 |
Ten years down the line
Business / Other
Written by : Birthe Eriksen
Jul 3, 2008
Tags :
|
| From overlooked, provincial satellite to modern industrial hub boasting international companies and living standards to match, Suzhou has undergone a remarkable transformation during the last decade. Matching this growth prices for property, and land in particular, have also shot up, with the gap between Shanghai and Suzhou prices diminishing every month.
In the beginning it was Suzhou New District (SND) spearheading this development. Foreign companies invested millions in factories with luxury compounds springing up to house their newly arrived workers. Supermarkets were the next big arrival along with the obligatory KFC outlet in most of them.
But within a few years it was the ambitious plans for Suzhou Singapore Industrial Park (SIP) that was gaining all the attention. What were once farms and rice fields have now become brightly lit boulevards and towering apartment blocks. And as expectations rose, so too did standards. Many villas and apartments today have central air ... ... |
| [read more] |
 |
When money isn't everything
Business / Other
Written by : Rebecca Chow
Jul 3, 2008
Tags :
|
| When news of the Sichuan earthquake broke on Monday, May 12, Thomas Scholz quickly realized he was in a better position than most to make a significant contribution to the relief effort. As the general manager of Laerdal Medical based in Suzhou's SND, he has spent the past five years providing emergency medical supplies and equipment to a number of projects on the Chinese mainland. The most recent involves training volunteers to give CPR and heart compression to people who fall ill during the Beijing Olympics; a time when hundreds of thousands of extra visitors are expected to descend on the capital. As part of this project Laerdal has been working closely alongside Professor Lee Zong Hao, Chairman of the China Association of Disaster and Emergency Medicine, who has since assumed a major role in directing quake relief efforts while making regular TV appearances about its progress. "You could say that we were very lucky in already having the know-how and the contacts to be able t ... ... |
| [read more] |
 |
China in your hands
Business / Other
Written by : Rebecca Chow
Jul 3, 2008
Tags :
|
| As a rising economic power with seemingly endless opportunities, it's little wonder investors are currently falling over themselves to get into China. And although they might envisage it as a great place to do business, this is only true if budding entrepreneurs are aware of some basic ground rules. First up, do your due diligence! All too often expats complain of not being able to adjust to their new culture, and this is after living here for considerable lengths of time. Chinese nationals - in common with all of us - feel the need to be heard and appreciated. And while some local people have excellent English language skills, there remain significant and genuine culture-based differences in communication that can't be ignored. For example, if someone answers a question with the response "OK," this might only be to express awareness of the subject at hand, and not necessarily agreement with what is being said.
Building relationships, or guanxi in Chinese is importan ... ... |
| [read more] |
 |
where I can put another small story.
Business / Other
Written by :
Nov 4, 2008
Tags :
|
| Last month we looked at how to attract talent to your organization. So, as a natural progression, this month we'll look at retaining the talent you already have. Data informally gathered via a cross-section of businesses in Suzhou reveals staff turnover rates as low as 3 per cent in some organizations, and as high 38 per others in others. This variance is massive. Another source of data from our recruitment division shows the average length of service in a sample company of mid level employees to be approximately 18 months. These two facts suggest that, unless we are willing to accept the managerial challenges of a constantly changing team, conscious efforts in terms of retention mechanisms are needed. What could cause such a difference in turnover rates? The first consideration is respective salary levels. Each company was subjectively categorized in terms of above average, below average and average salary levels. There was no direct correlation - except a tendenc ... ... |
| [read more] |
|
Suzhou's overseas investments
Business / Other
Written by :
Nov 4, 2008
Tags :
|
| Work has begun on a luxury hotel resort in Fiji entirely funded by Suzhou investors. Construction workers will fly to the South Pacific island later this month after the official ground-breaking ceremony took place in October. According to statistics released by the Foreign Trade and Business Bureau, Suzhou businesses have interests in a number of overseas projects such as a hotel in Ethiopia , luxury houses by Australia 's Great Barrier Reef and a number of tourist attractions in Mauritius . The bureau estimates the level of foreign investment at US$176million in the first eight months of 2008. ... ... |
| [read more] |
|
The Recruitment Challenge
Business / Other
Written by :
Oct 29, 2008
Tags :
|
| Suzhou 's competitive, and overly buoyant employment market, poses significant challenges to many companies in that demand exceeds supply in terms of serious talent and experience. The first stage of meeting this challenge is to acknowledge the differences in the local employment market from the employment markets of the west. This can create a learning curve for expat managers, but can also mean political battles on recruitment strategies between local and international HR departments.
