【09.12.31 CNN】Top 10 biz mistakes in China

連長

Top 10 biz mistakes in China

http://business.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/31/top-10-biz-mistakes-in-china/

Posted: 034 GMT

Sam Goodman is a Canadian who went to China in 1995 to study Mandarin. Along the way, a craving for Western sandwiches made him an accidental entrepreneur, as creating food for foreign students turned into the restaurant “Beijing Sammies.” Goodman eventually opened five locations with a 100-person staff and $1 million in revenue. Goodman got out of the sandwich business and is now a management consultant and chief operating officer of Climate Action, an environmental services company. But his experience as an entrepreneur in China – navigating a nuanced landscape of cultural, political and economic hills to climb – led to his book, "Where East Eats West: The Street Smarts Guide to Business in China."

[flv]http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/js/2.0/video/evp/module.js?loc=int&vid=/video/business/2009/12/30/int.goodman.china.biz.cnn[/flv]

                                'Where East Eats West'   4:05

CNN's Pauline Chiou interviews author Sam Goodman on tips on how to start a business in China.

                                           Source: CNN | Added December 30, 2009

Goodman shares his short list of top biz mistakes Westerners make in China.

1. Any variation of “doing-things-like-you -did-back-home.”

You’re not back home anymore.

2. Overestimating the mystique of Face and Guanxi (network/relationship)

Understanding the concept of face in China is important, but Goodman says don't over-mystify it. To put it simply, face is appearance over substance. Goodman writes, "It's not just what you say, but how you say it.  Did you say the right things? (What you thought doesn't really matter.)"

3. Misunderstanding how (much) Face and Guanxi affects your business.

"In the West, if you make a mistake it's understood that this happens. If you fall off your horse, you get back on. In China if you do something wrong, your family loses face. That's much more important."

4. Seeing China as one market

"Western Companies need to understand that China is really many markets (just like Europe) with different characteristics."

5. Miscommunication

China is a “high context” communication culture, which is to say the words used is the least important tool. The situation – how, when and who is saying what – speaks more than words.

6. Thinking a contract is binding

"In the West, a contract is black and white. In China, it's relationship based. Don't be surprised if after you sign a contract in China, the Chinese come back and want to re-discuss a clause."

7.  Long term goals with no term implementation

"Large corporations come into China with a 'long term strategy", then bleed money month after month, year after year always thinking that things will turn around in a few years and the bleeding period is necessary to 'lay a foundation'."

8. Confusing language skills with management or business skills

A good Mandarin or English speaker doesn’t necessarily mean they have a head for business.

9. Assuming price and quality are connected

"Westerners tend to think: the higher the price, the higher the quality. In China, asking a high price is an issue of Face."

10. Managing by remote control

In his book, Goodman writes, "Folks here like to make deals eyeball to eyeball with people they know who also know other people they know."

Posted by: CNN Correspondent/Anchor, Pauline Chiou
Filed under: Business • China

oushen

有人翻译吗？

oushen

没有小的来试试~~~~

Sam Goodman is a Canadian who went to China in 1995 to study Mandarin. Along the way, a craving for Western sandwiches made him an accidental entrepreneur, as creating food for foreign students turned into the restaurant “Beijing Sammies.” Goodman eventually opened five locations with a 100-person staff and $1 million in revenue. Goodman got out of the sandwich business and is now a management consultant and chief operating officer of Climate Action, an environmental services company. But his experience as an entrepreneur in China – navigating a nuanced landscape of cultural, political and economic hills to climb – led to his book, "Where East Eats West: The Street Smarts Guide to Business in China."

Goodman shares his short list of top biz mistakes Westerners make in China.

Sam Goodman是一个加拿大人，他与1995年赴中国学习普通话。在这过程中，人们对于西方三文治的喜爱及需求让他偶然地成为了一个企业家：为外国学生提供食品，经营北京三美色食品公司。Goodman最后开了五家分店并且有了100名员工以及100万的年收益。他离开了三文治的生意，现在的他是一个经营顾问兼气候应对活动——一间环境服务公司的首席营运总监。他在中国做生意的经验——如何在中国这一微妙且不同那个的文化、政治及经济环境中行进——让他写下了一本书：当东方品味西方：通往中国生意圈的智慧之路。
在此书中，Sam和我们分享了一个短小的清单，上面列着在中国做生意时十大容易犯的顶级错误。

