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G l o b a l I n t e l l i g e n c e
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Greetings!
Anyone
working with or in international markets should be spending a little
time each week learning about those markets, their people, and their
cultures. Unless we keep adding to our reservoir of knowledge, we
repeat the same actions and perhaps the same mistakes.
Look left
at our new series for members of the media, and please forward this on
to any journalists on your contact list. We'll invite a guest expert to
each session, and the focus will be on discussion and exchange.
(Non-journalists, we'll keep a few spots open for you, too...)
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Snapshot: Beijing
by Cynthia Brink
Cross Culture Communications
It's hard to tell how much people in China really know about us. Recently I gave a talk called
Understanding U.S. Americans
to a group of 40 English studients in Beijing (photo is from the actual
session). I started with some warmup questions designed to test their
English understanding and gauge their cultural perspective: "How do you
see Americans?" and "How do you think Americans see you?"
Sometimes
these questions yield interesting results that tell us a great deal
about what people are thinking, their assuptions and biases. The
answers invariably lead into a discussion about stereotypes; often
participants have never considered how others might stereotype them.
Here is what this group said.
How do Americans see Chinese?
curious
- good at cooking - "kung fu" - long black hair - pretty girls - good
at math - polite - clever but poor - hardworking - diligent - shy -
honest - excellent - hard to understand
How do Chinese see Americans?
creative
- dynamic - independent - adventurous - outgoing - open-minded -
attractive - greedy - rich - passionate - proud - naive - humorous -
self confident - selfish - tall - fat - sexy clothes - big eyes
I
was surprised at some of the ways they think Americans see them, and
surprised at their great command of English adjectives. I found this
group to be open, curious and determined for more knowledge about the
U.S. Many want to study here; others just want to do business with us.
They were in enthusiastic agreement that both countries must learn more
about each other, and said they wished Americans better appreciated the
quality of their products. Respect for Chinese quality seems not only
a matter of national pride, but individual, personal pride as well.
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China Braced for Pensioner Boom
by Quentin Sommerville
BBC News Shanghai
Every
day at 8am, home help Wei Qing arrives at pensioner Ge Qigong's
one-roomed apartment and sets about cleaning the cramped but tidy
space.
Ge Qigong (right) relies on the state to look after him
Mr Ge is not wealthy. Wei Qing's first job is to unlock the bathroom, which is shared by nine families.
"We're
just like friends," she said. "I've been looking after him for a year,
when I'm done with my chores we sit down and have a chat."
Her wages are paid by the Shanghai government. Mr Ge said he would not be able to afford to pay on his own.
"I
didn't get any pension from the pen company I used to work for," he
said. "I have to rely on the government, they give us RMB 460 (£30) a
month and they take care of our medical bills."
This level of care - his rent is also paid - is not uncommon in Shanghai.
Although China is still a developing country, the city is proud of the way it looks after its many pensioners.
But future generations of pensioners may not be so lucky.
Around
7.5% of the Chinese population is over 65, but in the next quarter
century that number will increase to 30%. It will be one of the
greatest demographic changes in history.
Read more from this BBC article
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Chinese Lessons
By Cynthia Brink
Cross Culture Communications
Recently,
my father and I were walking in a new mall in Beijing's Wangfujing
shopping district. The Chinese have a reputation for being good
traders, and everywhere we found assertive, but usually polite,
techniques. My father is a traditional Midwestern No
rwegian type, tall and fair, with a military bearing. He does not do cosmetics.
Which
brings me to the cosmetics department in a high-end department store.
Herds of 20-somethings were handing out perfume samples and selling
miracle creams. But one woman in particular managed to defeat the
Goliath that is my father.
She did not flirt or flatter - at 5
foot 2, she manhandled, cajoled, chattered - until she got him to sit
down. "I can help with those wrinkles" she said in broken English. "And
see these spots? I have perfect product for you. Please sit down.
Five minutes only. Please."
She worked. Toner first, then
serum, then cream, then a cotton cloth with adhesive under the eye.
"Do this 8 weeks, all spots gone." My father sat patiently for fifteen
minutes before starting to make excuses to leave.
I stood by,
not having any of it, simultaneously annoyed and extremely amused.
This was MY father sitting at the cosmetics counter with a perfumed
swath stuck to his eye. This was one for the record books.
Could
this be a metaphor for what China is doing commercially, worldwide?
Even Mexico and Peru have been courted extensively. The US has had the
aggressive role in world commerce for 60 years or more. Have we met our
match?
Ask my father.
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See
for yourself what we can do. Contact us for a pro-bono, 1-hour sample
training -- for decisionmakers, for employee resource groups, or for
project teams. To learn more, email me at the address below.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Brink
We Connect to China and Cross Culture Communications
info@crossculturecommunications.com
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