Rationale for selecting China as the Host Country

I was motivated to choose China as my host nation for business by my desire to work there and conduct business with the Chinese people. China is a sizable nation with a sizable populace that can give the products with the crucial market. Additionally, its infrastructure growth and technical innovation make it a favorable environment for business (Fan, 2000). Doing business with the Chinese will be very interesting, despite the possibility that their culture differs from that of western nations. Understanding local customs and cultures is necessary, particularly when dealing with foreign corporations. China is a large country with varying customs and traditions depending on the ethnic origin and geographical distribution. The population is about 1 billion persons whose largest ethnic group is Han with approximately 900 million people. The country has other smaller ethnic groups such as the Tibetans, the Manchus, the Mongols, the Hezhen, and the Naxi (Fan, 2000). Chinese culture includes food, religion, marriage, music, morals, style, and several other actions that constitute various groups.

Chinese Dishes from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-10-chinese-culture-facts-you-should-know-mars-zhao
Religion is an important aspect in China although the ruling Communist Party is atheistic. However, acceptance of religion is slowly becoming relevant as the governing body is appreciating the role played by religions. The main religious groups include Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, Catholicism, and Protestantism (Fan, 2000). However, any other religion is illegal despite the Chinese constitution stating that people can enjoy their freedom of religion. A quarter of the population practices Confucianism, Taoism, and traditional religions whereas a small population is affiliated to Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. Catholic and protestant ministries have found it difficult to convert Chinese to their faith.
China has about seven dialects of Chinese language with notable variations. They include Mandarin spoken by about 71.5 percent of the people, Wu at 8.5%, Yue at 5%, Xiang at 4.8%, Min at 4.1%, Hakka at 3.7%, and Gan at 2.4% (Zimmermann, 2015). The dialects are very different although the country's official language is Putonghua, a kind of Mandarin commonly spoken in Beijing, the capital of China. The Chinese cuisine depends on the geography and ethnic affiliation of the people but the common cooking includes Cantonese consisting of stir-fried dishes. Szechuan involves use of peanuts, ginger, and sesame paste and is very useful in spicing foods. Rice is the main staple food in China while other foods include bean sprouts, cabbages, and scallions. The main source of protein in China is Tofu since they do not eat a lot of meat.
Chinese art is based on spirituality and mystical history thus it is easy to notice many sculptures and paintings depicting spiritual figures of Buddhism. Musical instruments include the guqin and xun, which are very important during ceremonies. Kungful is a fighting technique created during the 1600s and is a very important cultural phenomenon in the country (Zimmermann, 2015). Ancient Chinese were known for their contributions to writings and philosophy especially during the Ming and Qing dynasties according to the country's liturgical history.
China has various cerebrations and customs such as the Spring Festival, which is associated with the beginning of the Lunar New Year between mid-January and mid-February (Samaha, Beck & Palmatier, 2014). The festival involves honoring ancestors in addition to eating rice and mustard greens for body cleansing. Fireworks and parades decorate the events, which are considered of great importance. Another important custom is pilgrimage especially to the birthplace of Confucius in Shandong Province on September 28 (Zimmermann, 2015). Others visit Taoist temples to celebrate the goddess of mercy known as Guanyin in March or April. In May or June celebrations of the birthday of the goddess of the sea, Mazu take place while celebrations of the Moon Festival takes place in September or October. The event involves fireworks, paper lanterns, and moon gazing.
Traditional Chinese medicine is still in use today despite the technological advancement in the country. It involves use of holistic approach and uses herbs, massages, and acupuncture. Chinese philosophies were of great influence to TCM and nowadays it is becoming common in Western medicine (Zimmermann, 2015). Holism is a concept of TCM, which is based on the assertion that body parts interact and cannot be looked upon separately. In addition, human beings are social animals and it is not right to examine their physical fitness only. Instead, other aspects such as social wellbeing are important to come up with the right diagnosis. The Chinese cinema is growing rapidly with most of the films focusing on current issues in the society. Some criticize the shortcomings of modern society including corruption. China is a cultural rich country and one always finds an interesting thing even in the cities such as Beijing.
