Made in China
Overview of the book
Executives worldwide have studied and emulated U.S. entrepreneurs from Bill Gates to Michael Dell. Yet, we know next to nothing about the pioneers who are reshaping the world's second largest economy: China. In the face of murky ownership structures, inconsistent access to capital, shifting industrial policy, and other obstacles, an elite few Chinese firms have thrived during the turbulence of the last decade.
In Made in China, Donald N. Sull profiles eight of these formidable ventures to reveal the secrets behind their surprising success. Based on extensive research, including in-depth interviews and access to corporate archives, Made in China explores these entrepreneurs' winning strategies, from how they anticipate and maneuver through emerging threats and opportunities ("active waiting") to how they manage risks and how they consistently out-execute rivals.
Reviews and Awards
Selected as one of the top business books of 2005 by the Financial Times and the Public Forum Institute.
Financial Times, May 16 2005
"well worth reading as a lively guide to what makes Chinese entrepreneurs tick"
New York Times, November 20 2005
"argues that there is more to Chinese production than low-cost knockoffs... they are adept at using a "consumer pull" strategy, studying and responding to their customers' needs."
Barrons, September 5, 2005
"What gives Made in China its special appeal is the way Sull combines carefully selected case studies of major Chinese companies and the entrepreneurs who lead them with a fairly systematic philosophy of how to do business in uncertain and unpredictable markets. His previous writings on such places as Brazil have marked him as someone with a gift for distilling cogent management lessons from the experiences to be had in rough-and-tumble business environments... a book from which even veterans of the Chinese market can draw useful lessons"
Comments
"Sull's book accomplishes two challenging objectives: it develops a useful framework for operating in volatile economies and provides rich profiles of China's national champions. Sull is an emerging star in international management, and China is one of the world's most important and dynamic economies. Made in China is a wonderful confluence of talent and topic. It should be on every forward-looking manager's bookshelf."
--Robert E. Kennedy, Executive Director, The William Davidson Institute, and professor, Michigan Business School
"Sull has brilliantly used the case studies of China's leading entrepreneurs to frame a road map for navigating the dynamic and unpredictable markets of the twenty-first century. A must-read for those who want to create their own success stories."
--Bill Coleman, Founder, former Chairman, and CEO, BEA Systems, Inc.
"There is no economy in the world as important and yet as poorly understood as China's. In his penetrating book, Sull helps us understand what really happens in some of China's most important companies. Packed with both startling and reassuring stories, this book can help any entrepreneur seize the opportunities and manage the risk of trying something new."
--Bob Higgins, Managing General Partner, Highland Capital Partners
Case in point
Guangdong Galanz has risen from an obscure producer of duck down to the world's leading maker of microwave ovens. This case study tells the company's story an draws some broader lessons on managing relationships dynamically to succeed in an unpredictable world.
Managing relationships dynamically Ivey Business Journal. May-June.