Check out the Baidu.com homepage (China’s biggest search engine) for an interactive dragon animation.

QUIZ: which famous Chinese animal is not part of the zodiac? And, why do you think so? Leave your answer in the comments area below!

RW3 CultureWizard

Whether you’re an expatriate or business traveler, part of a global team with members in China or working with Chinese customers, the following culture tips will prove essential to your success:

+ Relationships: Close and trusted relationships are fundamental elements of Chinese society, and in fact, China has its own brand of relationships, called guanxi. Guanxi can also be expressed as a complex network of relationshps that is core to Chinese life (see this blog post on the topic for more background on guanxi).

+ Communication: The Chinese can be quite direct (even blunt) if there is an already established relationship and if the status of the speaker is higher. On the other hand, Chinese can also be quite indirect in their communication. They often imbed a surface exchange with alternate meaning to help maintain harmony between parties and avoid direct conflict or the potential loss of face.

+ Negotiation: Chinese negotiators may respond to a question with another question. This allows them time to think carefully about their response and spares them the possibility of saying something that might offend the other side. In general, vague responses are given frequently, since they help retain group harmony.

+ Risk Tolerance: The best way to get changes accepted and implemented is to provide information concerning previous successes and the benefits that can be achieved for the organization. In more traditional companies, the fear of exposure, and the potential of embarrassment that accompany failure, continues to bring about aversion to risk and the need to thoroughly examine potential negative implications.

With younger generations and those who have been educated outside of China, you will interact with people who are not fatalistic, but rather believe that China’s future (as well as their own) is boundless and full of potential.

However, you may often hear the phrase “Mei banfa“. Molded by years of communism, many Chinese who work in government offices and other highly bureaucratic entities may believe their destiny is not within their control. This attitude is best expressed by, “you try your best, but if things don’t work out the way you wish, what can you do?” – or “mei banfa“.

- from RW3′s CultureWizard™ Country Profiles

RW3 CultureWizard

First, expectations of workers in multinationals are often much higher than in Chinese companies, so satisfying them becomes problematic even with strong human-resources practices…Second, Chinese-owned companies are typically more attuned to the culture of their workers and have fewer rules than foreign businesses. Third, foreign managers face language barriers and are typically less accessible outside work hours than Chinese bosses.

Despite all this, Roger Wolfe, chairman of the China-Australia Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, says,

Many skilled Chinese workers want to join…foreign companies to gain exposure to new skills and, in some cases, pursue postings overseas. Multinationals must get a number of factors right if they hope to prosper in China: a robust screening and selection process, clear job descriptions and definition of roles, ongoing training programs, a commitment to staff development, annual performance appraisals and feedback and succession plans to ensure all jobs are eventually ‘localised’.

So many of these factors are closely related to Chinese culture and the implications of major values that prove to be quite different from the usual HR tactics in Australia, US, UK and other Western countries.

For example, how does a foreign company recruit and hire in China? An understanding of guanxi and the importance of personal contacts in China is a good place to start. Advertising via word of mouth is one tactic the article encourages. A personal recommendation or reference is considered a valuable channel to quality candidates versus collecting a resume or CV from a pool of unknowns. The standard Western HR approach (using measurable, technical criteria along with a meritocratic philosophy) may not be the most effective way to find new employees. For even more insight into the particulars of recruiting in China, read the MRI Group’s 2011 Greater China Talent Environment Index.

How can foreign companies appeal to potential Chinese employees? Those who fail to acknowledge the paternal view Chinese companies have of their employers will not attract top candidates. Most Chinese expect the company to play a role in all areas of work and life. “In a hierarchical workplace, Western managers are often treated deferentially,” says Alan Morrell of Austrade Beijing. “But what goes with that are a set of expectations and mindsets about how a manager is supposed to behave and the leadership that you are supposed to provide.”

Managers accustomed to giving their teams autonomy will have to change their approach in China. Employees assume leaders will provide business goals, thorough training and precise instruction before they execute tasks. This is how Chinese staff set themselves up for success, and it requires a lot of background and peripheral information that an American would likely skip or gloss over.

