Business Republic of China: Tales from the front line of China’s new revolution
by Jack Leblanc
BUSINESS

PRESS RELEASE

May 21, 2008 – For immediate release

TIMELY BOOK ON CHINA SHOWS THAT EAST-WEST UNDERSTANDING IS CRUCIAL TO SUCCESS

Hong Kong – With tensions between China and the West rising to the highest levels seen in decades, the publication of Business Republic of China could not have come at a better time. Author Jack Leblanc’s message is simple: for Western businesspeople to succeed in China, they must understand the cultural differences which drive Chinese and Western behaviour.

“From a Western perspective, many things are done differently in this part of the world, and misunderstandings are common. I learned this the hard way,” said long-term China resident Leblanc, who has been involved in numerous business ventures in the Greater China region for the best part of 20 years. “Cultural sensitivity is the key. To do well in China you must carefully adapt your strategies.”

His approach was praised by leading business figures with experience in the PRC.

“This is no boring read about the theoretical ‘dos and don’ts’ of operating a business in China,” said Rizal Wijono, Regional Director of Deutsche Asset Management (Asia). “This is a hands-on inside view of how investments will go belly-up if no attention is paid to the peculiar market conditions of China.”

“This book goes beyond regular seminar fare and reveals the real pitfalls posed by the cultural divide,” said Josh Green, CEO of Europcar Asia Pacific.

“Each chapter of this book is written in story form and represents a different situation that foreign investors in China are likely to find themselves in – disputes over intellectual property, staffing issues, corruption, or the control of joint ventures,” said publisher Pete Spurrier. “These are based on real experiences, and Leblanc tells us how these problems are often created with the unwitting help of foreign investors, who jinx their own investments even before the first products roll off the production line. Often, joint ventures turn into joint adventures, and WFOEs (wholly foreign-owned enterprises) turn into UFOs (unauthorized financial obligations) because expectations diverge the moment the bottle of baijiu rice wine is opened to seal a deal.”

“This is valuable background material for anyone planning to do business in the PRC,” Spurrier added, ”or for Western managers with long track records in China who might want to look at their operations from another angle. I’m sure many will uncover some interesting shenanigans going on in their own China ventures.”

Leblanc is modest about his success in business but believes any level-headed entrepreneur can do the same. “With common sense, a good product, a bit of luck and an open mind, anyone can succeed in China,” he said.

About the Author
Belgian native Jack Leblanc has a Masters in Nuclear Engineering and an EMBA degree from Rutgers University, New Jersey. He has lived and worked in China since 1989. In 1995, together with his Chinese business partner, a lawyer by profession, he established a firm in Beijing assisting Western and Chinese companies with their legal and commercial endeavours. Over a period of 19 years he has experienced first-hand the initial wave of joint ventures entering China, differences in work ethics that complicate co-operation across business cultures, and the metamorphosis of Chinese businesses into top-class enterprises.

Book Details
Title:                 Business Republic of China: Tales from the front line of China’s new revolution
Genre:              Non-fiction/Business
Author:             Jack Leblanc
ISBN:               978-988-99799-04
Format:            Paperback, 248 pages
Pub date:          April 2008
Cover price:       US$14.95
Purchase link:   www.blacksmithbooks.com/9789889979904.htm

Further Information
Pete Spurrier at Blacksmith Books, Hong Kong: Tel. (+852) 2877 7899

END

新聞稿

2008年5月21日 – 即時發放

及時著作——展示了理解明瞭東西文化為致勝要訣

香港 – 在今天，當中國和西方社會的緊張關係到達了近幾十年來的最高點，成為了新書《中華貿易共和國》的最適合不過的出版時間。作者Jack Leblanc想傳遞的訊息很簡單：西方商人要在中國成功地做生意，他們必須了解中西文化差異，並由此導致的不同的行為模式。

“從一個西方人的角度來看，世界的這一端很多事情的處理方法與我們的世界都不相同，誤會經常有之。我就是從痛苦中學會這個道理。” 遷居中國多年的Leblanc，過去在大中華地區的黃金20年裡，曾參與各樣不同的合資企業，他表示，”對文化差異的靈敏度是關鍵所在，要在中國成功，你必須要小心策劃。”

他的處事方式受到擁有中國營商經驗的商界領導人物所稱許。

德意志資產管理（亞洲）地區總裁Rizal Wijono表示：”這並非一般沉悶的中國營商「該做和不該做」等的理論著作，而是實際現況的內幕，展示任何外資企業如果不注意中國獨特的市場狀況，將會怎樣導致破產。”

Europcar Asia Pacific行政總裁Josh Green指，“本書走出一般研討項目的框框，揭示文化差異背後真正蘊藏的陷阱和危機。”

“本書的每一章均以故事形式，表達了外資企業在中國可能遇到的各種問題——有關知識產權的爭議、員工事宜、貪污問題，或控制聯營企業等。” 出版商Pete Spurrier續說：”這些故事都是根據真實的經驗寫成，Leblanc告訴我們，西方投資者如何不智的製造了這些問題，而且還禍不單行，往往在其產品還沒有面世時，已經把自己的投資項目搞垮了。”聯合投資”經常成為了”共同探知”，WFOEs（全外資企業）往往成為了UFOs（非法融資債企），原因就是在”摸白酒杯底”談生意及決定投資項目的同時，雙方對計劃預期的前景早已出現了嚴重分歧。

Spurrier並補充：” 本書提供了寶貴的背景資料，予有意計劃到中國做生意的人。而不少長年於中國做生意的海外經理們，或者也可以從另一個角度去探視他們在中國的企業營運。我想他們大部份將可以在自己的投資企業內，發現不同而有趣的詭計和鬼把戲。”

Leblanc很謙虛地面對他的成功，並相信所有頭腦冷靜的企業家都可以做到他所達到的；他指出：”但凡擁有常識、優良產品、少許運氣、以及開明的思維，所有人都可以在中國獲得成功。”

有關本書作者

比利時籍Jack Leblanc於美國新澤西羅格斯州立大學（Rutgers University）取得核子工程學碩士及工商管理碩士(EMBA) 學位。他於1989年起於中國工作及居住，並於1995年與其當律師的商業伙伴共同在北京成立公司，為不同中外企業提供法律上或商務上的協助。在過去19年間，他親身經歷了中國首度出現合資企業的風潮，面對中西商貿文化與工作理念的差異，如何加深了相互合作的困難和複雜程度，以及中國民企如何蛻變成為出類拔萃的國際知名企業。

著作詳細資料

書名: Business Republic of China: Tales from the front line of China’s new revolution
（中華貿易共和國：中國新改革下的第一手前線故事）
類型: 非小說 / 商務
作者: Jack Leblanc
ISBN: 978-988-99799-04
釘裝: 平裝本, 248頁
出版日期: 2008年4月
門市售價: $14.95美元

門市或網上訂購: 各大書店， www.amazon.com 及附屬網站, 或登入 www.blacksmithbooks.com (亞洲區內免費郵寄)

資料查詢

香港Blacksmith Books出版社Pete Spurrier先生
電話. (+852) 2877 7899

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