Essay on Rationale to Choose China for Business

Born and brought up in Singapore, the author acknowledges that Singapore and China share a lot in common regarding cultural business practices. Over the years, the Chinese have forged a unique and fruitful working relationship in Singapore than any other foreigners. Additionally, the Chinese have learned a lot regarding the country's business ethics and have gone ahead to excel in almost all areas of the country's economy. Additionally, they have established sustainable business deals that have stood against challenges over the years. Many of the authors, relatives and personal friends have established themselves in China successfully forming the primary rationale for choosing China as the country of choice to transact with on business deals. In fact, a large community of the author's relative and friends have often urged him to relocate and forge better business deals with the Chinese in Beijing. On the other hand, the country's peace and deep cultural history offers the author a unique enterprising environment to start a thriving business dealing in the manufacture of fast moving commodities such as household items e.g. soap, detergents, and chemical solutions for school laboratories.

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Although this is only on a small scale, the author has often considered China as the best retirement country in the world and especially in Asia. While it remains the most politically stable regions in South Asia, it also has a vibrant and enterprising ready market. Its vast population and diverse, deep historical culture gives it a unique blend as compared to neighboring countries (Kim 2009). While most countries in South Asia have had deep-seated hostilities with its neighbors, China has stood as the symbol of economic growth, power, and stable social cohesion. The author believes that the country offers the best environment for establishing a local company manufacturing home based and fast moving products such as soap and detergents.

China and Singapore share close cultural practices that stem from many years of economic activity and political connections. In fact, over the years, the two countries have had an amicable and peaceful relationship politically, apart from a few incidences of tension involving the South China Sea. The spat between the two nations has often led to high tensed moments with China threatening Singapore of dire consequences. However, nothing is of alarm as the situation has often come under control.

Cultural Study of China

Primeval China

Archaeological study and investigation reveal that the earliest people in China date back to approximately 2.25 million years ago. The first modern Chinese is traced back to the Liujiang region in which a cranium was found, aged 68,000 years old (Feng 2013).

Earliest Dynasty

Zhou Dynasty dated back in 1046 up to 256 BC remains the earliest iron age of the country. Taoism and Confucianism were founded in the Autumn and spring period during the 722 476 BC.

Imperial China

The Qin is recognised to have established a central government, bringing together the legal code, the country's currency, and development of the written Chinese language. The Great Wall of China was laid by the Qin Dynasty and later reinforced in AD 1368-1644 during the Ming Dynasty (Feng 2013). Subsequent rulership of the country created a lasting cultural identity that is present to this day. For example, the Han leadership expanded the countrys territory that reached to Vietnam, Korea, Central Asia, and Mongolia. Additionally, it helped in the establishment of the Silk Road. Over the last few decades, China was the largest and leading economy. After the Song Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty fell in 1279. However, the Ming Dynasty is recorded to have established the modern day culture of China. It is linked to a prosperous economic pillar of the country, a flourishing culture and art, in addition to the vast development immediately after the Industrial Revolution.

Late Dynastic Rulership

The Qing Dynasty was the last ruler of the country. It gradually awoke to the impact of Western nations. As it slowly opened up to trade and other economic activities, it came face to face with global challenges such as the Arrow War that took place between 1856 and 1860. According to Feng (2013), the two wars resulted into a terrible trounce for China. In 1856 and 1860, the country signed the Treaty of Tianjin and the Beijing Conventions respectively, moves that opened up trade with other nations and the establishment of the state's economic development plan and the "unequal treaty structure. It resulted into many territories of the country taken over by other nations.

Modern China (Republic of China) -1912 -1949

On the medium scale, China's industrial growth occurred after 1911; this is in spite of the country's political turmoil. During the First World War, development peaked, and demand for domestic commodities increased (Feng 2013). Manufacturing industries were set up, for example, the county's textile Industry, bread factories, and the agriculture sector. Despite the fact that the region was seriously hit by the Great Depression, it recovered, and by 1931, it was on its way to a fully fledged Industrial country.

