News Center



Home News Center News

How to Do Business in China?

Apr 18-2013   



 

--A “China Study Tour” Symposium for Marquette University

                                                                                                                                                By NING Jing

 

On the afternoon of May 28, 2007, our guests from Marquette University on “China Study Tour” held a symposium at BiMBA, in the China Center for Economic Research of Beijing University, on how to do business in China. Mr. Bruce Quinn, vice president of Rockwell and chief representative of Rockwell Automation China, Ms. Sarah Kemp, trade office of the US embassy in Beijing, and Dr. Michael Barbalas, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, were invited to the symposium, where they discussed with the students of the Marquette University how to do business in China by referring to their own experiences.

 

Ms. Sarah Kemp first displayed a beautiful “China dream” through a series of Sino-US trade data in 2006 and her own forecast of the Chinese consumption habits in the 20 years to come. She made a detailed comparison of the top ten industries in the Sino-US import and export trade in 2006 and figured out the US companies with the biggest export prospect in the year. Through analysis, she predicted the several industries where US companies might have the greatest development potential in future China. These industries include coal mining equipment, daily necessities, building equipment, cosmetics and related instruments, education and training, environmental protection, banking service, chain operation, medical equipment, nuclear power, oil/natural gas prospecting and processing equipment, retail sales, software, telecommunications and etc. Ms. Kemp also analyzed the huge market forces of China, for instance, the WTO accession and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She especially stressed the opportunity brought about by the ever-growing middle class in China. In the past ten years, China’s GDP has witnessed an indexed increase, resulting in the birth of a big number of middle class people with a very big buying power. And such a situation is still continuing. However, Ms. Kemp also pointed out the potential unfavorable elements in China, including intellectual property right, industrial certification standard, price war and etc. Last but not the least, she reminded the students that “everything is likely to happen in China, though not in an easy way!”

 

Mr. Bruce Quinn is the second speaker. By taking Rockwell as an example, he told the students of his own experience of doing business in China. He said that HR is a big challenge to business development in China, for most well-educated students in the country cannot take up a job directly after graduation. Instead, they need a fairly long period of training before being competent for the job. This results from many factors including language and culture. He also reminded the students that it is of utmost significance to keep a sound relationship with the government if you want to do business in China. He summed up that since the market status quo in China is very complicated, it is not easy to do business here, and one also needs to be adapted to China’s cultures and policies and be prepared for possible intellectual property right infringement and price wars.

 

After that, Dr. Michael Barbalas gave an overview of the opportunities and challenges during one’s business development in China. First, he pointed out that relationship plays a vital role in business development in China, especially the relationship with local government. He mentioned that the government is your business partner in China no matter what business you do, that one must follow some special policies and systems like the labor system, and that one must be familiar with the rules of the game whether you like it or not. Dr. Michael Barbalas reminded the students that China has a unique rule of the business and thus one needs to face up to various challenges from human resources, local governments and etc. if one wants to have successful businesses in the country. However, he also reminded them of the numerous opportunities in China, which, as a huge market, witnesses rapid growth in consumption needs. Many companies have seen the opportunities in China and have started competition against each other. Dr. Michael Barbalas encouraged the students, saying, “A winner is a real winner only if he or she succeeds in the China market.”

 

After the symposium, Dr. Jamshid Hosseini, director of the International Business School of the Marquette University, and LIU Qian, director of the Department of External Relations and International Programs of BiMBA, awarded gifts on behalf of their schools, to Mr. Bruce Quinn, Ms. Sarah Kemp and Dr. Michael Barbalas, to thank them for the participation and contribution

 

How to Do Business in China?

Apr 18-2013   



 

--A “China Study Tour” Symposium for Marquette University

                                                                                                                                                By NING Jing

 

On the afternoon of May 28, 2007, our guests from Marquette University on “China Study Tour” held a symposium at BiMBA, in the China Center for Economic Research of Beijing University, on how to do business in China. Mr. Bruce Quinn, vice president of Rockwell and chief representative of Rockwell Automation China, Ms. Sarah Kemp, trade office of the US embassy in Beijing, and Dr. Michael Barbalas, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, were invited to the symposium, where they discussed with the students of the Marquette University how to do business in China by referring to their own experiences.

 

Ms. Sarah Kemp first displayed a beautiful “China dream” through a series of Sino-US trade data in 2006 and her own forecast of the Chinese consumption habits in the 20 years to come. She made a detailed comparison of the top ten industries in the Sino-US import and export trade in 2006 and figured out the US companies with the biggest export prospect in the year. Through analysis, she predicted the several industries where US companies might have the greatest development potential in future China. These industries include coal mining equipment, daily necessities, building equipment, cosmetics and related instruments, education and training, environmental protection, banking service, chain operation, medical equipment, nuclear power, oil/natural gas prospecting and processing equipment, retail sales, software, telecommunications and etc. Ms. Kemp also analyzed the huge market forces of China, for instance, the WTO accession and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She especially stressed the opportunity brought about by the ever-growing middle class in China. In the past ten years, China’s GDP has witnessed an indexed increase, resulting in the birth of a big number of middle class people with a very big buying power. And such a situation is still continuing. However, Ms. Kemp also pointed out the potential unfavorable elements in China, including intellectual property right, industrial certification standard, price war and etc. Last but not the least, she reminded the students that “everything is likely to happen in China, though not in an easy way!”

 

Mr. Bruce Quinn is the second speaker. By taking Rockwell as an example, he told the students of his own experience of doing business in China. He said that HR is a big challenge to business development in China, for most well-educated students in the country cannot take up a job directly after graduation. Instead, they need a fairly long period of training before being competent for the job. This results from many factors including language and culture. He also reminded the students that it is of utmost significance to keep a sound relationship with the government if you want to do business in China. He summed up that since the market status quo in China is very complicated, it is not easy to do business here, and one also needs to be adapted to China’s cultures and policies and be prepared for possible intellectual property right infringement and price wars.

 

After that, Dr. Michael Barbalas gave an overview of the opportunities and challenges during one’s business development in China. First, he pointed out that relationship plays a vital role in business development in China, especially the relationship with local government. He mentioned that the government is your business partner in China no matter what business you do, that one must follow some special policies and systems like the labor system, and that one must be familiar with the rules of the game whether you like it or not. Dr. Michael Barbalas reminded the students that China has a unique rule of the business and thus one needs to face up to various challenges from human resources, local governments and etc. if one wants to have successful businesses in the country. However, he also reminded them of the numerous opportunities in China, which, as a huge market, witnesses rapid growth in consumption needs. Many companies have seen the opportunities in China and have started competition against each other. Dr. Michael Barbalas encouraged the students, saying, “A winner is a real winner only if he or she succeeds in the China market.”

 

After the symposium, Dr. Jamshid Hosseini, director of the International Business School of the Marquette University, and LIU Qian, director of the Department of External Relations and International Programs of BiMBA, awarded gifts on behalf of their schools, to Mr. Bruce Quinn, Ms. Sarah Kemp and Dr. Michael Barbalas, to thank them for the participation and contribution