China Manufacturing Secrets

China's focus is to become the manufacturer to the world. Their rate of expansion is 15% or higher over the last few years and is maxing out many of the resources of the country and world. Commodity prices for metal, concrete and other natural resources have skyrocketed. Chinese power plants can not produce enough electricity to keep up with the industrial production that is going on in their country.

What is their secret to such prolonged manufacturing growth? First and most important, the government in Beijing decided many years ago that if China was going to be a world power. They will need to manufacture goods. They saw it work in Japan and obviously, they knew it worked in the United States.

They knew they had a technologically advanced workforce. Factories had been manufacturing electronic components since the 70's and early 80's. Not only are the Chinese technologically advanced, they are a very hard working culture.

So to speed up up their progress, they put a plan in place to grow as fast as possible. In order to do that, they invited manufacturers from Taiwan to establish plants in mainland China. Many manufacturing operations in China started with relatively small sales and now produce $500 million to $ 1 billion in sales in less than 15 years. It's incredible! The Chinese government has made their mission to be "The Manufacturer to the World". It's working. I wonder why the United States government does not place more value on our manufacturing expertise?

Second, the Chinese people work very hard, six days a week, 10-14 hours per day. There is a tremendous amount of incentive for them to work hard. For many, the quality of their lives and the lives of their family can increase many times over.

Third, the timing is perfect. Technological advancement in machine tools has made it easy for anyone to make products faster, cheaper, better. As more products are being made and being shipped worldwide, transportation costs are reduced. Products are being manufactured all over the globe, sometimes in the most unlikely places creating a "virtual unlimited supply".

Manufacturing has become a core competency. Niches are being carved out in all corners of the globe.
China has uncovered the secret to creating a powerful economy and country. China has uncovered a big secret. But I don't think the US Government will ever find out.
Carl Kruse is a consultant and sales executive in the manufacturing field. He can be reached at carl@krusetechnologies.com . His websites are http://www.manufacturingtips.com and http://www.chinamanufacturingrofits.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carl_Kruse

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International Business Etiquette

"To have respect for ourselves guides our morals; and to have a deference for others governs our manners." Lawrence Sterne, Irish novelist & satirist (1713 - 1768)

Etiquette, or good manners, is an important part of our day to day lives. Whether we realise it or not we are always subconsciously adhering to rules of etiquette. Much of the time these are unwritten; for example giving up your seat to a lady or elderly person, queuing for a bus in an orderly fashion according to who arrived first or simply saying “please” or “thank you”. All are examples of etiquette; complex unwritten rules that reflect a culture’s values.

Etiquette accomplishes many tasks. However, the one noteworthy function that etiquette does perform is that it shows respect and deference to another. By doing so it maintains good interpersonal relationships. Ultimately, it could be argued, etiquette is about making sure that when people mix together there are rules of interaction in place that ensure their communication, transaction or whatever it may be goes smoothly.

We all now how we or others feel when a lack of etiquette is shown. If someone jumps the queue, does not thank you for holding the door open for them or forgets to shake your hand, we naturally feel disrespected and perturbed.

International Business Etiquette

Keeping the above points in mind, now consider the complexities of working on the international stage. Modern business is global and demands people travel to foreign countries and mix with foreign clients, colleagues or customers. Each one of those cultures will also have their own etiquette rules, many of them unwritten. When two or more different cultures mix, it is easy for small etiquette mistakes to be made that could have negative consequences. Just as you may have felt annoyed when a foreign businessman did not shake your hands upon greeting you, imagine how your Chinese client must have felt when you wrote on his business card or your Indian colleague reacted when you flatly rejected an offer of a meal. Sometimes, not understanding the etiquette of another culture means you show a lack of manners and as Lawrence Sterne said, a lack of deference. This can and does lead to soured relationships, lost deals and in the end poor business results. Anyone working on the international stage needs to understand international business etiquette.

International business etiquette manifests in many shapes and sizes. Throughout the world people from different cultures have varying etiquette rules around areas such as personal space, communication, gift giving, food, business meetings and much more. For those wanting to make a good impression and understanding of international business etiquette is crucial. By way of introducing some of the key areas within international business etiquette we shall look at the following common areas...

Business Card Etiquette:

When you exchange business cards (even if you exchange them) do you simply pass it over and forget about it? In many countries the business card has certain etiquette rules. For example in the Arab world you would never give or receive a business card with your left hand. In China and Japan you should try and use both hands to give and receive. In addition it is always good etiquette to examine the card and make a positive comment on it. Whereas in the UK it may be OK to sling the business card into a pocket, in many countries you should always treat it with much more respect such as storing it in a business card holder.

The Etiquette of Personal Space:

How close do you stand to people? Is it impolite to touch somebody? What about gender differences? In the Middle East you may get very touchy-feely with the men, yet one should never touch a woman. A slap on the back may be OK in Mexico but in China it is a serious no-no. Touch someone on the head in Thailand or Indonesia and you would have caused great insult. Without an appreciation of international business etiquette, these things would never be known.

The Etiquette of Gift Giving:

Many countries such as China and Japan have many etiquette rules surrounding the exchange of business gifts. International business etiquette allows you an insight into what to buy, how to give a gift, how to receive, whether to open in front of the giver and what gifts not to buy. Great examples of gifts to avoid are anything alcoholic in Muslim countries, anything with four of anything in Japan and clocks in China.

The Etiquette of Communication:

Some cultures like to talk loudly (US and Germany), some softly (India and China); some speak directly (Holland and Denmark) others indirectly (UK and Japan); some tolerate interrupting others while speaking (Brazil) others not (Canada); some are very blunt (Greece) and some very flowery (Middle East). All will believe the way they are communicating is fine, but when transferred into an international context this no longer applies. Without the right international business etiquette it is easy to offend.

By way of conclusion we can state that etiquette helps maintain good relations with people. When dealing with people from a shared culture, everyone knows the rules and there is not much to think about. Those that lack etiquette are branded as uncouth and rude. However, this is not the same when working on the international stage. Someone may very well come across as being rude through a lack of etiquette but this may be because in their culture that behaviour is normal. As a result international business etiquette is a key skill for those wanting to be successful when working abroad. Through a great appreciation and understanding of others’ cultures you build stronger and longer lasting business relationships.
Neil Payne is Managing Director of Kwintessential, a consultancy specialising in a range of Intercultural Communication services.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neil_Payne>

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