Reflections on Business Partnerships in China
I have been working in China for 20 years.
One year was spent on business trips,
8 years in small and large enterprises, and
for the past 11 years, I have been running my own business.
In a large corporation, I operated joint ventures with several Chinese companies, during which I had a challenging experience as the CFO and head of the finance team, often clashing with the CFO of the Chinese counterpart. At that time, most of my Korean colleagues shared a common sentiment that they would never want to work with a Korean company that partners with Chinese firms, regardless of the salary offered.
Of course, I felt the same way.
Yet, I find myself running a joint venture with a Chinese friend for the past 10 years.
Instead of only taking the good and discarding the bad,
I have learned to embrace both the good and the bad.
My partner is quite frugal. While it benefits me that he is thrifty with the employees, he is also frugal with me and never wants to incur any losses. I willingly accept this because the savings he brings outweigh any losses I might face.
While it is not malicious, and there are basic principles in place, I appreciate his frugality.
If I want to raise employee salaries, I can't just do so without consideration. Often, it can be negotiated, but I must also contribute a bit more to facilitate the raise.
Company dinners are nice, but when we go away for more than one night, we often end up in less desirable hotels or villas. It may be inconvenient, but it helps save costs.
The office space isn't great either, which has helped save on rent.
Looking back, it seems my friend has more advantages than disadvantages. I am grateful and hope to maintain this beneficial partnership for as long as possible.
P.S. I have much to say about my wife, but since I've shared a lot before, I won't mention it here.
Thanks to the writing below, I was reminded of my experiences with joint ventures in China. It truly is a grateful piece.
Eight years ago, I divorced and have been raising two children. Four years ago, I met a man, but the mother of his son opposes their remarriage, which has led to some resentment.
"The questioner has a dirty mind."
"Excuse me?"
"You want to take only the good and discard the bad."
"......"
"Can you just cut off your limbs to keep the face you want?"
"No, I cannot."
"There is no reason to hate. The resentment comes from wanting only what I desire but not being able to have it."
"In the scriptures, there is a story about 'Gongdeokcheon and Heukamcheon.' To accept the beauty of Gongdeokcheon, one must also accept the unattractiveness of Heukamcheon."
"......"
"The wise accept both, while the foolish only accept Gongdeokcheon."
"Yes, I understand well."
By the way, I have read almost all of this author's books and watched many of their YouTube videos, but this story feels new to me.
It truly is a wonderful tale.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/nohappy0/224174909545
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