Ch 40: Good Days Part "Er"

Wednesday, Dec 20

Awesome day. Kicked off with another long walk (not to a buffet this time). Walking around JingAn Temple and looking at the buildings really gives you a sense of how much Shanghai has grown (and continues to do so). A lot of construction and demolition of older sections (which if you read the news is a sad thing but I've seen these places close up- they are pretty damn decrepit and dangerous to live in<-destroying them is not a bad thing). Kicked off my first meeting with a partner at a commodity research company (hot industry in a hot country). Great learnings on how lean company structures are necessary in most Chinese companies (as things move fast) and a good discussion on why Chinese companies slow down in growth once they get acquired by American companies (it's the structure and process- once the subsidiary is acquired decisions are slowed down and processes changes to the point where the company soon becomes at a disadvantage versus its pure Chinese peer set). I promised to follow up with him and discuss the branding challenges for his company <-key interest area of mine.

Afterwards I met with the China general manager of a engineering and consulting company. Awesome talk on innovation and the challenges of innovating in China. If you read the papers you'll hear "cultural this and that" with the Chinese and how it inhibits innovation. Short and simple that is bunk (or "rubbish" in Oxford). I think the culture that invented paper, the printing press, and gun powder might just have a bit more to contribute toward world-class innovation (just a bit).Chinese don't innovate because they are not incented to. The current incentive ($$) is in making things cheaper and faster to market. Once the lower end manufacturing market is saturated you will see higher end production and eventually RD which is the root of corporate innovation. IP laws will become effective at this point as locals will have incentive to protect their own creations. It's a process that still being played out.

I love the first hand knowledge and advice from folks who are out here on the frontier. It educates me! It inspires me! It gives me energy! You feelin' my flow?

Later that evening I ventured off to happy hour with SBS Alums at Barbarrosa- a beautiful 3 story Moorish(?) Architecture building/bar in the middle of RenMin Square. It's quite a site with it's golden glow on a clear winter night. Good company, great time. Life is "Hen Hao".