Western companies are discovering education and collaboration are vital for a successful in-China technology strategy.
Many JV partners and merchants may have little experience of business technology, as GM found out to its cost when it tried to install Siebel customer-relationship-management software at its operational centres in Shanghai two years ago. Local dealers had never heard of CRM, and more importantly had little incentive to make it work! GM solved the problem by building a web portal that made it easier for dealers to order cars, whilst at the same time getting GM the information it wanted.
Similarly when GM wanted a consistent PC image at all its world-wide operations they gave Shanghai Automotive the basic specification, but relied on the company’s staff to use local knowledge to implement it. Using a Chinese consensual approach.
See also section 15 – internet and e-commerce.
