ENGAGING CHINA:THE REALITIES FOR AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES

This study which was co-ordinated for the Australian Business Foundation by international relations specialist, Dr Keith Suter also contains a background analysis by senior journalist and former Beijing correspondent, Catherine Armitage.

At the heart of this study lies the examination of 25 business case studies carried out by Australian Business International Trade Services covering different industries, firm sizes, ownership structures and business models.

“The findings from these case studies are a great source of knowledge on the realities of doing business on the ground in China,” Ms Kennedy said.

“We don’t claim that these case studies are role models for success in China, but they highlight critical issues to which businesses must pay attention if they want to succeed in building their business and presence in China.

“This study delves beyond the typical perceptions and expectations that China’s growth represents either a windfall opportunity or a competitive threat to Australian business. This study is not a primer on how business ought to be done in China, rather it is a reality check of how business is currently being done and what we can learn from the hard-won experience of other Australian enterprises.

Ms Kennedy said, the pace and dynamism of China’s growth presents a good test bed for studying business performance.

“China is important to Australia’s current and future economic growth, so it is important to understand more about the effective approaches to doing business with China to enhance Australia’s competitiveness and prosperity,” Ms Kennedy said.

“China at the beginning of the 21st century represents a perfect storm of rapid economic development, internationalisation of Chinese markets, and dramatic societal transformation. This presents unique challenges and opportunities for business engaging with China,” Ms Kennedy concluded.