Today many people in China are sad. Who’s sad? The people in China who most strongly support Google. These people were excited about Google’s services- search, docs, wave, android, chrome, and all the other services that were yet to come. Google could do no wrong in their eyes, and they were ready to be the early adopters of any service, be it alpha, beta, or product, that Google would deploy. They would use Google Wave even though the first version barely limped along and still think it was the coolest thing on earth. They would install a Chrome browser and every update the minute it became available. Why are they sad? They’re sad because they believe Google’s bold move towards the Chinese government means the end of Google in China.
With its bold statement towards the Chinese government, Google basically closed their doors in China. Business tactics that may work in countries like the US do not work in China. In China there is a strong feeling about building relationships. There is a strong feeling about “saving face”. There is a strong culture and history that the people are very proud of.
Sure there are problems. And yes there are problems that need to be fixed. But the question that arises is what is the best way to go about it. Continue reading »