Modern China

According to Feng (2013), the Communist Party of China took control of the country in 1949 when the Chinese Civil War ended. With the establishment of the countrys Cultural Revolution, the country made a significant leap economically and a major upheaval in the social setup of the country. The change of guard upon Mao's death (1976), led to many deaths. Surviving locals received large track of land that saw increased incentives in addition to improved agricultural productions (Feng 2013). As the Communist Party lost grip of the country and Hua Guofeng reinforced his power, China transitioned from its planned economy to the mixed economic plan. The move saw an increased open economy commonly referred to as "market socialism. In 1989, street protest, by students, aggravated by high levels of corruption and undemocratic principles sprung all over the country (Moran et al., 2010). However, they were dispersed by PLA troops a move that left many casualties. However, the event left a negative feeling amongst the international community. As a result, many sanctions were put on the government with the "Tank Man", episode becoming famous. With the change of guard, Zhu and Jiang's ten-year rule improved economic performance pulling over 160 million people out of poverty and increasing the country's GDP to 11.3 percent, culminating in becoming a member of the World Trade Organization in the year 2001 (Kim 2009).

Chinese Business Culture

Building cordial business relations remain the most critical way of overcoming the challenges of doing business in a country as vast and as highly competitive as China. The Chinese cultural aspect differences from one place to another within the country and understanding the differences remain key to excelling in establishing a good business rapport with the locals. For example, in China, every person is shaped differently and dealing with them calls for a lot of caution. It is held and believed that a little knowledge about the cultural aspect of doing business in China is risky while following its customs and local should form the primary focus of every business person making grounds in the Country. According to Yang (2012), getting to know an individual at a personal level, face to face, and finding out their actual level is important. The ability to forge a mutual relationship with a person during a business deal is paramount while and before building a personal business relationship (Yang 2012). Although Westerners make on trade deals even before becoming friends, the Chinese insist on the philosophy of growing and succeeding in becoming friends first before engaging in any form of business. Additionally, behaving decently, politely, and patiently while not delaying a business judgement offers the best reasonable opportunity to succeeding in doing business in China. On the other hand, taking the time to develop personal tie presents an unusual approach to understating the individual one will be dealing with at a business level. To make matters easy, introductions through a trusted liaison can give a valuable antidote to opening many opportunities. The constructive ways of the business environment offer no short cuts to building and establishing a good relationship with the locals (Lee 2010). While most business deals with the Chinese involve the use of Chinese language, Singaporeans majorly use British English. Their entrepreneurial culture has few rules, and they prefer formal arrangements on even minute business deals. However, to a great extent, Singapore culture is greatly influenced by the Chinese who constitute a significant portion of their population,

Amongst the Chinese, "saving face" plays a critical role in maintaining a professional relationship at any given level. For example, keeping a calm temper even when the situation is dire can offer disproportionate dividends. For example, visitors and new business entrants are often advised to ask for guidance when they are not sure of how to take care of a given situation. It is a known fact that the Chinese do not like dealing with companies and business entities they do not know. On the other hand, being responsive to the needs of customers and government representatives remains a fundamental aspect of succeeding in China. Patience, commitment, flexibility, and dedication of both money and resources is critical to achieving success in the country (Lee 2010). Additionally, the ability to give focus to details on managerial issues, persistence, realism, and resilience offers critical attributes necessary to succeed in the country.

All successful business deals and transaction result from the careful cultivation of the Chinese business ethics and all foreigners are often urged to focus on building a successful relationship before any business transaction/deal evolves. The above underlying differences entail the key to establishing any form of business in the country.

The decision to choose China as the country to do business with results from the close cultural connection between Singapore and the country. Singapore and China share a lot of cultural practices in trade and social circles. In fact, the business environment of Singapore seems to have many Chinese nationals than even the locals. In Singapore, networking remains the most important aspect of building a formidable business relationship. Individuals and business aspirants use workshops, training events, and conferences to meet prospective business partners. On the other hand, showing respect to elders and keeping the focus on the social status and the level of an individual is necessary (Ferraro & Brody 2015). Business deals, decisions, and transactions often take a group perspective than a single aspect. While the Chinese focus on friendly and trustworthy personal connection, in Singapore, the focus is given to group connection and decisions are made through consensus (Alsagoff 2009). While the Chinese have little time to bargain, in Singapore, the art of haggling over business deals is part of playing fair in business. A unique feature in Singapore on the business arrangement is that, if a business deal closes, the practice of exchanging gifts is critical and is considered as a leeway to future interactions and transactions, a practice that is undertaken in group settings.

Hofstedes Cultural Dimension

Geert Hofstede's cultural dimensions illustrate the impact of a given culture of a community of the locals, and how the cultural practices of the society relate to the general conduct of its members (Taras et al., 2010). The table below illustrates the five dimensions along with their values.

Fig 1...