Chinese language is considered one of the most difficult in the globe yet it can be very interesting to learn and speak. It involves pictography with many characters making the written language in which one pronounces one syllable per character. This is done in one of the five tones yet the people have used it to express their views, compose beautiful poems, and songs.
Chinese language from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-10-chinese-culture-facts-you-should-know-mars-zhao
Ancient marriage customs are still relevant in the society and although there are notable changes, they contribute a lot to the social ethics and aesthetic standards. The marriages have gone through five stags for over 500 years which include the primitive group marriage customs, consanguineous marriages, exogamous marriages, antithetic, and monogamy which is common in China today (Zimmermann, 2015). The rich culture of China makes the place interesting for anyone with a vision of exploring the world. Understanding their likes and dislikes as well as practices can help in determining the best kinds of business activities to undertake in the country.
Chinese Business Culture
Doing business with Chinese people requires one to know their business etiquette and understand their business mentality. For instance, businesspersons require their client to be well prepared if they have to hold a meeting to discuss business matters. For proposals, one must have at least 20 copies for handing out and the presentation materials have to be in black and white. To strike a deal with Chinese businesspersons, one must meet them severally to establish a strong and trustworthy relationship (Guo, 2017). Chinese are also not very keen on deadlines especially regarding important decisions on business maters thus it is advisable for one to avoid reminding them of deadlines. In addition, business hours must be 8.00am to 5.00 pm from Monday to Friday. In addition, many Chinese workers have a break that starts at 12.0 noon to 2.00 pm and almost all activities stop including phone services.
Greetings and communication arts are important during business deals and every businessperson needs to understand such culture. For instance, handshakes are quite common but one must wait for the Chinese to initiate the greeting. In addition, titles matter and one must address them by their last name. Doing business in China requires one to understand body language and movements during business meetings and meals since one is required to remain calm and control temper. Acts such as biting nails, putting hands in the mouth, removing food remains from the mouth are considered ill manners. Other important things to note include dress codes, which should not include clothes of bright colored clothes since they are considered inadequate (Guo, 2017). During meetings, punctuality must be maintained as going late is an offence in the business culture of China. After the meeting, one is supposed to leave before the Chinese counterparts as this is considered a sign of respect. Businesspeople in China also like exchanging business cards thus carrying plenty of them especially during appointments can be very vital. When giving out a business card using both hands as a sign of respect and appreciation.
Doing business with Chinese people requires one to understand their way of doing things, as one is likely to encounter delays and frustrations (Björkman & Kock, 1995). This requires one to control his/her temper even when not everything seems right. As a businessperson, one must understand and be responsive to all demands and requirements of agencies, government, and clients to ensure success. Flexibility is vital since it allows on to fit in the culture of Chinese people. For them, building a relationship before any business transactions is vital (Kriz & Keating, 2010). The state plays a role in Chinese business, as several businesses are still state-owned. Even private enterprises experience state control and affect the way a company transact businesses. One must get time to know officials such as city mayors and party secretaries to develop a healthy relationship (Guo, 2017). This helps in running business ventures smoothly thus a change of government officials can affect agreements extended by previous leaders. Unlike in the west where work and social life are separate and equally important, in China social life is used to cement business relationships. In fact, three quarters of deals on business matters are sealed during free time outside working hours. For instance, teahouses, hotels, and karaoke bars form important locations for making business deals.
Chinese people like giving gifts for expressing friendship especially for a favor done to them. Bringing a few souvenirs of one's country is important such as pens wrapped in colors such as gold or red, which are considered lucky ones. However, gifts such as clocks are not encouraged since they signify death especially that of a parent. Hierarchy plays a role when selecting gifts to give various persons such that the most seniors receive the ones of great value (Guo, 2017). If one is invited to a private dinner one can ring some gifts since it is part of Chinese culture even in business meetings. However, somebody must know the fruits associated with negative connotations such as clocks representing death or books associated with losing.
