Comments on: It’s Called the Forbidden City for a Reason http://calpolymbatrip.com/2007/china/its-called-the-forbidden-city-for-a-reason/ The MBA Graduate Program at Cal Poly Fri, 18 May 2012 16:38:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Chris Carr http://calpolymbatrip.com/2007/china/its-called-the-forbidden-city-for-a-reason/#comment-929 Chris Carr Mon, 22 Jan 2007 02:52:19 +0000 http://calpolymbatrip.com/2007/china/its-called-the-forbidden-city-for-a-reason/#comment-929 Good blog references, Lonnie. They make some excellent points, as do the discussion threads that go along with them. The Mask of China site in particular was good. I had forgotten how damn small this Starbucks is and how hard it is to find once you are in the Forbidden City. Cheers. Good blog references, Lonnie. They make some excellent points, as do the discussion threads that go along with them. The Mask of China site in particular was good.

I had forgotten how damn small this Starbucks is and how hard it is to find once you are in the Forbidden City. Cheers.

]]> By: LONNIE http://calpolymbatrip.com/2007/china/its-called-the-forbidden-city-for-a-reason/#comment-927 LONNIE Sun, 21 Jan 2007 17:52:56 +0000 http://calpolymbatrip.com/2007/china/its-called-the-forbidden-city-for-a-reason/#comment-927 My friend Dezza at Mask of China in Hong Kong gives a no nonsense picture of the issue here: http://www.maskofchina.com/hk/2007/01/trampling-in-china-not-new-thing.html The formidaqble Peking Duck weighed in on this too: http://www.pekingduck.org/ I am with Dezza on this one: There is NO cutural spot in China that is not teeming with beggars, trinket sales people or garbage... We will try to guide you to some pkaces where you can get your waving hand Mao watches without being hassled.... Starbucks is the least of China's worries.... My friend Dezza at Mask of China in Hong Kong gives a no nonsense picture of the issue here: http://www.maskofchina.com/hk/2007/01/trampling-in-china-not-new-thing.html

The formidaqble Peking Duck weighed in on this too: http://www.pekingduck.org/

I am with Dezza on this one: There is NO cutural spot in China that is not teeming with beggars, trinket sales people or garbage…

We will try to guide you to some pkaces where you can get your waving hand Mao watches without being hassled….

Starbucks is the least of China’s worries….

]]> By: Juma Kamao http://calpolymbatrip.com/2007/china/its-called-the-forbidden-city-for-a-reason/#comment-926 Juma Kamao Sun, 21 Jan 2007 17:35:42 +0000 http://calpolymbatrip.com/2007/china/its-called-the-forbidden-city-for-a-reason/#comment-926 I can understand the profit starbucks will lose by losing its site at Forbiden City. But there is one important lesson that almost all western corporations are NOT taught in class or otherwise; i.e: respecting the local cultures. There is this cocky and a purely ignorant attitude of most of the Managers of these companies from Europe and America, that the MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE IS MONEY and in particular PROFIT. However, this is not true for most part of the world out there. What matters most for most people out there (out of the west) are cultural respect and dignity. And that is exactly what the Chinese want from the starbuck. Quitting the Forbiden City is a sign of cultural respect and that is what starbuck should do willingly. Otherwise, (if not) starbuck may find itself losing almost everything in China because this campaign CAN EASILY LEAD TO A COMPLETE BOYCOT of starbucks coffee in China! If anyone doubts this ascertion, let him/her ask Japanese companies operating in China what happened to them sometimes back!! China is China and Chinese can be a lot of trouble if they want to! Mind you, this campaign is being led by a media professional! Quit forbiden City OR Lose China!! I can understand the profit starbucks will lose by losing its site at Forbiden City. But there is one important lesson that almost all western corporations are NOT taught in class or otherwise; i.e: respecting the local cultures.

There is this cocky and a purely ignorant attitude of most of the Managers of these companies from Europe and America, that the MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE IS MONEY and in particular PROFIT. However, this is not true for most part of the world out there. What matters most for most people out there (out of the west) are cultural respect and dignity.

And that is exactly what the Chinese want from the starbuck. Quitting the Forbiden City is a sign of cultural respect and that is what starbuck should do willingly. Otherwise, (if not) starbuck may find itself losing almost everything in China because this campaign CAN EASILY LEAD TO A COMPLETE BOYCOT of starbucks coffee in China! If anyone doubts this ascertion, let him/her ask Japanese companies operating in China what happened to them sometimes back!! China is China and Chinese can be a lot of trouble if they want to! Mind you, this campaign is being led by a media professional! Quit forbiden City OR Lose China!!

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