Business Section

[Matty]

I think we may benefit from a section specific to business.

 

The closest thing I can currently find is:

Life, Work and Study in China in General

 

Which is too broad and doesn't really accompany it.

 

Somewhere that ads are not allowed, but we're able to write about our business experiences, processes (such as opening a company), safety, rules, industries, etc.

 

I've never really found a specific place to talk/read about it, so usually I just don't.

[roddy]

Can we get four other people on board saying they'll post regularly and encourage people to participate. 

[MarsBlackman]

I would participate. I think a Business section on this forum could turn into a valuable reference, just like every other section. There are various other sites/forums about business in China but none with such an abundance of users who actually speak Chinese and have spent years on the ground in various capacities. I don't post much on this forum but would be more active if there was a Business section. Like Matty, "I've never really found a specific place to talk/read about it, so usually I just don't."

[MarsBlackman]

Lets keep the ball rolling on this idea.

 

The value (I see) in this forum is the insight into culture through language. Most people come to this website because they're learning Chinese and are looking for a resource and/or they want to study abroad in China. The common element running throughout this forum is everybody here uses this site because they want more insight into China and learning Chinese, not a platform to simply talk about China. There are plenty of other places that already serve that niche well.

 

I envision possible stickies discussing:

 

1) Opening a business - There could be a breakdown of the different business types foreigners can open with more information, possibly a guide. There are plenty of resources for the boxes that need to be checked. The value for this forum would be people's experience and what to expect when getting their business approved.

2) Taxes - Most people anywhere in the world are not accountants by trade. Any insight into taxes would be beneficial. 

 

As Matty said, it would be nice to have a place to talk about experiences. I agree that's where the continued value would be from a business section. People can talk about the struggles and hurdles they've had to overcome. Other people can post questions to the forum for help understanding and navigating their current situation.

 

As an manufacturing engineer in China. I could post endlessly about quality, cleanliness, and safety culture in China. A hard hat and flip flops is pretty common. 

 

Most foreigners come to China and have a difficult time adapting to the day-to-day business culture. I'm still learning things every day. For people that don't speak the language, the path to understanding the office culture is tougher. A business forum could hopefully serve as a platform to discuss those issues.

 

Any other thoughts?

[MPhillips]

Perhaps the focus of this new section could be widened to include economics--the only Western print media outlet I know of that devotes enough space to China's economy is "The Economist" but they've moved so far to the right I don't want to give them my money anymore. I for one would enjoy reading about all aspects of China's economy, from the nuts & bolts of running a business in China to analysis of fiscal policy.