ManymanagersdreamofbecomingaChiefExecutiveOfficerinChina.MaybetheythinkthatCEOstandsforCashEnhancementOpportunity-butofcourse,failurecouldturntheassignmentintoaCareerEndingOption.SohowcanyouensurethatyourassignmentinChinaissuccessful?
ManagementProfessorFernandezandbusinessjournalistUnderwoodtackledthisquestionbyinterviewing20topexecutivesworkinginChina,pluseightexperiencedconsultants.TheydiscussedtopicslikemanaginginChina,settinguplocaloperations,adaptingregional/globalbusinessestoChina,tacklingthelocalmarketandlivinginChina.
Buthowdoyoureporttheresultsof28interviews?Theeasiestsolutionwouldbetopresenteachinterviewasaseparatechapter.However,FernandezandUnderwoodwantedtounderstandthechallengesfacinginternationalexecutivesinChinatoday.Sotheytooktheharder-butmoreuseful-approachofanalysingtheinterviewsandthenwritingaboutthemainunderlyingthemes,quotingfromtheintervieweestoillustrateparticularpoints.
ThatapproachmeansthattopicslikeworkingwithChinesebusinesspartnersordealingwithIPpiracyarepulledtogetherintoawellstructureddiscussion.ButifyouwanttounderstandthespecificexperienceofPhilips,SonyorUnileverinChina,theinformationissplitupacrossmanychapters.
ChinaCEOlaunchesstraightintothekeyquestion:WhatarethequalitiesofasuccessfulinternationalmanagerinChina?Ortoexpressitmorepersonally:AreyoutherightstuffforChina?FernandezandUnderwoodclustertheessentialqualitiesintothreegroups:professionalqualitieslikehavingarock-solidprofessionalbackgroundandsomepreviousinternationalexperience;globalqualitieslikebeingadventurousandwillingtolearn;andChina-specificqualitieslikebeingabletobalanceapparentoppositessuchashumilityandstrength,andpatienceandspeed.
ThebulkofChinaCEOcoverstopicswhichdirectlyinterestallinternationalmanagers,likemanagingChineseemployees,facinglocalandglobalcompetitorsanddealingwiththegovernment.Italsoexploressomeimportant,butcommonlyignored,aspectsofhavingasuccessfulassignmentinChina.ThereisausefuldiscussionofthechallengesoflivinginChina.Mostexpatriatesenjoytheirwork,butthe"trailingspouse"andchildrenoftenhavemoredifficultieswiththeexperience.Fortunately,therearespecificstepsthatcompaniescantaketominimisethestressofrelocation.
ThisisusefulreadingforallCEOsandinternationalmanagersundertakinganassignmentinChina.LearnfromtheChinaExperienceofOthers!