5 Keys to Understanding China

by Ryu Jaeyun

A former Samsung negotiator with twenty years of experience in China shares his insights on Chinese culture as well as practical tips for doing business with the Chinese. Drawing on firsthand knowledge of the Chinese market, the author guides readers through the ins and outs of localization and negotiation. In China, he argues, a society deeply informed by a Sinocentric worldview, Western-defined global standards won’t get you very far; to succeed in doing business there, a correct understanding of Chinese national pride, among other things, is essential. The author is recognized as a China expert by the Chinese themselves, having even being invited to lecture at the Central Party School, where elite members of China’s Communist Party are trained. His vivid accounts of his own business dealings in China are interspersed with incisive commentary on the definitive elements of Chinese culture for a fascinating read. Supplying an array of Chinese proverbs and classical Chinese references for context, the author provides a wealth of instruction that is sure to benefit Western business professionals working and negotiating with the Chinese as well as the casual reader interested in learning more about China.

268 pages, Paperback

Published July 31, 2016

Reviews

[David Kent · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book should be a valuable resource for anyone looking to do business in China. Having returned from Beijing myself just days before receiving this book, I can also say it would be useful to individuals who travel to China and want to better understand the people and culture. The author is a long-time veteran of the Samsung Corporation, one of South Korea's biggest conglomerates. He lived and worked in China for over two decades managing Samsung's projects and negotiating with local and central Chinese officials. The book imparts that vast experience to the reader.

The "5 Keys" are each discussed in its own "Chapter," though each Chapter is subdivided into from five to ten subchapters. The keys include understanding the paradox of the Chinese, understanding the concept of "us," the idea of three currencies (in a broad sense), the critical importance of "guanxi" (aka, relationships), and the realization that Chinese businesses and individuals think on an extended understanding of time than do most non-Chinese cultures (including Korean). The author presents these concepts in generally clear discussions that businessmen should find extremely valuable.

I did find the book to be way too repetitive. Originally written in Korean and translated into English, the English isn't so much stilted as it is rife with colloquialisms, cliches, excessive similes, metaphors that may or may not work, and analogies that sometimes distract more than inform. And did I say it was repetitive?

These critiques aside, I do believe the book should be on the reading list of every foreign businessman who wants to do business in China. Those businessmen should also start boning up on their Mandarin because, according to the book, they are going to need it.

[Note: I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.]

[Vannoy Fite · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always had a longing to learn about the history and politics of China. To relieve some of those questions.