Giving and receiving business card from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/115193702943056858/
Presentations involving sophisticated PowerPoint and ideas with several illustrations are valued in China especially by big companies. One can include presentations in Chinese and his/her official language as well as handouts since they are considered essential (Seng Woo & Prud'homme, 1999). Chinese audience focuses on cost-effectiveness of the product and not the product its self. Therefore, always show that the product being analyzed can save money. Their reactions may also vary during presentations thus one must not worry but try to engage them in discussions through questions. Chinese businesspersons have various trade tricks, which include controlling the place of meeting and schedules with foreigners, threatening to do business elsewhere, and showing anger (Chen, Ma, Zheng & Wang, 2015). Other tricks include use of friendship in extracting concessions and attrition aimed at showing excessive hospitality to their clients to win their trust.
Foreign negotiators must learn some tactics to ensure that they do not fall victims of their Chinese counterparts (Tian, 2016). They should be very prepared by having thorough knowledge of all aspects of business deals. They should also be willing to lose and return home so that Chinese know that failing to agree is also acceptable although as a bad deal (Pye, 1992). Not everyone gives in to manipulations into accepting others' conditions. Before signing any deal, it is advisable to ensure coverage of all details of a contract and ensure clear understanding of all requirements. This can be facilitated by getting professional legal help from someone that understands Chinese law.
Chinese business etiquette from https://blog.udemy.com/chinese-business-etiquette/
Other needs to have in mind include being patient as Chinese belief that other people such as Westerns are always in a hurry (Sundararajan, 2015). This requires one to always have an open return flight to ensure complete review of all contract details before signing it. Going home with a signed contract is not the end of the matter in China since they may require further concessions before they can commence business. China takes the idea of being the host to business people very seriously and will always ensure that companies doing business in the country receive assistance including good hotels, meals, transport, and entertainment.
Chinese versus Singapore Business Culture
Singapore is a country comprising of multiethnic groups such as Chinese, Malay, Eurasians, and Indians. Many businesspersons are Singaporean Chinese since they comprise the majority population in the country. Singaporeans are very open since the country is a cosmopolitan hosting various races. They are very understanding and will never get annoyed whenever a foreigner makes social faux although one must avoid discussing religion, racism, and politics. Unlike in China where Chinese is the main language, in Singapore English is taken as the working language (Chan & Tong, 2014). However, official languages include Malay, Chinese, and Tamil although there exist a local vernacular known as Singlish, which is a slang version of English.
In China business deals are conducted from Monday to Fridays but in Singapore Friday is reserved for prayers since the population is mostly Muslim. During business entertainment, it is advisable to avoid serving pork and alcohol and sometimes beef if one is hosting Indians. Just as in China, the inviter pays the bill although the other part can reciprocate later (Ni, Kamiya & Ding, 2017). Power meals are common such as business breakfasts although lunch is preferred during business negotiations. In both China and Singapore, lunch hours are between 12 to 2 pm and re highly valued (Shim & Yang 2015). This means it is unwise to set business discussions during the hours. Punctuality is fundamental in the two countries and one is expected to arrive on time for appointments.
Just as in China, business gifts are valued to express thanks and may include pens and logos, which should be wrapped, presented, and received in both hands. However, they should be opened once the presenter leaves for a sign of respect and appreciation. In Singapore, gifts with sharp shapes such as scissors are not appropriate since they are a sign of conflict. In China and Singapore number four rhymes with word that mean death thus one must avoid giving anything in a set of fours. Similarly, clocks are not appropriate since it means death according to Chinese culture (Lee, Pae & Wong, 2001). Since Singapore has a big population of Chinese, clocks should be avoided as they signify death. For Malay businesspersons avoiding anything made of pigskin and alcohol is important since they contravene Islamic laws. Doing business in Singapore requires one to practice some etiquette such as during introductions (Murray, 2014). If it is for the first time or during formal meetings use of titles and family name followed by somebody's name is the most appropriate.
From https://www.futurereadysingapore.com/2016/getting-a-handle-on-asian-business-culture.html
The Malays do not use family names and use bin meaning son of or binti meaning daughter of before their father's personal names. During meeting, exchange of business cards is important in both China and Singapore given and received with both hands. Once one receives a business card in Singapore, laying it on the table and avoiding writing anything on it is important (Mundial, 2013). Equality of sexes is highly appreciated in Singapore unlike in China as women hold high positions of authority in organizations and business. Dressing is very important and men should put on long-sleeved white shirts and tie while women should be in smart business wear. Office hours in Singapore are between 8.30 am and 1.30 pm from Monday to Friday thus business people should conduct activities during the scheduled times. Shaking hands with guest is valued while touching somebody's head is considered wrong. Transport system is well organized with many taxis and rickshaws vehicles, rail network, and Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) by train. Doing business in Singapore can be quite interesting once one understand the dos and don'ts before landing in the country.
