, governmental organizations, educational institutions, and NGOs, and has developed over a dozen innovative professional training courses.
In addition, David is called upon by regional and global media as an analyst and commentator on business in China, and is a regular contributor to publications like The Holmes Report, Media, AdAge magazine, and WARC. David is an Editorial Advisor for the China Economic Quarterly, and serves on the advisory board of the Research Center for Chinese Politics and Business at Indiana University in the United States. He is the author of several published reports, and his first book, Making the Connection: The Peaceful Rise of China's Telecommunications Giants, was released in April.
Before starting WGA in 2005, David led the Asia-Pacific Technology Practice for Burson-Marsteller, leading a team of nearly 50 professionals in offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, Singapore, and Sydney. David took the Asia-Pacific post after having founded B-M's Technology Practice in China in 2000, growing it into China's largest technology, media, and telecommunications public relations organization and winning a dozen major industry awards for client work.
Prior to joining Burson-Marsteller, David was Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Claydon Gescher Associates (CGA), a boutique strategy and public affairs consultancy based in Beijing with a focus on media, entertainment, and telecommunications. He was responsible for daily operations and long-term growth planning. Clients served include Intel, HBO Asia, Reuters, DeBeers/Stockdale, PanAmSat, Turner International, and Irdeto Access.
David has lived in China since 1995 and currently resides in Beijing with his family. David holds a Masters degree in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from the University of California, Davis. In addition to English, he is fluent in Mandarin and Spanish. David is active in the international scouting movement, serving as Cubmaster of BSA Pack 3944 in Beijing, and is a PADI-certified Rescue Scuba Diver.
