Comments on: China’s Biggest Challenge for Developing the West http://www.chinavortex.com/2008/03/chinas-biggest-challenge-for-developing-the-west/ China | Business | Economy | Internet | Technology Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:03:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Chris http://www.chinavortex.com/2008/03/chinas-biggest-challenge-for-developing-the-west/#comment-3947 Chris Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:41:22 +0000 http://www.chinavortex.com/2008/03/chinas-biggest-challenge-for-developing-the-west/#comment-3947 I continue to be amazed when expats refer to Beijing and Shanghai as "tier one" cities, but then leave out Shenzhen. Shenzhen is, in terms of GDP/capita, the richest city in China and is in many ways ahead of Beijing and Shanghai on the value chain (Shenzhen houses tech startups, not bulky SOEs). Then again, Shenzhen doesn't have any tourists attractions or as many pretty buildings and has a much smaller expat community, so I suppose that makes it tier two. I continue to be amazed when expats refer to Beijing and Shanghai as “tier one” cities, but then leave out Shenzhen. Shenzhen is, in terms of GDP/capita, the richest city in China and is in many ways ahead of Beijing and Shanghai on the value chain (Shenzhen houses tech startups, not bulky SOEs).

Then again, Shenzhen doesn’t have any tourists attractions or as many pretty buildings and has a much smaller expat community, so I suppose that makes it tier two.

]]> By: The People's Republic of Capitalism | The China Vortex http://www.chinavortex.com/2008/03/chinas-biggest-challenge-for-developing-the-west/#comment-3372 The People's Republic of Capitalism | The China Vortex Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:47:29 +0000 http://www.chinavortex.com/2008/03/chinas-biggest-challenge-for-developing-the-west/#comment-3372 [...] Yesterday I had the opportunity to watch Part 1 of Ted Koppel’s documentary series The People’s Republic of Capitalism on the Discovery Channel. Instead of going to Beijing and Shanghai, the normal stops for most first-time visitors to China, Koppel went to Chongqing, a city I have visited and written about. [...] [...] Yesterday I had the opportunity to watch Part 1 of Ted Koppel’s documentary series The People’s Republic of Capitalism on the Discovery Channel. Instead of going to Beijing and Shanghai, the normal stops for most first-time visitors to China, Koppel went to Chongqing, a city I have visited and written about. [...]

]]> By: Terry http://www.chinavortex.com/2008/03/chinas-biggest-challenge-for-developing-the-west/#comment-1803 Terry Mon, 07 Apr 2008 04:39:26 +0000 http://www.chinavortex.com/2008/03/chinas-biggest-challenge-for-developing-the-west/#comment-1803 Shanghai's original glory in the 20's and 30's was a result of this migration of top talents and the resulting melting pot led creativity and freedom from old rules. I quite honestly much prefer to hire "wai di" people in Beijing to those who are native to this city with all their social and family obligations. I have also had a fair amount of experience with recruiting people for 2nd tier cities (recruit laterally 2nd tier to 2nd tier is the strategy here, and preferably not from the same province - strong local prejudices in play!). One major draw about BJ and SH is children's education as High School students from these cities have much better top college prospects than from elsewhere in China, and this is one area that has to be addressed in terms of talent retention/attraction in places like Chongqing. Having said all that, I have also noticed the slow trickle of professionals from Shanghai and Beijing back to home cities, to be closer to aging parents, to have a more relaxed pace of life etc., and I do believe that this reverse trend will accelerate in time. This brain gain phenomena also applies to the increasing number of inquiries I get from Chinese professionals overseas who are in their 40's and 50's and have aging parents to take care off. Great post Paul. Shanghai’s original glory in the 20’s and 30’s was a result of this migration of top talents and the resulting melting pot led creativity and freedom from old rules. I quite honestly much prefer to hire “wai di” people in Beijing to those who are native to this city with all their social and family obligations. I have also had a fair amount of experience with recruiting people for 2nd tier cities (recruit laterally 2nd tier to 2nd tier is the strategy here, and preferably not from the same province - strong local prejudices in play!). One major draw about BJ and SH is children’s education as High School students from these cities have much better top college prospects than from elsewhere in China, and this is one area that has to be addressed in terms of talent retention/attraction in places like Chongqing.

