I am absolutely amazed by Michael Phelps’ performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. But am I the only one that sees the enormous marketing potential for western businesses courting the growing Chinese middle class? Not only did Phelps break a world record by winning the most gold medals at an Olympic game as well as [...]
During my visit to China I was struck by the capitalist nature of the country that identifies itself as “communist”. In keeping with that hidden nature, last Friday’s Wall Street Journal announced that the owners of China’s “Birds Nest” stadium and “Water Cube” aquatics center are selling corporate naming rights to the highest bidder. Ben [...]
One of the most important things I learned in business school was the importance of price. A 1% improvement in price yields a 7% improvement in profit. Traditional managers are trained to manage costs – modern managers are trained to manage price. The key to managing price is in brand strategy. Consider the price differentiation [...]
In my experience, most conflicts in the office or at home arise from communication problems. Everyone interprets situations and communication differently. These interpretations are filtered by past experiences, culture and beliefs. This idea of interpretations being filtered is exactly why police find that eye witnesses are the least valuable source of information in investigations. I’ve [...]
China’s strategic intent for the African economy will drive a fundamental change in Chinese foreign policy – and the end of US global economic growth.