The 19th CPC National Congress - Why it matters!

The 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party is underway in Beijing, an event that takes place every five years. In his report to around 2,300 party delegates, President Xi Jinping has reiterated his plans for a modern socialist country with "Chinese characteristics". In a 14-point roadmap, Xi defines official party policies to modernize the economy, strengthen the socialist democracy, build cultural confidence and improve the people's wellbeing.
Why would this matter for your business? To be successful, companies have to understand the environment they operate in. In too many intercultural trainings and business guides, simplistic and often stereotypical do's and don'ts are dished out which might be entertaining but hardly useful for real-world business interactions.
As a consultant and trainer, I help my clients to operate successfully in challenging environments and this requires an approach that takes a deeper look. National as well as international political and social developments, macroeconomic policies, market trends, new challenges such as digitization in a fast-moving business environment or the war for talents have to be understood in the context of a country's history and socio-cultural background. 
When Chinese leaders make references to the humiliation of the Opium Wars of the mid 19th century, you should understand that perceived foreign aggression is a sensitive issue in China und that the Chinese government will assert itself strongly in the decades to come. When Xi mentions "rejuvenation", "scientific socialism" and being a trailblazer for developing countries, it suggests opportunities for global companies but also a shift in global power. The Belt and Road Initiative is an important element of this strategy and your company has to carefully weigh the pros and cons of being part of it. The role of the Communist Party in business is expected to increase. What impact does that have for your Joint Venture in China?

Xi Jinping announced that "achieving national rejuvenation will be no walk in the park.... It will take more than drum beating and gong clanging to get there." When I work with you on your business challenges in China or elsewhere in Asia, I promise to go beyond the drum beating and gong clanging to help you better manage the business challenges that you face in your operations abroad.