InThe Chinese Dream, a groundbreaking book about the rising middle class in China, Forbes columnist, consultant, and China expert Helen Wang challenges us to recognize that some of our fears about China are grossly misplaced. As a result of China’s new capitalist paradigm, a burgeoning middle class-calculated to reach 800 million within the next fifteen years-is jumping aboard the consumerism train and riding it for all it’s worth-a reality that may provide the answer to America’s economic woes. And with China’s increasing urbanization and top-down governmental approach, it now faces increasing energy, environmental, and health problems-problems that the U.S. can help solve. Through timely interviews, personal stories, and a historical perspective, China-born Wang takes us into the world of the Chinese entrepreneurial middle class to show how a growing global mindset and the realization of unity in diversity may ultimately provide the way to creating a saner, safer world for all.
Deconstructs the myths about China as a superpower and global manufacturing power
Takes us into the world of the driven middle class and shows how the not-so-private sector operates
Provides a historical perspective on China and examines the possibility of democracy in China’s future
Shows how a mindset that embraces the idea of unity in diversity could help solve China and America’s growing energy, health, and environmental problems
Also, please watch the book trailer on the left. I look forward to seeing you on Sept. 7!
Since my book THE CHINESE DREAM is translated into Chinese and available to Chinese readers, I opened a Sina Weibo (Chinese Twitter + blog) account to interact with my Chinese fans.
Here is my weibo address: http://weibo.com/TheHelenWang. If you are also on Weibo, please connect with me. I look forward to interacting with you!
Until next time, live your dreams fully, everyday!
Anyone who has visited Chengdu, a second-tier city in western China, cannot miss the ostentatious signs of Louis Vuitton and Cartier in its downtown. According to Chengdu Retail Industry Association, Chengdu is home to 80 percent of international luxury brands and ranked third behind Beijing and Shanghai in luxury sales.
A cover story in Chengdu Today, “Global Luxury Brands Stride Forward in Chengdu,” reveals that Chengdu municipal government has set a goal to bring “twenty famous international brands to Chengdu every year” and “by 2015, primacy ratio of international first-tier brands will reach 80 % or above in western China.” Hurray and hurry, luxury goods companies!
In 2010, Chengdu’s retails sales reached $5.8 billion. Much of it went to luxury brands such as Hermes, Burberry and Prada. Louis Vuitton alone registered record sales of $138 million. Cartier generated more revenue in Chengdu than in any other city in China. Continue reading Profile of Chinese Luxury Shoppers
I was very honored to be on a panel in a webnar hosted by Yinglan Tan, author of Chinnovation, with a group of distinguished China experts to discuss business trends in China and how companies can get China right.
Here is a description of the topics and discussions:
Asia will redraw the map of economic progress over the next twenty-five years. Growth is necessary to solve economic and social problems, but harder to achieve as the age of plenty gives way to the age of scarcities. China is obviously a key player.
What is the Chinese dream? How do the driven middle class and shows how the not-so-private sector operates
What is the possibility of democracy in China’s future
How can the idea of unity in diversity could help solve China and America’s growing energy, health, and environmental problems
However, what are the industry secrets, including the dangerous practice of quality fade—the deliberate and secret habit of Chinese manufacturers to widen profit margins through the reduction of quality inputs.
How can organizations that want to build effective strategies for China address each of these realities head on, just as GE, Yum Brands, Adidas, Nokia, IBM, Accenture, Microsoft, Cisco, and many other pioneering companies the authors describe have done. Shedding light on the brutal competition for today’s markets and resources in China?
About 120 CEOs and executives attended the webnar. Other people on the panel include Dr. Anil Gupta, Chair in Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Robert H. Smith School of Business of University of Maryland, Paul Midler, author of Poorly Made in China, Joergen Oerstroem Moeller, visiting research fellow at Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. Host Yinglan Tan is a member of World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council for Fostering Entrepreneurship and has impressive backgrounds in business and academics.
It was a very stimulus and informative panel discussion.
I will be speaking at beautiful Pasadera Country Club on August 25 about my book The Chinese Dream.
Located within the Monterey Peninsula’s famed “Golf Capital of the World,” Pasadera Country Club is a 575-acre private gated residential community is secluded in a sun belt, only minutes from Pebble Beach and Carmel and accessible along the main corridor that links the coast to adjacent inland communities.
Free buffet dinner will be provided. Please join me if you can.
Agenda:
5:00pm Registration
5:30pm Buffet Dinner
6:00pm Book Talk and Q&A
6:45pm Book Signing
“In a mere two decades China has developed the world’s largest middle class. Helen Wang tells that story – and her own – in this wonderfully informative and readable book.”
– Joseph Nye, Distinguished Service Professor, Harvard University, the author of The Future of Power
My book The Chinese Dream has been translated in Chinese and will be available for Chinese readers later this month. Shanghai Wen Hui Publishing House, my publisher in China, plans to launch the book at Shanghai Book Fair, August 17-23.
Here is the Chinese book cover:
Also, here is the full cover with back:
I am curious to see how the book is doing in China.
