Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Though you might think this is the same the world over, it's somewhat exaggerated in
China. In countries like America people are more likely to understand that it's a business
relationship, but here that line between business and personal friendship gets a little muddy.
In the States you might say that you're “having dinner with a business partner,” but in China
it would be “having dinner with a friend.” Business is more family oriented, more integ-
rated into your social life, and more likely to dip into areas that you might consider person-
al. In the West, this tends to happen more at the executive level, in China it happens whether
you're an assistant or a CEO.
Drinking culture is heavily integrated with business culture in China. Depending on the
nature of your job, you may find yourself under constant pressure to go out drinking with
your colleagues, get sickeningly drunk, and even follow through with a bonding night at
karaoke (KTV). While nothing businesslike may seem to happen on nights like these, you'll
probably find that within the following few days things will get rolling.
Hierarchy is an important part of office life here, and it's rare to be on a first-name
basis with anyone senior to you, particularly in a very local company. Senior people are fre-
quently referred to by their title, such as
Lì J
ī
ngl
ǐ
(Manager Li) or
Zh
ā
ng L
ǎ
osh
ī
(Teacher
Zhang), or at the very least
Lì Xi
ǎ
ojie
(Miss Li) or
Zh
ā
ng Xi
ā
nsheng
(Mr. Zhang). Short
of bowing, extreme deference is often shown to the “elites” of society. I was once told a
story of two Chinese colleagues who spent six hours debating the wording of a single text
message that was to be sent to a government official.
Transparency of Chinese companies is a common issue faced by foreign businesses, and
bribery and corruption are deeply imbedded in the local society. There are many interna-
tional companies in Beijing that successfully take a firm stand and refuse to become part
of it. On the ground, however, particularly for smaller enterprises, it can make day-to-day
life difficult if you do insist on not “tipping” the right people. Approvals may be stalled if
not rejected, and you might find there are constant knockings on your door to assess your
standards. If you're setting up shop or business, it can be helpful to chat with other busi-
nesspeople in the same complex or industry about their experiences and advice.
If you are bringing new ideas, they will definitely be embraced, but perhaps with much
more enthusiasm than you might actually want. While the government is making efforts to
tighten laws on IP theft and trademarking, enforcement is limited and it's still extraordin-
arily common for budding entrepreneurs to steal ideas and run. Many locals agree it is a
problem, but it's a widespread issue and something often done with apparent indifference.
An American interior designer friend of mine designed a chic and very popular bar in San-
litun. One night she was sitting at a new bar in town and noticed the striking similarity in
