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Myth and Truth About China Design Market
When you stand in the middle of two design worlds (U.S. and China),
you may feel a little lost right now. Designers in the U.S. are
afraid of losing their jobs to China with a 8:1 pricing difference;
whereas China corporations are also worried that the competitive
quality of foreign imported products into China are going to wipe
out its internal brands.
Are you worried as a designer in the U.S. that design jobs will
migrate to China? Are you concerned about the increasingly
competitive pricing on design jobs and its resultant outsourcing?
Are you curious about the quality of design work over there? You
have never been to China but heard about China's staggering GDP
growth rate of 9.1%* and its emerging 1.3 billion people market
(almost 5 times the size of the U.S. population). You have read in
Business Week or design magazines about all the hype in China, but
what's the real truth? Being concerned is one thing, but being fear
struck and cynical without learning about the facts is far worse.
First lets clear out the common myth about design environment in
China.
Myth 1: China's market is in Beijing & Shanghai. Truth: China has 9
economic zones designated by the government which determines the
rise of economic development in cities of these regions.
Myth 2: Localization means Chinese translation. Truth: Products need
to fit the needs of China users not only in terms of language but
also their cultural thought model, usage behaviors and political
context.
Myth 3: Business success in China is done via optimizing operational
efficiency, cost-effectiveness and gaining market share. Truth:
Business success in China predominantly comes from building
successful relationships and trust.
<strong>Survival kit for foreign Designers in China:</strong>
1. Learn PuTongHua Do not assume that English is the international
business language in China. If you are lucky, you might work with
Mainland Chinese people who speaks English. Even then, do not
automatically assume that Mainland Chinese speaking English will
mean that they understand you conceptually. Often times,
miscommunication arises when you think the other party understands
you but they really don't and are culturally resistant to ask
clarifying questions. If you are in the food chain where you need to
travel to China to either oversee manufacturing in China or design
for the China market, it is a good idea to learn the Chinese
national language: PuTongHua. Your Chinese associates will be taken
by surprise, and this will move you miles ahead in the game. For a
good start, when meeting someone new, say: "Ni hao ma," meaning "How
are you?"
2. See China for yourself If you have never been to China but your
work is inseparable from China, take some advice from a traditional
Chinese proverb: "Rather than read ten thousand pages of a book, its
better to walk ten thousand miles." Fear is driven by "not knowing."
Be there and see China for yourself. The media could very well tint
your perception of China, and the China experience could be way
beyond your expectations. (There are no "fortune cookies" in China,
by the way.)
3. "Do as the Romans Do" In China, the rules of the game are
different. What works in the U.S. might not apply to China, and
insisting on how things should work in another culture is not a very
good idea. Immersing yourself into the culture, you might find that
certain concepts that you take for granted such as perception of
time, concept of money, philosophical world-view, policies, arts,
concept of law are not the same in China. One has to understand that
working in China is not only working in another country, it's also
working in another culture that has a history steeped in a very
different political system based on a planned economy with
state-driven policies. Working against the grain will only frustrate
foreign companies, pushing them to retreat.
<strong>How will the Olympic Games affect China domestic
design?</strong>
Olympic games is a hot topic for a long time. The bird structure or
its interior and building decoration all takes designers'
creativity. Those who take their part in this big project will feel
very pride and full of satisfaction.
Xiao Yong who design the Olympic medals said: €œThe Olympic Games
is not a new topic. It is linked with China since around the year
2000. All designers are excited. Each one of them should actively
make their own effort to take part in. Many projects are open for
bidding. The participants should include capable designers,
institutes, groups, and schools of design. It is a test for us to
prove our teaching and designing abilities. It strengthened our
confident. It is an opportunity as well as a test.€ Amazing Design
in various aspects of the Olympic games, such as the medal design,
the clothing, the gift toys design, gives the world a lot of
surprises. China Design Now places exhibits in the context of
China's social, cultural and economic reforms over the last 25
years, providing both a critical survey and a narrative that enables
visitors to see how China's new design and consumer culture has
developed, what its driving forces are and where it is going. China
Design Now will include case studies of influential individuals,
companies and organizations that have played an important role in
shaping aspirations in today's China. This exhibition captures an
extraordinary moment in Chinese design and the rise of China's
consumer society. There is truly a sense of design frenzy in China
right now." said Lauren Parker, co curator of the exhibition. The
Victoria And Albert Museum's spring exhibition.
China Design Now, will be the first in the UK to explore the recent
explosion of new design in China and the first to attempt to
understand the impact of rapid economic development on architecture
and design in China's major cities. The exhibition will be on view
from 15 March to 13 July 2008.
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