体验

 

 

On the flight back to Shanghai, I almost finished reading a recent best seller Poorly Made in China by a Wharton alum Paul Midler. The more I into it, the more respect I have for this guy. At a time when most of his MBA classmates were high rolling on Wall Street, he was inspecting shampoo packaging line or paper recycling sorting site in some obscure places in Southern China. (Did I read about the same aspiration in someone’s B-school application?)

 

He is no China basher. In fact, he was so compassionate about China and Chinese people that he wanted to call the country “home”. And he does have astute observations and lots of valid points on China, outsourcing and global SCM. His vivid account of poor or sometimes deceptive practice by China’s exporting manufacturers are hilarious and revealing. Sometimes it makes you 会心一笑，sometimes 开怀大笑。Even I picked up a few tricks Chinese manufacturers play with their foreign counterparts. It should help me to play the game better。

 

There is this quotation in the book that struck my sleepy eyes - “find a wall that you can bang your head against and if you accomplished nothing more than making a small crack in that wall, at least you can say – ‘that’s is my wall’’. This is it. It rang a bell. 前一天晚上，在芝加哥机场的希尔顿酒店，累得不行了，昏昏欲睡中和老白总结过去，展望未来。我隐约还记得老白拿自己的脑袋比划说：Tiger，你知道我们这两年就是拿头撞墙，硬生生的撞。老白说：Tiger, 你相信我，我们一定会走出这个墙。

 

So, that is my wall.

 

 

It’s the Midwest Design and Manufacturing show, plus Medical Design Show, plus Quality Show – three rolled into one. The show business must be really slow now. The shows are held at Rosemont’s convention center right by O’hare Airport. I had bad memories about that place. Years ago in my most desperate years, I had been there for a few job fairs and only returned home more depressed. But, last time I set foot on a trade show floor was 8 years ago at the gigantic McCormick Place in downtown Chicago for NPE and I attended as a U.S. business representative. This time, I came back as an exhibitor from China and we expect a great outcome. So I have reasons to be excited.

 

Besides the core ForceBeyond team, we took along a commission based sales rep. Mr. J. J had been in the printing business where they gradually lost their shirts to digital printing. J was out on his own and then one day he fell into the arms of ForceBeyond. He was so convinced by our model and now he is fully charged to push our China sourcing deals. In fact, he had us make ForceBeyond business cards for him.  

 

It’s a three day events. On the second afternoon when the traffic was getting really slow, I asked J to stay at the booth so I can go check out the show. I told him that I wanted to see “what’s left for American manufacturing”.  I regretted the moment those words slipped out of my tongue.  I was being too insensitive. Jim is a die-hard republican and conservative by talk.  He hated Democrats and Mr. Obama. He hated big government (I couldn’t help but to point out that it was under Mr. Bush that the biggest expansion in government occurred). He hated taxes on entreprenurers like him and us (this one I have no objection - another demonstration of屁股决定脑袋). He didn’t say he hated the flattened world but I guessed it’s hidden somewhere in him.  J actually named his own company Patriot and the company logo is colored stripes in U.S. flag style. I can’t imagine someone like him would ended up working to bring products to the U.S. and put an end to some U.S. business and jobs？There must be some agony and moral struggle and I don’t need to remind him of that.

 

So, I immediately said to J “sorry, I didn’t mean that. I meant to say I will check out what those guys do”. J gave me a grin. “No offense. Just don’t tell my mother-in-law about it.” Then we have a big laugh. “ I can’t tell folks back home I am doing this line of work.”

 

My concern is not ungrounded. On my badge, it says we are a Delaware company – and legally we are. But most of booths I walked by, especially those in the business of metal processing where we put sample on display at the show, people looked at me with suspicion or reservation at the best.  Some simply turned their heads away when I tried to stop and ask questions. Did my look reveal I am an industry spy or nasty unfair competitor from China? Well, I can’t blame them. After all, this is the heartland of U.S. manufacturing and people are hardworking and rather simple minded Americans. Collectively, yes, we Chinese did steal their jobs. But I can’t help either. The evolution of industries and the rise and fall of power, they are all an inevitable part of our global economic life.

 

Everyone is working for its own economic interests. At the time of our show, the G20 leaders are at their summit in Pittsburg. Well, the news says, between this and their last summit where they pledged to each other for free trade and global cooperation, the G20 countries has created on average 3 trade barriers per day. So, this is it.

 

My former mentor had this to say when I asked about this: “Tiger, don’t believe the media rhetoric. There is no real patriots in business. When it comes to business, it’s purely business.”