1. Any variation of “doing-things-like-you -did-back-home.”
You’re not back home anymore.
1 任何类似于“在家怎么做在中国就怎么做”的想法
记着这里不是你原来的国家。

2. Overestimating the mystique of Face and Guanxi (network/relationship)
Understanding the concept of face in China is important, but Goodman says don't over-mystify it. To put it simply, face is appearance over substance. Goodman writes, "It's not just what you say, but how you say it.  Did you say the right things? (What you thought doesn't really matter.)"
2 过分地估计面子与关系的神秘性。
虽然面子和关系二者在中国很重要，但是Goodman说了，绝对不要过分地神秘化它们。简单地说，面子就是事物的外在表现。Goodman写道：“面子不仅仅是你说了些什么，还包括了逆势怎么说的。你用正确的方式说了吗？（反而你怎么想的倒不是真的那么重要了）”

3. Misunderstanding how (much) Face and Guanxi affects your business.
"In the West, if you make a mistake it's understood that this happens. If you fall off your horse, you get back on. In China if you do something wrong, your family loses face. That's much more important."
3 误解了面子和关系究竟对你的生意有多大的影响。
在西方，如果你犯了一个错误，这是可以理解的。如果你掉下马来，你只要骑回去就好。但是在中国，如果你做错了事情，你的家庭就会丢掉了面子。而这是很重要的。

4. Seeing China as one market
"Western Companies need to understand that China is really many markets (just like Europe) with different characteristics."
4 把中国当成一个市场
西方的公司需要了解的是，中国市场其实是有许多不同特点的市场组成的（像欧洲一样）。

5. Miscommunication
China is a “high context” communication culture, which is to say the words used is the least important tool. The situation – how, when and who is saying what – speaks more than words.
沟通失误
中国是一个对沟通交流有着深度内涵的文化，也就是说，言语通常是最不重要的沟通工具。比言语重要得多的则是当时的环境——怎样说、什么时候说以及是谁说的。

6. Thinking a contract is binding
"In the West, a contract is black and white. In China, it's relationship based. Don't be surprised if after you sign a contract in China, the Chinese come back and want to re-discuss a clause."
6 认为合同是有约束力的
在西方，合同就是白纸黑字，板上钉钉的事情，这是人们建立商务关系的基础。但是在中国，你千万不要惊讶于当签署了一个合约之后，中国人又回来想要重新讨论其中某个条款。

7.  Long term goals with no term implementation
"Large corporations come into China with a 'long term strategy", then bleed money month after month, year after year always thinking that things will turn around in a few years and the bleeding period is necessary to 'lay a foundation'."
长期的计划以及漫漫无期的履行
大型的企业通常都是带着他们的长期战略计划进驻到中国，然后就开始月复一月的榨取钱财。同时不断地想，事情总是会在几年之内好转的，这一过程是为了打好基础所必需的。（不懂bleed money在此是榨取还是被榨取……）

8. Confusing language skills with management or business skills
A good Mandarin or English speaker doesn’t necessarily mean they have a head for business.
8 把好的语言和好的管理及经营混淆
一个人拥有一口流利的普通话或者流利的英语并不意味着他同时有着良好的商业头脑。

9. Assuming price and quality are connected
"Westerners tend to think: the higher the price, the higher the quality. In China, asking a high price is an issue of Face."
9 假设价格和质量是成正比的
西方人通常认为，价格越高，质量越好。但是在中国，要高价往往是由于面子使然。

10. Managing by remote control
In his book, Goodman writes, "Folks here like to make deals eyeball to eyeball with people they know who also know other people they know."
远程控制经营
在Goodman的书中写道，在中国，人们愿意和他们认识的，并且双方都有着朋友交集的人进行更为密切的交往。

連長

没有小的来试试~~~~

Sam Goodman is a Canadian who went to China in 1995 to study Mandarin. Along the ...
oushen 发表于 2010/1/3 00:28

感谢翻译，这篇文章很值得一看，看看外国人怎么看待在中国做生意，可以说很具有代表性。

整理一下，按照格式发到外媒编译板块吧。感谢

oushen

回复 4# 連長


    连长同志 你这不为难我么……  我才初中程度呢……  不知道该咋发……

連長

回复  連長


    连长同志 你这不为难我么……  我才初中程度呢……  不知道该咋发…… ...
oushen 发表于 2010/1/3 01:08

初中程度有权限发的。你可以参看http://bbs.m4.cn/thread-159695-1-1.html