Scoobyqueen Posted September 21, 2009 at 11:12 AM Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 11:12 AM (edited) as above Edited April 16, 2013 at 12:45 PM by Scoobyqueen clarification Quote
imron Posted September 21, 2009 at 11:24 AM Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 11:24 AM The reason? Well, it was their first time in China I don’t know if that excuse goes down well in China but here in Europe So was it in China or in Europe? Quote
Scoobyqueen Posted September 21, 2009 at 11:28 AM Author Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 11:28 AM This happened in Europe at a western company's HQ. They more or less invited themselves. I just clarified this in the post above. Quote
imron Posted September 21, 2009 at 11:48 AM Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 11:48 AM So it was their first time out of China then, not first time in China Quote
Scoobyqueen Posted September 21, 2009 at 11:50 AM Author Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 11:50 AM Sorry - I got up at 4.45 am this morning.... corrected above. first time out of China. Quote
imron Posted September 21, 2009 at 11:55 AM Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 11:55 AM Either way, I agree that it was unprofessional and I don't think it would go down too well in China either. Jet-lagged I could understand, but shopping is a bit over the top. How long is their visit, and did it include any scheduled time for sightseeing/shopping? Quote
gato Posted September 21, 2009 at 12:03 PM Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 12:03 PM This happened in Europe at a western company's HQ. They more or less invited themselves. They invited themselves? Hopefully, your company is not paying for their trip. A lot of Chinese officials like to take business trips out of the country, which in reality are an all-expenses-paid vacation. Quote
Scoobyqueen Posted September 21, 2009 at 12:10 PM Author Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 12:10 PM This delegation was on a week-long trip covering Poland and Germany. Quote
gato Posted September 21, 2009 at 12:34 PM Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 12:34 PM See this article for what I was referring to. Not that that's what happening in your case. http://www.arentfox.com/publications/index.cfm?fa=legalUpdateDisp&content_id=1475 Lucent Technologies Settles FCPA Violation Claims with Justice Department, SEC Lucent paid $46, 854 for six employees of a unit of a Chinese government-owned investment company to go on a “factory inspection” trip, half of which included sightseeing in Niagara Falls, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and elsewhere. The sightseeing locations had been specifically requested by the Chinese officials. These officials were described in Lucent documents as “decision-makers” or “influencers.” In an e-mail about the trip, a Lucent employee stated that because their competition had agreed to such a trip, Lucent, in the face of such competition, needed to arrange a similar visit as well, Lucent was awarded the $23 million contract. * Lucent recorded the costs as a “lodging” expense, even though the lodging account was supposed to be used for “the cost of lodging incurred on behalf of Lucent employees on Company business.” Quote
Scoobyqueen Posted September 21, 2009 at 02:03 PM Author Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 02:03 PM Gato - Thanks for the information. Quote
b_t_v Posted September 21, 2009 at 03:45 PM Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 03:45 PM I have seen that on more than one occasion. Here in Gemany it is considered uncoordinated. Why am I not surprised? I can imagine the horrors... (Scoobyqueen arrives one minute late for work):... Herr Doktor: You're leht agehn! Scoobyqueen: Ja, Herr Doktor! Entschuldigung, Herr Doktor! Herr Doktor: Zis is ze second time zis year! Unakzeptierbar! Scoobyqueen: Ja, Herr Doktor. Won't happen again, I promise! Quote
Senzhi Posted September 21, 2009 at 05:19 PM Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 05:19 PM I couldn't agree with Gato more. For many of these "decision-makers" or "influencers" (and their delegates) it's an "unresistable opportunity" for "tourism" that might never happen again. Another factor in this attitude might be something I see in overall education. From personal experience, the business relationship between China and western countries is more seen in China as a "they need us, we don't necessarily need them ... we can manage ourselves" approach. And that is what they're taught in schools, particularly in business academies. Again, not willing to generalise here ... merely my personal experience in schools I've been as an adult educator. Quote
Scoobyqueen Posted September 21, 2009 at 06:34 PM Author Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 06:34 PM (Scoobyqueen arrives one minute late for work):...Herr Doktor: You're leht agehn! Scoobyqueen: Ja, Herr Doktor! Entschuldigung, Herr Doktor! Herr Doktor: Zis is ze second time zis year! Unakzeptierbar! Scoobyqueen: Ja, Herr Doktor. Won't happen again, I promise! You summed it up! But I have got a lot better. If I cycle really hard and only have a quick shower (we have a shower at work), I can make it for 8.58. But all my other colleagues already arrived at 7.30. Quote
Guittar Posted September 21, 2009 at 09:00 PM Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 09:00 PM Very non-professional! I think that might be the clue. Maybe they were not really employees or they were not directly concerned with your company. Many companies use these trips as favors or for family. I was visiting China with my wife on a " Business Tour"'. We visited several local sites before we headed to Conghua Hot Springs Golf Club for lunch. The bus held about 40 people and we almost filled the small banquet room. VERY FANCY As we sat around the table and the waiters brought everyone a tall glass of warm water from the spring. The obnoxious Texan across from me stood up and yelled to the waiter, " This heah water needs ice raht now" and he shook his glass. The waiters went silent for a moment, then a bark, then suddenly hurried away to get the ice. (Who knows what kind of water that ice was made of or when it was cleaned.) They arrived with ice in bowls for everyone. Sadly, about half the people put the ice into the mineral water. Nobody had really explained that the water was therapeutic in English. They looked on in amazement. Very few people in the group even knew anything was amiss! Quote
Meng Lelan Posted September 21, 2009 at 10:02 PM Report Posted September 21, 2009 at 10:02 PM The obnoxious Texan across from me stood up and yelled to the waiter, " This heah water needs ice raht now" and he shook his glass. Oh, I thought that would be me until you wrote "he" not "she". Quote
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