DOING BUSINESS IN CHINA

CHINA'S METEORIC DEVELOPMENT HAS TURNED IT INTO A MAJOR GLOBAL PLAYER. BUT IT IS ALSO INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT TO AFRICA, AS AN ATTRACTIVE MARKET AS WELL AS A COMPETITIVE FORCE. IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR AFRICAN BUSINESSES TO ENGAGE WITH THIS RISING GIANT. BUT HOW SHOULD THEY GO ABOUT IT? THE ANSWERS ARE PROVIDED IN THIS GROUNDBREAKING TITLE. THE AUTHOR - A SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS STRATEGIST LIVING IN BEIJING - ARGUES THAT, IN ORDER TO SUCCEED, SOUTH AFRICAN EXECUTIVES MUST UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEMATIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHINESE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE, WHICH INCLUDE THE COUNTRY'S HISTORICAL CONTINUITIES, CULTURE, POLITICAL ECONOMY, AND ONGOING ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION. THEY MUST ALSO APPRECIATE THE OVERARCHING STRATEGIC SETTING PROVIDED BY THE DEVELOPING POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS BETWEEN AFRICA AND CHINA. FINALLY, THEY MUST ENSURE THAT THEY DEVELOP APPROPRIATE AND ROBUST STRATEGIES FOR THEIR CHINA VENTURES. IN THIS CONTEXT, THE TITLE DEALS WITH THE PROBLEMS SURROUNDING INITIAL ENGAGEMENT AN