 

 

60后何博转来80后韩寒的《建国大业》评论。真是爱国不分先后，愤青不分老少。韩寒说这是个幻灯片，真是。韩寒说共产党用房子搞定了上海女人宋庆龄，深刻。韩寒说这个片子应该写到1976年，这个，这个…这孩子，怎么总说让党国扫兴的话。

 

其实不写写下去不是更好。我们是群众，群众的眼睛是最亮的。我们是人民，好在历史是人民写的嘛。我们又不是不知道接下来发生了什么。在这个大背景下看，这个片子才彰显它的独特的反讽意味。

 

明星，主旋律，商业化运作，这片子前无古人的又红又专。但我一度怀疑编导的别有用心，对旧社会专制揭露得太投入了，难免不是用了曲笔借古讽今，因为有些台词颠倒了时空放到今天来听根本没有什么异样。余生也晚，但是政治上成熟得早，有些道理我高小时就琢磨通了，比如1945年4月的主席的那篇弱弱的文章叫《论联合政府》，1949年6月的那篇强强的就叫《论人民民主专政》了。

 

你看，我们都知道党国有个很大的问题，但我们都没有好的答案。最近，党说了，通过党内民主推动人民民主。老东家科尔尼有把刷子, 叫做情景分析，我没有机会学到，所以想不出来这个推动的必由之路。不过呢，我有点相信们这个民族有点小智慧，车到山前必有路，柳暗花明又一村。不恰当的举例说，20年前，从到我们小本科生的课堂作业到证监会主席的鸿篇巨制，都在琢磨怎么改造四大银行的坏账问题，众说纷纭，莫衷一是。方案越来越多，越来越复杂，越来越精巧。等我2004年海外游学成归来，党和政府已经四两拨千斤的通过市场加行政手段解决了这个无比复杂的问题。

 

我承认，其实我一直是偷读80后韩寒的。那么犀利而果敢，那么纯粹而真实，我做不到这么酷。这就是我们的将来。我相信一句话，好象是凯恩斯说的吧，新理论战胜旧理论，不是谁被谁说服了，而是信奉旧理论的人都死了。The governed become ungovernable。 这就是我的passive社会进化论。每次看到我4岁的小外甥和他的5岁小哥哥，一有争端就石头剪子布的虔诚摸样，我就想，这天哪一天没准儿真变了呢。

 

上周某日夜半时分，我照例在办公室亚健康，接到了老陈从浦东机场打来的电话。老陈说，他的飞机刚刚着地，他这一路上忍着没吃饭，就等着晚上和我夜宵。老陈是我们那挡商学院同学中唯一的一个企业家，窝在某中原大省一个鸟不生蛋的地方创业。老婆在华盛顿舒舒服服自然是不肯回，老陈不得已，加入海鸥族，每年来来回回跑美国五、六次。

 

老陈比我大八岁，生得人高马大，有型，立那儿就是一资深打手。滑溜溜大背头，虱子爬上去都会掉下来。这风度，这威严，岗岗的，白黑两道都不敢小觑。只有老陈笑起来的时候，两眼眯眯，才不小心暴露蓝天白云下呼吸新鲜空气长成的纯真。老陈年轻的时候在国家网球队效职，不敢跟外国人叫板，专陪打中央领导同志。就这么着，到了老大不小的时候，经过来人之路，寻到美国一大学，屈尊表示要到人家校队打球，麻烦给点奖学金。人美国大学可不是咱的业余体校，毫不含糊，专业文化两手抓，两手都很硬。到了那年五月，学校寄来了厚厚一叠考题让老陈自斟自酌，并且表示充分相信老陈的INTEGRITY。老陈有条不紊的主持着考试工作，认真答卷，亲自兼任主考和监考。考着考着，就发生了那场迟早要来的风波，风云突变，出国不好出了。学校急了，这么好的苗子不能来不了啊。这样吧，老陈，我们先把你给录取了，签证，速来。人家这么热情，老陈也不好意思推脱，二话不说，立马上路。结果，答卷还没到，他人已经到了美国。

 

