Avez-vous un ouvert et esprit flexible et êtes-vous disposé à apprendre leurs manières, à les comprendre, à les apprécier, à les accepter et à les adapter et adopter dans votre approche d'affaires de la Chine ? C'est votre appel !

Est votre intérêt par matière de curiosité, faisant juste quelques « coups de pied de pneu ? »

What are your feelings about China, the Chinese?

≺ Where would you like your business to be with China in five years, ten years?
≺ How solid, specific, and detailed is your plan?
≺ When do you want be there?
≺ Why? This should be well articulated.
≺ What are your expectations?
≺ How many resources have you budgeted for China?

Here is a list of things I would recommend:

≺ Go to China as a tourist. No business. Just experience the place, the sights, the sounds, the smells, the music, the food, and the hustle-bustle of the busy streets. Sure, visit Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, but the real China is not in its international cities, but out in the second and third tier cities, in the countryside.
≺ It requires a total commitment from the top person in the organization. This is not something you delegate to a middle manager. To develop guanxi, save face and get things done, you will need the approval and support of the top man, both in the company you want to deal with and the government officials whose approval you require. Remember that China is a dictatorship, and operates hierarchically, with the top man, often hidden from the fray, granting the final approval. They only respect dealing with your top guy. Others will get the run around. You, the top man, must be prepared to make repeated trips to build guanxi. It might take months, maybe even years. How important is China to the future of your company? You will find shortcuts costly.
≺ Dedicate a responsible person within your organization here to shepherd this project. You need only show up for shaking hands, giving gifts, getting pictures taken, attending and extending banquets.
≺ Your dedicated man over there needs to liaison with two Chinese people. One should be a respected, experienced Chinese person in the industry you’re in, who knows the ins and outs and has already established guanxi with the proper government officials.
≺ The other person should be a smart, quick, well-educated, savvy, young Chinese recent graduate, fluent in English and Western expectations. She/he will be your go-fer in the labyrinths of China, dealing at ground level with the day-to-day activities on your behalf.

A major contributor to my success in China was my good fortune to have several young assistants to steer me through the shoals of being a foreigner in a strange land

≺ Helen in Beijing was so helpful in my first days.
≺ Vivian was my first assistant in Shanghai and I was her first boss. She now owns a successful re-location business dealing with foreigners. www.chinarelosh.com
≺ Agatha, who co-trained with me, provided Chinese translation.
≺ Shirley was very supportive after Lovy’s passing and assisted me in my transition.

These were intelligent, sensitive ladies who had a deep interest in English and Western ways. One day, while in a bookstore with Shirley I was surprised to see a book by Ralph Waldo Emerson. She said, “Oh, the transcendentalist!” She had never been out of China! Another day, she used the word “omnipotent” correctly, but in an off-handed manner. I hadn’t even heard a foreigner use that word in China.

They all were most useful in coaching and guiding me in my dealings with Chinese staff, clients and even management and played an important role in my job performance.

Over on this side of the water, hire a smart Chinese student who is studying over here as an intern to work with your dedicated manager here. He/she would be an invaluable asset on this side. Chinese like working with Chinese. They do not trust foreigners.

The questions you have to ask are:
≺ How open-minded and flexible am I?
≺ How committed am I and my organization to the China market?