"I was reminded that when we lose and I strike out, a billion people in China don't care."
My guess is that they'll care sometime in the near future. Did you hear the news? China's Haier just bid $1.28 billion for Maytag. Nothing to worry about, right?
Here's what I don't understand. A few years ago I was asked by a client if I would entertain sitting on a board of a large Chinese manufacturer. "They're looking for expertise in brand development," was the reason I was given.
I started wondering, "What would prevent the Chinese from buying other international talent; like star athletes, product designers, game developers, film makers, etc. Doesn't talent follow the money?"
Earlier this year, Lenovo Group Ltd. bought the PC-making unit of IBM. TCL Corp. has been active, buying the cell phone making assets of France's Alcatel SA and the TV-making assets of France's Thomson. Oil company CNOOC Ltd. has expressed interest in U.S. oil company Unocal Corp., and China's Minmetals Corp. has considered Canadian mining firm Noranda Inc.
What does - or doesn't - this all mean? My gut tells me that it means a lot! Am I missing something? While your contemplating future scenarios, here's an interesting article on Haier from McKinsey: click here.
Posted June 22, 2005
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Tom is timely, thought provoking and all about the new brand vision packaged as a Seinfeld stand up. I went to school on his ideas.
Jeff Taylor, Founder, Monster.com and CEO, Eons.
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thanks, tom, for great article.
what does that all mean?
it means nothing. nothing, except america is being invaded. but that’s ok. same thing happens to europe. and we all love change and diversity, don’t we? it is the future, it breeds the new.
“re-imagine! not your father’s world.” as tom peters likes to put it.
true. it is not gonna be our fathers’ world.
“conflict with china is not an option”
is the title of a recent article of henry kissinger in the iht. next to it was a cartoon-drawing of a us-map with "made in china" written all over it.
funny enough most chinese news-services published this harshly titled article with a picture of kissinger receiving a battle sword as present on the recent visit he is referring to in this article.
eg:
http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/xw/t199492.htm
-
chinese humour that is.
but despite the harsh title, the article has not much to say but, hey, the world order is changing...
kissinger seems to have lost perspective here a little bit and the words he chooses are borrowed from his hay-days in the cold war years. but they do not seem to fit.
-
re-imagine! ...not your fathers' world.
...
china goes shopping.
so what?
or better: why?
one reason is: owning can be a damn fast path of learning.
and personally i would always prefer to sell to somebody who has got a cause than to sell to some "gordon gecko"-like investment bankers.
wouldn't you too?
and china has got a cause.
and that is also wonderfully illustrated in the mck interview tom linked here.
...
as it is:
it is not all black or white. in fact in our case it is going to be white (and some black) and a lot of yellow.
... stupid joke.
there are lots of emotions on both sides of the medal.
eg: quite positive and almost enthusiastic newsweek's farred zakaria http://www.fareedzakaria.com/articles/newsweek/050905.html
china - threat or treat.
impossible to tell.
AND THAT - TO MY CONCERN - IS POSITIVE IN ITSELF.
so we will all learn a little bit dialectics here!!!!!
and those who eagerly discover design, innovation and right-brain thinking as "secret weapon" against chinese manufacturing power should apply some of their love for the new found principle of balance on a larger scale.
this is not a rat race, stupid!
china is your yang!
and this, indeed, is not an option.
Posted by: jens | June 22, 2005 at 06:43 AM
Don't forget the frenzy doesn't stop to mainland China and the targets aren't always American. Taiwan's BenQ (part of Acer) just bought Siemens' mobile phone unit, has the right to use the Siemens brand name for a while and can co-brand for an extra few years afterwards.
Posted by: Stefan | June 23, 2005 at 12:59 PM
"..that when we lose and I strike out, a billion people in China don't care."
Wrong !~! Thats what we think !!
The reality of the "Yang" (aka chinese) is simple... they let us think what we want to think and then harverst what they need. They have become true capitalists in a communist state ! --
They are exactly what is called as the "american dream soceity" - the chosen few are rich, powerful with plenty.. and to hell with the rest of the 5.4bilion people elsewhere !!
Its only in this case, its the chinese who are creating this dream machine.. wait till they take the oils companies !!!
$60 crude oil/barrel ?? wait till its used as the strategic economic tool for them to begin the demise of what is called amercia's.. and then EU's !!!
The true battle of might and power will be fought between India and China !!
Posted by: /PD | June 24, 2005 at 02:42 PM
"China is definitely asserting itself in the global marketplace. But will the Chinese turn out to be the shrewdest of dealmakers -- or just the buyers of last resort for ailing companies? The answer to that question will make all the difference."
via:
businessweek
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_27/b3941067.htm
Posted by: jens | June 28, 2005 at 12:24 PM