The Globalization of Chinese Companies ─ Strategies for Conquering International Markets

Chinese companies are aggressively acquiring overseas assets and companies. Meanwhile, they have to face the challenge of upgrading organizational capabilities to match global operations. This book provides substantial management knowledge and real experience, which are of high value to Chinese companies with global ambitions. – Stan Shih, Founder, Acer Group, Taipei, Taiwan

One feature of this book is that it effectively integrates management theory and real cases of globalization of companies from different countries. Thanks to the strong connection between theory and practice, this book provides convincing principles for building organization capabilities of global companies. Kudos to the authors’ efforts in designing a roadmap for Chinese companies. No doubt this book will help Chinese companies go global in a better and smarter way. – Wu Jinglian, Baosteel Chair Professor, CEIBS, Shanghai, China

Through extensive case studies, this book thoroughly explores the managerial challenges facing Chinese companies going global. It will help business leaders worldwide to better understanding the potential global competiveness of Chinese companies. – John Quelch, Vice President and Dean, CEIBS, Shanghai China and Former Dean, London Business School

The authors of this book wish to get to the bottom of the fast globalization of Chinese businesses. Through their very pragmatic way of approaching this phenomenon they make a contribution to the better understanding of one of the most striking global economic developments of recent years. – Robert Friedmann, Chairman, Central Managing Board, Würth Group Künzeisau, Germany

Chinese companies emerging as global winners will be those capable of turning entrepreneurial spirits into innovative systems, building successful products into sustainable brands, and marrying the drive to compete with the dream to serve. This journey is not for the faint-hearted. For those who aspire to enter into the winner’s circle, this book is an insightful and practical guide. – Peter L.Q. Pan, Managing Director of Chervon Group, Nanjing, China

Many Chinese companies are today on the threshold of a new era, bringing their activities to an even higher quality level, compared to Western standards. In many businesses a fruitful exchange of know-how with worldwide operating companies will be conditional to speed up processes. Even more acquisitions than in the past will there fore be needed and realized by Chinese companies. In this respect this book is written at exactly the right moment and provides detailed knowledge and practical cases for Chinese companies and management to avoid the usual booby traps in going global. – Piet Veenema, CEO, Kendrion N.V. Amsterdam, Netherlands

Arthur Yeung is Phillips Chair Professor of HRM at CEIBS and ex-CHO of Acer Group, specializing in organizational capability and globalization of Chinese firms. Author of several award-winning articles and nine books, Dr. Yeung was featured as an “Executive Development Guru” by Business Horizon. He sits on editorial boards of five international academic journals and serves as independent board member for five corporations and one non-profit organization.

Katherine Xin is Professor of Management at CEIBS and the editor-in-chief of Harvard Business Review (China). For the last two decades, Dr. Xin worked and lived in the US, Europe and Asia conducting research, teaching and consulting for multinational companies and global Chinese enterprises. She has published extensively and was previously on the faculties of IMD in Switzerland, the University of Southern California, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Her current research and consulting focus is on leadership, performance management and talent strategy.

Dr. Waldemar A. Pfoertsch is Research Fellow at CEIBS Shanghai, China, and Professor for international Business at the Pforzheim University, Germany. He was Associate Professor of Marketing at CEIBS from 2007 to 2010. Dr. Pfoertsch is the author of various books and numerous articles. The most current books are Ingredient Branding: Making the Invisible Visible, and B2B Brand Management, which he co-authored with Philip Kotler. He has also published textbooks about Business-to-Business marketing, social marketing, internet and internationalization strategies.

Dr. Shergjun Liu id Deputy Director of CEIBS Case Center and CEIBS Lujiazui International Finance Research Center. His books include China CEO: A Case Guide to Business Leaders in China, Flowers and Thorns: Globalisation of Chinese Companies; Power of Management: Institutional Solutions to China’s Economic Challenges, etc. Dr. Liu is also a columnist for many Chinese leading media.

Acknowledgments.

Preface.

Chapter 1: Reaching Out.

Chapter 2: Realities and Aspirations.

Chapter 3: The Strategic Choices: Think Before You Jump.

Chapter 4: All Roads Lead to Rome: Paths to Globalization.

Chapter 5: People First: Building Global Competence.

Chapter 6: Unity in Diversity: Shaping a Global Mindset.

Chapter 7: Providing the Right Support: Structuring Global Governance.

Chapter 8: China-rooted Global Outreach.

Appendix 1: China National Aviation: A Comprehensive Strategy.

Appendix 2: CIMC Realizes Globalization with a National Competitive Edge.

Appendix 3: The Utilization of Overseas Resources by CIMC.

Appendix 4: ZPMC’s Global Strategy.

Appendix 5: China Mobile: Using Global Capital Resources to Build Value.

Appendix 6: Forming Strategic Alliances the Galanz Way.

Appendix 7: Trend Micro’s Hybrid Team.

Appendix 8: Talent Development in the Lenovo Group.

Appendix 9: Chinese Global Fortune Companies 2008/09.

Appendix 10: Self-assessment.

Appendix 11: Action Plan.

Bibliography.

Index.