The genesis of this article, which is the beginning of an ongoing series, came out of a conference this fall at Bard College titled The Intellectual Origins of the Financial Crisis.  Liah Greenfeld, Boston U. Political Science Professor, stated her prediction for the future of the United States.  "The USA will become like Switzerland but without the banks, making chocolate and cuckoo clocks for the Chinese consumer."  Dr. Greenfeld went on to ask, "Who are the Chinese?  Does anyone here know anything about them or their culture?"

We hope this series begins to answer this question for the GTBP readers.  Also, since the GTBP news site is soon to be translated to Chinese (and German), to assist North American based companies make headway in China, it might be good to have some experts give us their opinion and feedback.  I picked the five starting questions and passed them on to three acquaintances who are all American 30 something males who met and married a Chinese lady while working in China.  Today, one couple lives in Beijing, one lives both in Washington DC and Beijing, and the other relocated the family just up the Hudson River in New York.  I found that Mark Warholak's answers encompassed the replies from the other two gentlemen.  Mark also is a writer and will be continuing this series for the GTBP.org.  Enjoy!  Rob

By Mark Warholak

When speaking of a culture as large, geographically and culturally diverse as China, one can easily fall into gray-area generalizations, and even statements that may come across as negative. This is certainly not my intension, and if the following inadvertently falls into one of these pits, then it is a shortcoming in my writing , not perspective.  Although a Western ‘Laowai',   I learned to speak fluent Chinese, and even though I've now returned to the states after spending years living in Mainland China, I still speak only Mandarin at home to give my son a proper base in such a vital language for the 21^st Century. 

What were your first few inaccurate stereotypes and/or common stereotypes that Westerners have of the Chinese?

 Communism ≠ collectivitism.  Chinese can be fiercely individualistic in business and very opportunity driven.   The lure of short-term gains often trump the potential of long term growth relationships.    Many competitors were former employees.  Watch the expenses very closely, and internally limiting the flow of information is usually the best defense.  It's a culturally accepted method of management as it effectively happens on all levels of society.  Although some high profile organizations have said that there is great cultural capacity for teamwork, I have seen little evidence of this in my own experience.

Debate and speculation of issues of international significance is not a common cultural pastime in China.  This kind of exchange is rarely a gratifying experience.   

Media influences our perspectives, as it does theirs.  Don't expect them to match.  But also keep in mind that I have witnessed first-hand a number of instances where the Western account of events were somewhat further from fact  than what that proclaimed by the China state-controlled media.  Probably the biggest misconception that Westerners have about the Chinese is that they are yearning to be "free."  This is just not the case.  Most are very content with the opportunity to conduct business and grow their personal wealth.  Culturally speaking, they value a stronger state and are very proud of their history and their rising place in the world.  They do not place such a high value on personal freedoms as we do in the West.  This does not mean that they believe that the current system is perfect or just, but most feel that it can be handled internally through gradual reforms.  Often they will willingly sacrifice some personal freedom for higher sense of security for themselves and their families.  

How do government officials who make the equivalent of $1200/month drive BMWs?  It's not always the simple answer of corruption.  There is a huge economy outside of employer/employee, and a majority of personal income, regardless of industry, happens in this grey area. 

What are the first and most common stereotypes that the Chinese have of Westerners?

many of the generalizations are incredible and not at all subtle.   Westerners do this.  Black people are like that. These statements are frequently made publicly, with no embarrassment.  Some of them are so pervasive and that they really make one me wonder about the origins.  One of my personal favorites: all western children address their parents on a first name basis. 

In business, a common stereotype of Westerners is that they are comparatively lacking when it comes to numbers, and are easy to fleece they don't care about detail.

What do you find are the most unique characteristics of the Chinese people, different from other Asian cultures like the Japanese and Koreans?

I often use the following analogy to explain to this concept to westerners:  Japanese :British :: Chinese: Americans.  Entrepreneurial and individualistic with all the characteristics that come with it - tenacious, focused, driven and unyielding.

How is the role of the family different that then the American family?

 Family values are big in China.  Really big.  Though the definition differs fundamentally from the US.  It is NOT religion, community, or even necessarily monogamy.  Family is such a core cultural value in China that it can still hold strong, even in the face  of falling short in one or even all of these categories.   Often the extended family provides one's core network of ‘guanxi' so the family unit is vital in everything from getting certain government business opportunities, or getting one's child into the proper high school or university. 

How is the Chinese dream different then the American dream?

The pursuit of a better life is common to both, but different in specifics .  In America, the common dream is usually an equilibrium between financial security and happiness, which generally outweighs the pursuit of wealth for its own sake.  China is the reverse.  Amassing and displaying great wealth is top priority, ranking usually just below family in importance.   Outward appearances are very important.  People will go to great lengths to sacrifice personal comforts at home to carry the latest mobile phone, Prada bag, IWC watch, etc.   I have a friend who was deeply embarrassed by the fact that his Mercedes was the cheapest car parked at an event.  This set off a period of deep introspection for him, which eventually resulted in his leaving a very well-paid and secure position with a multinational to found his own company.   I'm certain he'll have his Ferrari within two years.

 Any other thoughts or questions that might be of interest to Western businesses? 

There are tomes of generalizations about the Chinese consumer, so I won't add yet another layer here.  The Chinese divide themselves loosely into Northern and Southern.  Some generalizations offered by each (and I quote) "northerners like to talk big, but seldom deliver," and "Southerners are so cheap that they'll wear you down with their pettiness."   Both claims do have some cultural basis, and can serve at least as .   Another thing to consider:  try to imagine each Chinese province as its own interconnected nation (like the EU), with its own culture and language that has developed over millennia.  Then you can get a sense of the centuries of the network of parallel and interconnected micro-cultures that exist in China.  Each has its own language, effectively.  The term dialect understates the case.  In most case, it's not the case of a New Yorker who has to learn the slang and speech patterns of a Texan.  Although the grammatical structure is similar and some words are mutually intelligible, people coming to work in Shanghai from other places in China will need a year to really understand the local language.  And if you can pick up a few words in the local dialect along the way, they will serve you well.  The Shanghainese took great pride from Obama just saying "hello" in their own tongue. 

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