Visiting our Chinese subsidiary is always interesting.  The taxi ride from the new Beijing airport was like a film car chase – weaving from lane to lane – and using the hard shoulder when necessary…. and we weren’t even in a hurry - I dread to think what the journey will be like if I say I’m late.  However, it does support the statistics put out by the airlines that say flying is safer than driving.

Watching the bicycles and cars fight for dominance on the roads in downtown Beijing with little concern for personal safety always fascinates.  Every bicycle is old battered and ridden by all ages – so with such a large market where are the new bicycles?  When it suddenly rains it develops another perspective with some people managing to cycle and hold umbrellas, some put on plastic rain capes or dustbin bags, and others simply accept that the rain will stop and they will eventually dry in the 30 degree heat.

The business is equally diverse ranging from the street seller with suitcase of pirated software and DVDs to the corporations with 100,000s of employees.  But my attention is on the corporations – some state owned and desperate to apply western business principles and systems – others privately owned who already look like their western counterparts.

All the companies are looking to the west for the latest business thinking on improving productivity and competing on a global scale. Which is why we have a flourishing business here. 

4 years after we launched a subsidiary we ar emaking progress.  we now have the references to be crible.  The next few years should be fascinating / amazing (hugely financially rewarding??)