Having said all that, I have also noticed the slow trickle of professionals from Shanghai and Beijing back to home cities, to be closer to aging parents, to have a more relaxed pace of life etc., and I do believe that this reverse trend will accelerate in time. This brain gain phenomena also applies to the increasing number of inquiries I get from Chinese professionals overseas who are in their 40’s and 50’s and have aging parents to take care off.

Great post Paul.

]]> By: nicolasz http://www.chinavortex.com/2008/03/chinas-biggest-challenge-for-developing-the-west/#comment-1787 nicolasz Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:33:46 +0000 http://www.chinavortex.com/2008/03/chinas-biggest-challenge-for-developing-the-west/#comment-1787 Interesting post, but I think there is a counter argument. Shanghai Beijing look cosmopolitan now - but think about what they were like 10 years ago. In fact each time I go to these second tier cities I feel transported back to Shanghai of that period. And this is not only in regards to environment but also to the people. If large companies create opportunities in those cities, first of all more of the talented people may stay, rather than being forced to move to Shanghai, and second (and more importantly) those large companies will start training the workforce. Shanghai has taken ten years to reach where it is today - and many of my friends I now see as cosmopolitan and capable of working in any international environment are only able to because of their ten years in those international companies. But it is true that Shanghai Beijing will aways be ahead - but even if the US has only 3 top class cities, there are still San Fran, Austin, Dallas, Washington, Portland which are all pretty damn happening. Interesting post, but I think there is a counter argument. Shanghai Beijing look cosmopolitan now - but think about what they were like 10 years ago. In fact each time I go to these second tier cities I feel transported back to Shanghai of that period. And this is not only in regards to environment but also to the people. If large companies create opportunities in those cities, first of all more of the talented people may stay, rather than being forced to move to Shanghai, and second (and more importantly) those large companies will start training the workforce. Shanghai has taken ten years to reach where it is today - and many of my friends I now see as cosmopolitan and capable of working in any international environment are only able to because of their ten years in those international companies.

But it is true that Shanghai Beijing will aways be ahead - but even if the US has only 3 top class cities, there are still San Fran, Austin, Dallas, Washington, Portland which are all pretty damn happening.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.chinavortex.com/2008/03/chinas-biggest-challenge-for-developing-the-west/#comment-1773 Anonymous Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:27:27 +0000 http://www.chinavortex.com/2008/03/chinas-biggest-challenge-for-developing-the-west/#comment-1773 I'm not sure where you got your information on the population of Sichuan, but what I see on Wikipedia is it's about 85 million people. I think you are counting Chongqing as still part of Sichuan, but it was split off a few years, thus making Henan the largest province in China. I’m not sure where you got your information on the population of Sichuan, but what I see on Wikipedia is it’s about 85 million people. I think you are counting Chongqing as still part of Sichuan, but it was split off a few years, thus making Henan the largest province in China.

]]> By: danny http://www.chinavortex.com/2008/03/chinas-biggest-challenge-for-developing-the-west/#comment-1765 danny Sun, 30 Mar 2008 12:17:02 +0000 http://www.chinavortex.com/2008/03/chinas-biggest-challenge-for-developing-the-west/#comment-1765 Interesting post. I'm currently in the Shapingba district of Chongqing, and plan on launching a software startup here in the next few months. I would say that for an industry like ours, location can be important - but generally is less important than other industries. It's possible to find examples of interesting software projects that have sprouted up out of random locations all over the world (Wordpress, or Skype for instance). On the other hand - you can check this post by Mark Andreessen, and consider his career advice to smart fresh graduates. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/pmarca/~3/164867428/the-pmarca-gu-1.html Interesting post. I’m currently in the Shapingba district of Chongqing, and plan on launching a software startup here in the next few months. I would say that for an industry like ours, location can be important - but generally is less important than other industries. It’s possible to find examples of interesting software projects that have sprouted up out of random locations all over the world (Wordpress, or Skype for instance).

On the other hand - you can check this post by Mark Andreessen, and consider his career advice to smart fresh graduates.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/pmarca/~3/164867428/the-pmarca-gu-1.html

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