Seeing the Unseen
Behind Chinese Tech Giants' Global Venturing
1. Edition September 2022
240 Pages, Hardcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
Further versions
Meet the overnight tech success stories of China's globalizing business landscape
In the last few years, we have seen a meteoric rise of Chinese tech companies across the world. Alibaba stock price movements unnerved investors globally, venture capitalists searched for the next Meituan or Pinduoduo in Southeast Asia and Latin America, and of course, Tik Tok, the most popular content platform in the world today, originated from China. The founders of such companies are typically credited with the "tenacity to rough it out," the "courage to venture into the unknown," and the "vision to take their companies to new heights." However, the same can be said about Silicon Valley founders, or any successful entrepreneur. So, what gives Chinese founders and their companies the advantage in becoming multi-billion global enterprises? How does their leadership set strategies? How do they motivate their people? How do they move so fast and defend their turf in China's hyper-competitive tech market? When they expand overseas, how do they determine what they keep and what they need to let go of? And most importantly, what do these things mean to you as a competitor, investor, regulator, or even as an executive or customer of such companies?
Seeing the Unseen: Behind Chinese Tech Giants' Global Venturing answers these questions and delves into the fascinating world of Chinese logic that shapes how tech leaders make and implement decisions, many of which are seldom seen outside China.
In this book, you will gain an accurate, concise understanding of Chinese tech companies' reflections as they scale. You will understand the different generations of Chinese tech giants from Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu and Huawei to Pinduoduo, Meituan, ByteDance, Xiaomi and more.
In this Seeing the Unseen, the analysis behind the success and lessons learned is summarized into a unique framework that touches on People, Organization, and Product and Leadership (POP-Leadership). The book covers:
* How Chinese history, folklore and Mao Zadong's political strategies have shaped the strategies of Chinese tech leaders, even today
* The mindsets of Chinese tech and internet companies and how they have evolved over the last two decades
* The unique business culture and leadership styles that steered these companies through uncertain and ultra-competitive periods
* How Chinese companies structure their organizations and products and how they remain agile as they scale
* The limitations of Chinese POP-Leadership, and what these companies must shed to keep up with international players in global markets
* How Chinese POP-Leadership is now becoming international, and how international players are leveraging these learnings
* How the worldwide expansion of Chinese companies will alter the business landscape in the coming decades
Chinese firms undertaking overseas ventures can challenge our thinking on global strategy and implementation. This book gives you a better understanding of these emergent players in the global arena.
Acknowledgments xi
About the Authors xiii
Introduction 1
Part I: Understanding Chinese Tech Companies
Chapter 1: The Shark versus the Crocodile 15
Chapter 2: Strategy and Tactics of Chinese Tech Companies 29
Chapter 3: Everyone Is Going Global 39
Part II: Pop- Leadership
Chapter 4: Leadership 47
Chapter 5: People 73
Chapter 6: Organization 101
Chapter 7: Product 123
Part III: Resteering the Wheel
Chapter 8: The Inflection Point 151
Chapter 9: The Global Chinese Community Fills the Gaps 161
Chapter 10: Connecting the Dots 185
Chapter 11: Cross- Pollination of Global Markets 199
Epilogue 217
Index 219
"A standout in the multitude of works explaining what Chinese technology companies do and how they do it, Seeing the Unseen expertly explains their 'why' and offers a practical framework for collaboration--or competition--with Chinese founders as they take on the world. Interwoven with well-placed forays into China's rich history, a delight to read."
--DMITRY LEVIT, Partner, Cento Ventures
"Seeing the Unseen discusses the past, present, and future of Chinese tech firms. It discusses why and how giants rose in the past, the challenges faced today in the global arena, and what we can expect in the future. The book provides deep insights to anyone who wants to know about Tech China and rising players from emerging markets."
--FENG ZHU, Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School
"Seeing the Unseen deciphers much of the philosophy in action on how entrepreneurs think and how they make crucial decisions. There are many gold nuggets in understanding why key events in Chinese entrepreneur history happened the way they did."
--JIANFENG LU, Chairman, Wiz Holdings (wiz.ai), Serial Entrepreneur and Investor
"My great grandparents once told us to keep on learning all the way to China, as the rich history there offers a lot of lessons for our work and life. This book, which is very detailed and informative, shows just that. It is a strong combination between in-depth research and life experience of the Authors in the Tech Industry. A must read!"
--KAMESWARA NATAKUSUMAH, Country Leader and President Director, Willis Tower Watson Indonesia
"For those who are interested in or embedded in the ecosystem of Chinese tech firms, Seeing the Unseen is a delightful and thorough guide full of information and insights. Reading it is not only a must, but a wonderful journey led by Guoli and Jianggan. Both have a profound yet objective understanding of the history and leadership of Chinese Tech Giants and how they impact the world."
--RANDOLPH HSU, Founder of Ondine Capital
"For anyone interested in Chinese tech companies, don't walk, but run, to get this book. As deeply embedded experts in the Chinese tech context, the authors raise the curtain on China and its rising tech giants."
--RIITTA KATILA, W. M. Keck Sr. Chaired Professor of Management Science, and Research Director of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, Stanford University
"Seeing the Unseen explains many of the enigmas that I experienced as an expat while working and living in Asia. If I could go back in time, I'd better understand why Chinese tech companies operate the way they do, and how to better work with them. Fully recommended reading!"
--RODRIGO BECERRA MIZUNO, Chief Technology Officer, Televisa Univisión
JIANGGAN LI is the Founder and CEO of Momentum Works, a Singapore-headquartered venture outfit that enables digital economy across emerging markets through insights, community, and ventures. Momentum Works counts some of the top tech entrepreneurs from China, Southeast Asia, and the United States as investors. Its subsidiary Momentum Academy has been entrusted by corporates, startups, and investors for actionable insights and immersive learning experiences.
