In the late 1970s and early 1980s, diplomatic relationships played an important role in getting lucrative contracts. But that s been less so over time. Now there are more business drivers. So, a lot of companies have made money in China and some have made significant amounts of money. Otherwise they wouldn t be there.
Strategy only drives business in China up to a point.
I think that s a hard one to call. Large corporations have the hardest row to hoe in China because they re visible and that means everyone wants a piece of the pie. They have to be very nimble and very smart to really make a significant difference. I actually think small and medium-size businesses have an easier time of becoming profitable because there aren t as many people trying to get at their business. That being said, the costs of doing business in China are quite high and they re probably similar if you re a small business or a large business.