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Beijing Jeep: A Case Study Of Western Business In China 1st Edition

by Jim Mann (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 15 ratings
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When China opened its doors to the West in the late 1970s, Western businesses jumped at the chance to sell their products to the most populous nation in the world. Boardrooms everywhere buzzed with excitement?a Coke for every citizen, a television for every family, a personal computer for every office. At no other time have the institutions of Western capitalism tried to do business with a communist state to the extent that they did in China under Deng Xiaoping. Yet, over the decade leading up to the bloody events in and around Tiananmen Square, that experiment produced growing disappointment on both sides, and a vision of capturing the world's largest market faded.Picked as one of Fortune Magazine's "75 Smartest Books We Know," this updated version of Beijing Jeep, traces the history of the stormy romance between American business and Chinese communism through the experiences of American Motors and its operation in China, Beijing Jeep, a closely watched joint venture often visited by American politicians and Chinese leaders. Jim Mann explains how some of the world's savviest executives completely misjudged the business climate and recounts how the Chinese, who acquired valuable new technology at virtually no expense to themselves, ultimately outcapitalized the capitalists. And, in a new epilogue, Mann revisits and updates the events which constituted the main issues of the first edition.Elegantly written, brilliantly reported, Beijing Jeep is a cautionary tale about the West's age-old quest to do business in the Middle Kingdom.
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  1. ISBN-10
    081333327X
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0813333274
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publisher
    Westview Press
  5. Publication date
    March 28, 1997
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
  8. Print length
    351 pages
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

In this updated version of Beijing Jeep, Jim Mann traces the history of the stormy romance between American business and Chinese communism through the experiences of American Motors and its operation in China, Beijing Jeep, a closely watched joint venture often visited by American politicians and Chinese leaders. He explains how some of the world's savviest executives completely misjudged the business climate and recounts how the Chinese, who acquired valuable new technology at virtually no expense to themselves, ultimately outcapitalized the capitalists.

About the Author

Jim Mann

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Westview Press; 1st edition (March 28, 1997)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 351 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 081333327X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0813333274
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1280L
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 15 ratings

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Jim Mann

Jim Mann

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
15 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Mrs LC Pejic
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific book - wish I read it sooner
Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2014
Verified Purchase
Too much to tell you, but very enjoyable, easy reading. Mr. Mann writes both informative, but entertaining - he KISS - keeps it simple stupid. Too lengthy and dense would cause me to Zzzzzzz. So far I have enjoyed each of his books. The subject matter is VERY interesting, and his writing doesn't detract from the subject matter.
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Grant
5.0 out of 5 stars ...no institutional memory at US companies....
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2012
Recently Automotive News (April 30, 2012) featured an article entitled "Jeep keeps pushing for China production", mentioning that "Chrysler now sells the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, Compass and Patriot in China. All are imported." They say Chrysler is trying to find a JV partner, and that "approval can take some time" for them to obtain from the government to produce Jeeps there. Though "the Jeep brand has a long history in China and a loyal fan base"....it sold 22,294 units in China last year.

Now what does this tell you about US business executives?....

You are in the world's most profitable automobile market (US) where the Japanese earn nearly 80% of their profits, and its your home market.....and you are spending valuable resources trying to enter into an emerging market you have been in for decades, havent made any money, is full of corruption/graft (and in order to be "successful", being in the auto industry, would surely have to be violating the FCPA in a major way...), where you can only transfer tech one way...to Ch competitors while also helping to build up a supply network that will eventually produce Ch made cars for US export to attack your own home market, where any money you make cant be expatriated outside of Ch (unless you violate Ch. "laws"), where the mandatory JV will help facilitate all of the above, etc...

...and...you even have a book that can help guide you to make the right decisions.....and yet you STILL follow the heard and hype....

In a capitalist society, you cant possibly survive.....and in the Ch. hybrid capitalist-command economy you have positively no chance whatsoever...
One person found this helpful
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Amalfi
3.0 out of 5 stars Dated but entertaining read
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2019
Verified Purchase
Very readable but the narrative - Of the outsider looking in - did not age well and at times borders on offensive. Also, as the author acknowledges in the epilogue, the predictions made were wildly wrong.
One person found this helpful
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Rolf Dobelli
5.0 out of 5 stars Involving Story of Globalization Glitches
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2006
This book is absolutely required reading for anyone contemplating any business venture or involvement in China. We also recommend it warmly to any student of contemporary Chinese history or global business. Author Jim Mann does an exceptional job of telling the harrowing story of a high-stakes joint venture that developed when American Motors set out to manufacture Jeeps in China. The battle lines were quite clear, and this "joint" venture proved to be quite a skirmish. The partners' expectations could not have been more different. Far from being a collaboration, Beijing Jeep was a contest in which the parties used deception, subterfuge and obfuscation to wrestle for what they wanted, while giving away as little as possible. The Chinese sought access to modern automotive technology and foreign exchange. The Americans chiefly wanted to sell to China's vast domestic market and to use low-cost Chinese labor in their supply chain. Beijing Jeep depended upon ongoing Chinese subsidies until Chrysler acquired AMC. This account effectively ends with that acquisition and with the Tiananmen uprising shortly thereafter, although the author added an updated epilogue. This Jeep's rough road offers critical lessons about driving business in China.
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shane
4.0 out of 5 stars Good if you like the topic
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2017
Verified Purchase
This book is an interesting look at how business was conducted in China during the economic liberation in the 1980s. It's quite interesting but it doesn't really follow one person's story which can make it slightly confusing. Overall I would recommend it to anyone with an interesting in how business was conducted in China, if not I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to read it.
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Robert Bee
4.0 out of 5 stars Still Relevant
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2007
Read the book when it was first published in 1989. Today it is an interesting historical note on Chinese joint business practices. Things have changed greatly in China in the past 18 years. The Chinese have evolved greatly in their international business practices, but the intent of Chinese business has not changed. Chinese business still intends to use American business technology for the good of China without the interference of US industry. The content of the book is history, but do not take the message as history. A necessary read for anyone interested in Chinese business.
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Hui
3.0 out of 5 stars A book worth reading but...
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2000
While the book has provided plenty factual information on China, there is a lack of in-depth analysis of the thinking of Chinese people and rationale behind their behaviours. One thing that is particularly uneasy for me, as a Hong Kong Chinese, is the sceptical view of the writer on the Chinese people and the country. I would say that the book is good for foreigners who know little about the development of China in the 80's and want to take a break to read some interesting stories, rather than those who really want to explore the current business environment in China.
8 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Historical Information Only
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2001
This book is a great book to see how the US-China business relationship began. It is very dated, as the the mentality of both US businessmen and Chinese businessmen (and culture) have gone through tremendous changes. I enjoyed the book in the early 90's (and at that time it was even getting dated), and since then have been amazed to see how quick the Chinese have evolved in this relationship, and how the US seems content to remain a step behind. I do highly recommend it to those who are currently doing business with China to understand the early difficulties of US-China business. But it is also very important to understand that the business environment of today does not at all resemble the environment that is written in this book.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Ralph Ongherth
5.0 out of 5 stars Tolles Buch
Reviewed in Germany on October 10, 2022
Verified Purchase
Gut Chinaerfahrung aus erster Hand zu haben
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