Webcasts

Lee Kuan Yew, former Prime Minster of Singapore, once said "to be part of the Asian dynamism, Westerners do not need to become Asians in culture, in values, or in habits...but it is necessary for Westerners to understand Asians, to feel at ease with Asians and to make Asians feel at ease with them."

This statement is particularly applicable today for Western companies doing business in China. There is no doubt that China is and will continue to be a global hotspot for business. Yet many Western companies that rush haphazardly into China without fully understanding its business culture and mentality ultimately meet with failure. This webcast presentation first provides crucial information on investing in China and dealing with the recent unionization push and changes to labor laws. It then goes one step further to give insight into communication and management techniques that have proven effective in the Chinese business context. This 90 minute session will include the 60 minute presentation, followed by 30 minutes for Q&A.

The following topics will be covered:

• Introduction to China
  • Demographics
  • Chinese philosophy
  • Political structure
  • Economy
• Investing in China
  • Sourcing from China
  • Joint ventures
    • Joint ventures in China today
    • Risks/benefits of joint ventures
    • Case study
  • Acquisitions
  • Intellectual property rights (IPR)
    • Current IPR situation in China
    • Reducing the risk of IPR infringement
  • Dealing with Chinese competitors
• Latest Developments: Unionization and Employment Law in China
  • Unionization
    • The All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU)
    • Recent unionization trends
    • How to protect your company's interests
    • Case study
  • Employment Laws
    • New Labor Contract Law regulations
    • New Disability Employment Law
    • Enforcement and penalties
  • Future developments
• Overview of recent HR and recruiting trends in China
• Effective Communication in the Chinese Business Context
  • US headquarters - China office communications
  • Communicating with Chinese employees
  • US vs. Chinese cultural tendancies
  • Positive Chinese perceptions of Westerners
  • Negative Chinese perceptions of Westerners
  • Boss-employee relationships
  • Guanxi (networks)
  • The concept of "face"
  • The language barrier
  • Gifts and body language: small gestures that mean a lot
• Negotiating with the Chinese
• Managing Chinese Employees
  • Job titles and career advancement
  • Case studies:
    • "When Employees Abruptly Say Good-Bye"
    • The "I-can-do-better-than-you Syndrome"
    • Ensuring harmony among local Chinese employees