The contemporary Chinese world view is also an important factor when considering the cultural approach to doing business in China.

Chinese employees are strongly nationalistic and justifiably proud of their country and its new-found strength in international markets. Therefore, Westerners must tread carefully when introducing new strategic and people-management approaches. Wolfe says ‘To directly challenge the Chinese way of doing business is a recipe for failure.’ Many Western managers entering China as part of a joint-venture deal make the mistake of trying to force their culture, values and business practices on employees, he says. ‘The key to success is listening and learning how business is typically operated in China, defining opportunities for improvement with the Chinese workforce, then practising effective change-management with employees.’

How does a company keep the momentum or popularity of a particularly foreign brand alive without bringing along its corporate culture? The plan for China must be carefully calculated, taking into account the needs of a Chinese workforce along with perceptions of working for a non-Chinese company.

The prescriptive article provides a sound plan for acquiring and keeping talent for foreign companies in China. The intercultural challenges of operating in China as well as in many parts of Asia can be costly without a deep understanding and appreciation of Chinese business, which companies can build through proper training and preparation.

If you have experience, what are the most important lessons you’ve learned about HR in China? What do you find most effective in preparing your workforce and leadership for business in China?

Sean

RW3 CultureWizard

A blogger in China uncovered a phony Apple Store in Kunming, China, the capital of Yunnan province in Southwestern China. It is neither an official re-seller nor a true Apple property, although the owners have gone to great lengths to mimic the style and feeling of typical Apple Stores.

Forbes.com picked up on this story and published some commentary.

The most interesting facet of this story is that both sources claim the employees of the store believe they work for Apple and Steve Jobs. I’m wondering if the employees are aware that they work for a store that has no connection to Apple other than the products they’re selling (authentic or not). For the employees to openly admit that they don’t work for Apple when the store is trying so hard to appear genuine would promote disharmony and would cause a loss of face, two things Chinese culture generally prohibits.

This also makes me think of the employment market in China and what attracts young Chinese to foreign companies. From both a cultural and generational perspective, I’d suspect innovative Western companies top the list. Do they? Read my related post on the employment market in China for more insight.

The demand for products with Western brands has had a robust consumer market for so long in China that fakes abound in places where the real thing doesn’t reach. What better place than a second or third-tier Chinese city? I wonder how this store’s management recruited it’s retail representatives. In any case, intellectual property as a concept does not fly so high in China.

Thoughts?

Sean

RW3 CultureWizard

Falkenberg points out how helpful the WorkingWith China course was and how cultural understanding will play an important role in the success of the conference itself.

Read her article on the strategies for success she learned from the e-Learning course.

Falkenberg writes:

I learned that I should expect more inference, indirectness and subtleties in conversations. The flow of information may not be linear so active listening is more critical. And to preserve “face”, its important to avoid openly criticizing or correcting others. When confrontation is necessary, I learned, using an trusted intermediary is preferred.

WorkingWith China provides practical advice for professionals in any field on being effective with colleagues, customers and virtually anyone you may interact with in China.

For more information on the WorkingWith series of country-specific e-Learning courses, and the other countries available in addition to China, please write us at info@rw-3.com.

RW3 CultureWizard

Emmanuel Uweche is his real name, and he gained popularity through China’s version of the TV show “American Idol”. He sings many classic Chinese songs, but infuses them with R&B, soul and other genres, which may be the key to his success. Listen to him sing in the video below.

The article goes on to draw a connection to China’s growing ties to and investment in Africa:

Some music industry experts in China credit part of his fame to the close economic and cultural ties — including friendship and exchange programs and other joint ventures — that have long existed between China and some African countries.

‘This is not just about Hao Ge,’ said Long Hu, 38, a music producer and talent scout…’It’s about China and Africa.’

This is an intercultural success story through and through. Do you know of any other unlikely star’s who have successfully managed to adapt to a new culture while finding celebrity?

Sean

RW3 CultureWizard