Success or Failure: Communication is Critical in China

The CEO in China faces two major responsibilities.  The first is to explain the local realities to the senior management regionally and at headquarters.  The second is to manage government relations in China.  Both tasks involve bridging different business cultures and languages.  Success or failure hinge on managing both processes well. Chinese government officials expect that the CEO is in charge of managing government relations.  CEOs deployed to China tend to be experts in their fields, but they are often not experts on doing business in China, and they struggle trying to blend Eastern and Western communication styles. Based on interviews conducted for her books, Ms. Underwood shares helpful insights for international managers in China to succeed in these areas.