Hofstede's Six Cultural Dimensions and Chinese Business Culture
Geert Hofstede introduced six basic issues needed by societies to organize themselves called the dimensions of culture. They include Power Distance Index (high versus low), individualism versus collectivism, masculinity versus femininity, uncertainty avoidance index (high versus low), pragmatic versus normative, and indulgence versus restraint.
Power distance index refers to the extent of inequality existing in a country and how well individuals with and without power accept it. If it is high, the society has accepted unequal and hierarchical power distribution and people understand their position in the system (Ni, Kamiya & Ding, 2017). If it is low, there is sharing and dispersal of power among the people. China has high distance power index culture with a PDI of 80 (Foster, 2015). In this country inequalities among individuals is accepted leading to subordinate-superior relations. In this case, people do not defend abuse of power by superiors since they are considered right in every decision they take. It is considered very normal and anyone wanting to do business in the country must understand the practice.
Individualism/collectivism refers to whether people act as "We or I". Communism spirit is high in countries with high IDV and they can take responsibility for actions committed by others. A collectivism society loyalty to groups is highly valued and it defends the interest of the members to better the wellbeing. China has a collectivism culture standing at 91 and think as a group even in businesses (Foster, 2015). Protecting the interests of an organization one belongs to is very important.
Masculinity/femininity (MAS) can be attributed to distribution of roles between men and women. In societies considered masculine there is less overlap between roles of men and women and the former are required to be assertive rather than aggressive. In feminine societies, men and women roles overlap greatly and being modest is a virtue. China ranks 66, which implies that the society focuses on success, competition, and achievements (Foster, 2015). The Chinese people put work before family and leisure thus some can leave their families and go to work in other countries or factories for about 11 months in a year (Shim & Yang 2015). Uncertainty/avoidance UAI dimension refers to the ability of people to cope with anxiety.
For highly scoring societies for UAI, individuals try to make life more predictable and controllable and will always stop trying if they discover they cannot achieve the targets. They tend to put their fate in God's hands. Low scores of UAI means that people in those societies make more relaxed, open, and inclusive decisions in businesses. China ranks 40, which implies that they can accept ambiguous situations and cannot be deterred by challenges (Khairullah & Khairullah, 2013). Although the country has rules and regulations on various issues, the people are always ready to bend and change them depending on the situation. The language is ambiguous and one may find it difficult to interpret especially when doing business with them.
Long-term/short-term orientation (LTO) is the extent to which individuals can explain the inexplicable and has a strong relationship with religion and nationality. Nations with high scores tend to be pragmatic and modest while the ones that score low are more religious and nationalistic (Isac, 2015). Normative societies focus on short-term rewards and quick results such that requirements such as profit and loss statements are mostly on quarterly basis. The Chinese society has a high ranking on long-term at 118, which means that their focus in on persistence and perseverance (Foster, 2015). They can take and dedicate a lot of time to achieve their targets thus their negotiation process are time consuming to build enough trust. They are interested in making long-term relationships that can bear positive results. Before doing business with Chinese, it is important to understand their culture and consider its values before signing any contracts.
The sixth dimension is indulgence/Restraint (IVR) focuses on the good things in life thus countries with high IVR encourage people to enjoy life and have fun. Low IVR societies focus on regulating people's conduct and behavior hence have stricter norms (Khairullah & Khairullah, 2013). China has several cultural norms due to their traditions and behavior during business negotiations, meetings, meals, and other activities is important. Leisure time is less important and people tend to be more controlled.
