One of the best examples of turning success into failure came from a business delegation I had taken to a trade expo in Xi’an. The exhibitors’ business was in bottled spring water from deep ancient aquifers dating back to the time of the dinosaurs. Dinosaur Water distinguished the product from the already crowded bottled-water and spring-water space.
When a business decides to enter the Chinese market, it is always backed by extensive research and planning that cover the usual metrics. Before entering the market, it has decided how to position and price its products.
As the military will tell you, no plan survives first contact with the adversary. That’s the same for plans to expand into China. What actually occurs on the ground may be very different to what the research is telling you. What becomes more important is how you react to the unexpected, the opportunities China offers to develop your abilities and your ability to take a strategic perspective.