Once it's acknowledged that a lot of companies are competing to recruit the exactly the same pool of talent, the question is how to succeed in that battle. No longer are we simply advertising for a position and evaluating each candidate; we are also entering into a sales and marketing exercise at the same time. And as with any sales and marketing campaign, we should start by analysing our target markets needs. So what are the experienced and talented sections of the Su ... ... |
| [read more] |
|
Turning wine into profits
Business / Other
Written by : Paul Collins
Oct 29, 2008
Tags :
|
| Browsing the shelves of TESCO on a Saturday afternoon isn't usually fertile ground for life-changing experiences. But that's exactly what happened to Ann Wang in September 2001 while she was studying for her MBA in Britain . "I was amazed because it was the first time I'd seen so many different varieties of wines" she recalls of her supermarket epiphany. "We had nothing like that in China at that point." At the time, the Zhengzhou-born banker had just abandoned her 12-year career with the Bank of China hoping for a change of direction, and during that shopping trip the seeds of a new ambition were sown. But while Ann and her colleagues recognized there was a lucrative gap in the market (the nearest Chinese equivalent was Tonghua grape juice mainly taken as a tonic by old people), they were also mindful of the 120 per cent custom duties on imported wines. "We also realized it was very difficult to get the proper import documentation because the industry ... ... |
| [read more] |
|
EXECUTIVE TOYS
Business / Other
Written by : Steven Millward
Oct 29, 2008
Tags :
|
| A small number of foreigners are already driving in Suzhou , but that number is set to rocket now the driving test can be taken in English, French, German, and a few other languages. So, GPS will be needed to keep you en route. Here are three of the best, that you can easily buy in Suzhou or online:
Lonston A45
This Lonston model is the priciest of this month's picks (expect 1,500 RMB in electronics malls), but not the best. The build quality feels disappointing, and the maps that it comes bundled with look the most dated, and don't appear as detailed as the competitors offerings. The specifications are fine, though, with a 4.3 inch color screen, Windows CE 5 operating system, touch-screen, support for those ubiquitous little SD flash cards, and a good positioning accuracy of a claimed three meters.
Eroda LH900
The cheapest - at 1,000 RMB with a bit of haggling - and quite a bargain, though it do ... ... |
| [read more] |
|
Business lunch of the Month: Renaissance Brasserie
Business / Other
Written by : Paul Collins
Sep 23, 2008
Tags :
|
| For anyone who still labors under the impression that Suzhou is a city caught in a time warp, a trip to SIP's Renaissance might prove instructive. Easily the hippest place in town to stay, the hotel is particularly popular with creative, arty types – what trendy demographers commonly refer to as 'Generation X' (those born between the late 1960s and early 1980s). The appeal is easy to fathom: an interior design of clean, cool lines, bold colors and minimalist furnishings. Yet, it's not all a paean to modernism and the overall space presents a beguiling mix of both new and old, evident in subtle leitmotifs of Suzhou 's history including intricate water features, bamboo walls and old-town landscapes. The restaurant is equally unconventional; an open plan space that looks out onto the lobby and adjoining bar, and is the perfect place for people-watching. Not that you'll need much distraction from an eclectic menu of cosmopolitan dishes that suits the hotel's ... ... |
| [read more] |
|
Succeeding In Suzhou
Business / Other
Written by : Brad Wise
Sep 1, 2008
Tags :
|
| How to attract, manage and retain talent
"The strength of an organization lies in its people." In the context of building a successful business in Suzhou this quotation holds significant value. For western firms - and Expat managers in particular - the delicate task of building a team that really works can be one of the largest challenges.
Cultural differences make this all the more complex. The subtle but significant differences in terms of managerial style; motivations; beliefs and goals can leave an expat manager no longer trusting their instincts and trying to manage in a way that is alien to them. Many international managers, experienced in cross cultural situations, would suggest the key is to try to understand the differences and then tweak their own natural style – so retaining the benefit of their life-long experiences and, most importantly, authenticity. All however, comment that this takes both time and mistakes.
... ... |
| [read more] |
|
|