Conclusion
Integration of the world major economies has promoted interactions of various nations in business forums. China is becoming one of the dominant nations for doing business and investments by interested parties. Undertaking business activities in China requires one to understand various policies and technical aspects such as accounting, taxation, and auditing. The country's large population of more than 1 billion persons makes it one of the favored countries for travel destinations in the world. Conducting business in China can be quite a daunting task if one does not understand its business etiquette and protocol. For instance, dressing is important and one must dress to impress, as the first appearance is quite important. Putting on high quality clothes reveal somebody's status and modesty in China. When entering a room one must follow the order of seniority to show respect for the leader of Chinese delegation. In this case, the most senior person has to do the introduction for other members. Handshakes are supposed to be short and soft while keeping brief eye contact. Business cards are considered important which should be in Mandarin and English. They are presented and received with both hands with the Chinese side being on top and facing the other party. In China, pointing with a finger is a rude gesture and one should point with an open hard or just make eye contact. There frequent and lengthy discussions are meant to build trust with clients and business partners before any contracts are signed. Some business meetings happen during long dinners with several courses, which may not be familiar to foreigners. However, trying each dish is important, as failing to eat some is being rude. Being genuine and showing respect is very important in China as it helps in instilling confidence and tightening business ties.


References
Chan, K. B., & Tong, C. K. (2014). Singaporean Chinese doing Business in China. In Chinese Business (pp. 119-129). Springer Singapore.
Chen, T., Ma, K., Zheng, C., & Wang, H. (2015). The Effects of Sub-Brands and Brand Name Structure on Extension Evaluation: An Empirical Study based on Chinese culture. Journal of Brand Management, 22(8), 695-713.
Fan, Y. (2000). A Classification of Chinese Culture. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, 7(2), 3-10.
Foster, B. (2015). How Culture Makes a Difference in Management: Applying Geert Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions to Management in Germany and China.
Guo, Y. (2017). Intercultural Business Communication-A Comparison of China and Sweden.
Ghauri, P., & Fang, T. (2001). Negotiating with the Chinese: A socio-cultural analysis. Journal of World Business, 36(3), 303-325.
Isac, F. L. (2015). Influence of Culture on the Process of Managing Decisions Adoption. Journal of Economics and Business Research, 21(2), 99-105.
Khairullah, D. H., & Khairullah, Z. Y. (2013). Cultural Values and Decision-Making in China. International Journal of Business, Humanities and Technology, 3(2), 1-12.
Kriz, A., & Keating, B. (2010). Business Relationships in China: Lessons about Deep Trust. Asia Pacific Business Review, 16(3), 299-318.
Lee, D. J., Pae, J. H., & Wong, Y. H. (2001). A model of Close Business Relationships in China (guanxi). European Journal of Marketing, 35(1/2), 51-69.
Mundial, B. (2013). Doing business 2013: smarter regulations for small and medium-size enterprises. The World Bank.
Murray, G. (2014). Doing Business in China: The Last Great Market. Routledge.
Newell, S. J., Wu, B., Leingpibul, D., & Jiang, Y. (2016). The Importance of Corporate and Salesperson Expertise and Trust in Building Loyal Business-To-Business Relationships in China. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 36(2), 160-173.
Ni, P., Kamiya, M., & Ding, R. (2017). Global Connection and Doing Business. In Cities Network along the Silk Road (pp. 197-220). Springer, Singapore.
Pye, L. W. (1992). Chinese Negotiating Style: Commercial Approaches and Cultural Principles. Praeger Pub Text.
Samaha, S. A., Beck, J. T., & Palmatier, R. W. (2014). The role of Culture in International Relationship Marketing. Journal of Marketing, 78(5), 78-98.
Seng Woo, H., & Prud'homme, C. (1999). Cultural Characteristics Prevalent in the Chinese Negotiation Process. European Business Review, 99(5), 313-322.
Shim, M., & Yang, H. S. (2015). The implications of Changes in Hours Fluctuations on Welfare Costs of Business Cycles. Economics Letters, 128, 75-78.
Sundararajan, L. (2015). Understanding Emotion in Chinese Culture. Thinking Through Psychology. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
Tian, X. (2016). Managing International Business in China. Cambridge University Press.
Zimmermann, K.A (2015). Chinese Culture: Customs & Traditions of China. https://www.livescience.com/28823-chinese-culture.html