老陈在学校念的是财会，打球之余，相机收获了原来在国家体操队跳跳蹦蹦的太太。这一毕业，老陈伉俪搬到西雅图，规规矩矩在那家当时正在发力而上但不幸数月前金融风暴中倒掉的那银行上班，开始往中产阶级的道路上狂奔。日子淡得象水，天天喝不出点新意来。没事儿的时候，老陈跟一帮人踢球，碰到一个北京小哥，从他那儿知道了还有读商学院这个更好的杀时间的办法。这个北京小哥，如今是中国PE行当鼎鼎大名的人物，是老陈念念不忘的启蒙人。等到去读商学院的时候，老陈已经搬到了纽约州，在柯达做集团审计，五大洲飞，让人伺候着吃吃喝喝，让我们这些足不出户的土人羡慕不已。本来老陈本来念的是E-MBA，后来飞来飞去实在是误事儿，就改成全职的了，有幸成了我的同学。老陈上学那会儿就天天嚷嚷这要回国去大展身手，让我们这群天真以为美国是极乐世界准备投身新经济的新鲜人不得其解。赶上了，就有这么一公司，一特大的国际零售公司，看上了老陈的威猛生气。把老陈飞到纽约去见心理学家，飞到伦敦去见公司大佬，做了无数诡异的测试，验证无误，延聘老陈到中国攻城略地。

 

受人之托，终人之事。老陈在香港和广州都住上了小别野，一边喝着早茶，一遍以迅雷不及掩耳之势替资本家圈地建店。数年之后，有一回老陈应邀在一个医药行业的高峰会议上做主题演讲，谈的是连锁经营的经验。讲了了半个小时，下面的医药公司老总们虔诚的提问了两个小时。老陈想，这些人好傻啊，怎么能让他们做连锁药店呢。老陈心里就有了自己的想法。有个老板读懂了老陈的想法。这老板本来是和老陈谈加盟开店的，一来二去加盟没成但两人倒成了私人朋友。这个老板比较有意思，算是老陈的另一贵人。这老板头脑发晕，在90年代初找到广州电信，说愿意出钱给广州电信投资机站，条件是收取话费的0.00x%。机站好贵，大哥也不是什么大众消费品，居然有傻子出钱，广州电信对这样的好事儿自然应允。根据我们这位糊涂老板的商业计划书，预期到20xx年，广州将有九千门大哥大，一个多么大胆的假设啊。可惜，错了几个数量级了，到2000年，广州的大哥大，新学名手机，超过九十万，而不是九千，呵呵。后知后觉者们说，多有洞察力的老板啊，掌握了directionally correct的精髓 了。这老板数钱数到后来广州电信实在看不过去了，提成从0.00x%降到0.000x%,再降到0.0000x%, 后来干脆单方面毁约拒绝支付了。

 

在这天使投资老板的支持下，老陈以风萧萧兮易水寒的姿态辞了职，壮士一去投身连锁药店行业。谁都没有想到的是，老陈没去上海，没去北京，没去广州，也没去地图上标得出来的二级三级城市。老陈去了那个中原大省的一个地区市，一个四级城市。究竟为啥，到今天都是个糊涂账，我还没问出个子丑寅卯来。就这个，让我对老陈的事业充满了无限好奇和特别关注。经考证百度，老陈的药店开业也是当地一件盛世

200x 年x月xx日上午，我市又一家外商引资项目“xxx”大药房超市隆重开业。市领导杨xx、张xx、刘xx等到场祝贺。

xx市“xxx”大药房是牧野区花园办事处与美籍华人xx先生在今年xx省xx经贸洽谈会上签约的项目，该项目总投资5000万元。“xx”大药房总店投资1000万元。该超市的开业将进一步满足群众求医购药的需要，更加方便人民群众的生活。同时，”xxx”大药房还为90名下岗工人提供了就业岗位，受到市领导的高度称赞。来源:xx日报

百度又作证说，老陈积极参与当地精神文明建设

 

xx市xx大药房总经理、美籍华人xx先生说：“打造平安花园将为我们外商提供更好的创业环境，只有社会平安稳定，才有企业的发展，我们也将从平安中得到实惠。”

 

一夜无话。

 

今儿到了Napa Valley, 加州的几个主要葡萄酒产地之一。早晨参观Del Toto 葡萄园、酒窖、品酒。 10点就开始喝酒是不是不应该啊，呵呵，而且多数人还没有从昨晚的hang over 恢复过来呢。尝了数10种不同年纪的红葡萄酒和香槟酒。感觉？没感觉。舌头太笨了。

 

Key takeaway: 橡木桶好贵，不如种树去。

 

 

For those who are jelous - no, we didn't just fool around with segway, wine and touring. Most of the time was spent in lectures with variety of topics and in meetings and business meals with local colleagues and clients (I have used up my quota of steak for the year, yak!). It was an intense and inspiring week.

 

走了，又要饭去。要去看他们造香槟酒。