Hello from Peking University,
It has been a whirlwind of meetings and travel this month. I now call visiting three countries in a week a “triple”.
There have been some interesting China business events recently, especially the United Airlines incident. Below are my comments on that – and my favorite China articles and books for April.
This is my monthly recommended China reading list.
Cheers, Jeff
– Articles –
China’s Mama Media Nurtures Next-Generation Parents
A fascinating look at how young Chinese mothers are replacing traditional thoughts and advice on parenting with social media.
In China, ‘Disney’ Deals Turn Out To Be Fantasy
Some great reporting by Sui-Lee Wee of the NYTimes – uncovering what appears to be some fake deals by someone who doesn’t appear to exactly be a master criminal.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/29/business/china-walt-disney-fake.html?_r=0
China’s Consumers Hate Airbnb’s New Chinese Name So Much That They Are Brainstorming a New One
Airbnb’s new name sounds funny in Chinese. And it can be translated to “love must be hard”. Chinese netizens are having fun with it.
Plans for a Quiet Corner of China Send Home Prices Soaring
The new Xiongan district near Beijing has shown that guanxi-related real estate still rules in China. A good summary.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/03/business/china-economic-zone-xiongan.html?_r=1
– Books and Reports –
Faraday, Maxwell and the Electromagnetic Field: How Two Men Revolutionized Physics
Not a China book (good ones don’t come out every month). But a stunning story. My favorite book of the past year.
The Party: The Secret World of China’s Communist Rulers
By Richard McGregor. Pretty much required reading for China.
– My Recent Articles –
United Airlines Just Got Dragged Down the Aisle by Chinese Consumers.
This was the first time United Airlines got a big reaction from Chinese consumers – and they didn’t see it coming. But they should have been playing smart offense and fast defense. They should have been ready.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/united-airlines-just-got-dragged-down-aisle-chinese-consumers-towson
How Hype and Greed Are Ruining Chinese Ride-Sharing (i.e., Mobike and ofo)
Looking at the bike-sharing business in China today, you see a nice, simple business that has been deluged with hype and money. You also see a lot of very questionable, non-economic behavior that will probably end badly, especially for investors.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-hype-greed-ruining-chinese-bike-sharing-ie-mobike-jeffrey-towson
3 Life Lessons From Lunch With Warren Buffett
I have written a lot about my trip with 20 Peking University students to meet Warren Buffett. A couple of ideas from that meeting have really stuck with me. As they are more personal than business, I am putting them under the heading of “Buffett Life Lessons”
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/4-life-lessons-from-lunch-warren-buffett-jeffrey-towson
– A Final Funny One –
Shenzhen Park Flooded with Thousands of Shared Bicycles
Some cool pictures of thousands of brightly colored bicycles.
https://shanghaiist.com/2017/04/05/shenzhen_bike_apocalypse.php
——–
Thanks for reading.
My writing (and speaking) are on how rising Chinese consumers are changing the world. (#ConsumerChina). This also includes work on:
- “China 2025″ – what a region transformed by Chinese consumers, companies and capital is going to look like. (#China2025)
Photo by Stefan Wagener on Unsplash
