Getting Along with the Chinese: For Fun and Profit

by Fred Schneiter

Getting Along With the For Fun and Profit (Travel/China) [Paperback]

Genres: China, Nonfiction, Asia

Paperback

First published October 1, 1992

Reviews

[Sharon McCue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read. I purchased the book back in 2001 on a trip to Hong Kong, and just got around to reading it. (It's in my vast collection of books to read--when I retire.... Now, since I have nowhere to go and ran out of things to do, I'm reading. With China in the forefront as of late, I started reading this book. It's entertaining and written by a guy who happens to be the US Wheat Associates' Vice President for Market Development. (I happen to be from Kansas, so the wheat references rang true.)
It was insightful and provided me the opportunity to remember our trip to China back in the day and what we ate, and what we experienced. It enjoyed the author's sense of humor.

[Shell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book and wonderful to read up on some of the lighter side of getting along with the Chinese. I work with one and some of what he has taught me, I also learned from reading this book so it is pretty accurate. I showed my business partner the cover of this book and he laughed his head off when he saw it.

[May Ling · Rating 3 out of 5]

While a little on the stereotype side, I suppose it is best to read this if you have no interaction with doing business in China. It certainly is very different to do business in China than in the US, but I don't know that you'll get all you need from this book.

[Harold Citron · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and fun read, reminds me of several business books I read about how to get along with the Japanese when I was just getting my first job for a Japanese corporation.

There are several themes and underlying views, about how to deal with the 'mysterious culture of the Orient'. It was interesting to see some similarities between the two major Asian economies, especially surrounding the issue of 'Face'. Other similarities included obfuscation of decision makers, and looking for non-verbal cues and body-language hints.

The only chapter I had an issue with was the one titled "Chinese mice don't eat cheese". The flaw here is not with the discussion on China, but the fact that no mice actually eat cheese because it is lethal to them. Instead, mice actually prefer grain (hence the presence of farmyard cats around the world).

While things may have changed somewhat business-wise since the book came out, it is a enjoyable light read about Chinese culture, with a dash of history and business sense thrown in.

[Muhammad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book will make you laugh. Very well written, however there was more for fun side than business side.

[Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for anyone who visits China.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dated now, but a great read for a westerner heading out to greater China for the first time