Submitted by: Patrick Johansing

In the Chinese political system there are two centers of power, the President and the Premier.  The current President is Hu Jintao.  This position was created in 1982 and it was intended to be mostly a symbolic position without too much power, but it has grown into a very important position.  His main role is to appoint all the Ministers, which are equivalent to our Secretaries (Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasure, etc.).  In fact, he is even supposed to appoint the Premier which is the most important minister post, but this responsibility is actually taken over by the National People’s Congress.  Aside from this power, he also has the power to declare war; although he does not have control over the military, which is semi-autonomous and controlled by the State Central Military Commission.  His typical day to day activities include determining national policies and generating political support for them.  He also serves as the general secretary of the communist party.  He is limited to two five year terms.

The current Premier is Wen Jiabao.  His main responsibility is to organize and administer the Chinese Civil Bureaucracy.  He’s the guy that implements the policies determined by the President.  This means he gets down to the nitty gritty and figures out the logistics of the implementation.

I wanted to find American counterparts for each of these, but it looks like they both take on certain responsibilities that are left up to our President.  I thought that this division of power was pretty interesting, especially since neither the President nor the Premier has control of the military.  My thoughts are that this was probably a reaction to the atrocities caused by Mao Zedong, who was responsible for the Cultural Revolution; a separation of powers will make it more difficult for a single leader to cause such massive destruction.

Submitted by: Ashley Breneman

The months leading up to the Olympic games in Beijing proved to be more problematic for the government than most of us were aware.  Pollution was just one of the issues that the government had to face and fix before the Olympics began in August.  While preparing for the arrival of millions of foreigners, the government was simultaneously trying to quietly deal with the aftermath of the May 12th earthquake in the Sichuan Province of China.

The earthquake, which was registered at 7.9 on the Richter magnitude scale, killed over 87,000 people. The initial response of the government was highly commended as they mobilized over 146,000 troops in just a matter of days.  This quickly changed after the alarming announcement of the number of schools that were crumbled during the earthquake, causing a large number of the casualties to be children.

Thousands of parents accused local officials of cutting corners when building the schools since nearby buildings had minimal damage compared to the flattened schools.  These schoolhouses have since been called “tofu-dregs schoolhouses” which mocks both the quality and quantity of the many poorly built schools that killed so many children the day of the quake.  The central government estimates that over 7,000 inadequately engineered schoolrooms collapsed during the earthquake.

At first glance, it seems extremely immoral and irresponsible that the government would approve of buildings that were not built to withstand a large earthquake.  With the standards that govern the design of buildings in the United States, an accident of this magnitude would never occur today.  However, there is one big difference between the US and China- the size of the population.  When constructing these buildings, the government had to decide between constructing highly sturdy buildings and educating the majority of the population.  They chose to educate as many as possible and hope that a “once in a lifetime” earthquake would never occur.  So did they do the right thing?  What would you have done if you had to make the same decision?

Regardless of the decisions made to construct the building, the real controversy lies in the reaction of the government following the earthquake.  Many officials promised to get to the bottom of the crisis and figure out who was to blame.  This is when the commonly talked about “government corruption” stepped in.  As the victims’ parents and news reporters continually demanded an answer of who was to blame, they were one-by-one harassed or detained by government officials.  I can’t say that I have an answer for how the government should respond, but silencing many heartbroken families will likely lead to more and more demonstrations against the government. Instead of hushing the many mourning families, the government should find a way to address their concerns and prevent a tragedy like this from occurring again in the future.

To read more about the Sichuan Province earthquake, see the following articles:

1.  In Year After Quake, China Sealed an Opened Door

2.  Loss, Mourning and Hope Amid the Rubble

3.  Wikipedia- 2008 Sichuan Earthquake

Submitted by: Ashley Breneman

On January 24th, women drinking at a bar in Mangalore, India were attacked by a group of approximately 40 men representing Sri Ram Sena, “the Army of Ram.”  The women were attacked for being “un-Indian” by being out drinking and dancing with men.  The new pub culture in India has been strongly debated across the country on various talk shows.  The conservative group known as The Sena appeared on television saying that his group had “stepped in to enforce morality since the government had failed.”  The following video describes the attack:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJpSfV-UmIY&NR=1

Many have shown opposition for this group, but politicians have made few announcements on the topic.  Women and child development minister, Renuka Chowdhury, has criticized the Sena, calling its methods “Talibanization.”  Many women across India have protested that they have a right to go to the pubs.  Although a lot of the Indian culture is still very conservative, this proves that many women in the Indian society are striving towards a more Western view on women’s rights. 

The struggle for equality is more of a battle of culture.  From what we have learned up until now, the women in India are treated very respectfully.  The issues being brought up by the Sena are resulting from a deviation from the traditional Indian ideals of how a woman should act.  These new-age women feel they have a right to go out and drink at the pubs, just as men do.  The following debate on CNN-IBN about Mangalore morality and culture shows just how heated these debates have been. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQrYgkBBryw

After learning about these attacks on women, I understand why it is so important that we go out in groups and more importantly, always have a guy with us.  It also demonstrates why it is crucial that we understand the cultural differences in both China and India.  A bar in India is not the same as a bar in San Luis Obispo, and treating it as so can get any one of us into a great deal of trouble.  Hopefully with this knowledge and a little common sense, none of us will encounter any problems.  The videos shown reinforce why we should never drink on the streets, and why we should always exhibit caution and respect if we do decide to consume an alcoholic beverage. 

The article describing the incident can be read on The New York Times website:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/world/asia/09india.html

Submitted by: Ashley Breneman

As the days go by, and we get closer and closer to our departure to India, there are some important tips that the women must remember.  This is not to say that the guys have nothing to take precautions about, but the large cultural differences between Western women and Indian women should be noted.  All year we have been educated on the culture in India.  The most obvious difference we as Americans will need to adapt to is the conservative style of dress for women.  By now, we should all understand this difference, but what we may consider conservative here in California, may be extremely provocative in India.  Here are some tips for women that I found on numerous websites.

1. Avoid low cut, tight-fitting shirts, tank tops, skirts that fall above the knees, and shorts.
2. Short sleeve cotton shirts can be worn in warmer climates, but they should be loose fitting and not revealing.
3. Observe the locals, and dress a bit more conservatively than the most liberally dressed woman.

Some of us have talked about buying a sari once we get there.  I know some of us wondered if the Indian women would be offended if we were to wear the saris.  From the research I did, it is a treat for most Indian women to see Americans open-minded enough to immerse themselves in another culture or tradition.  However, you may/will be stared at if you wrap the sari wrong.  For those who plan on buying a sari, this LINK link shows a demonstration on how to wrap a sari.

The other option for Indian dress is the salwar kameez.  This is the slightly less dressy outfit that consists of a loose-fitting blouse that comes down past the waist, and loose-fitting pajama-like pants that are very wide at the top and very narrow at the ankles.

Now how does all this relate to the business aspect of the trip?  Lets put it this way, how many of you would walk into an interview wearing just a bathing suit?  I know this sounds extreme, but revealing clothing can come across just as offensive to the men and women in India.  While in India, I plan on buying at least one of these outfits to try and blend in as much as possible.  Dressing appropriately will not only help to avoid lewd comments and glares, but we will be much more respected by those we encounter.  Besides, there is little knowledge to gain if we enter India assuming the same cultural bias that we experience here in the United States.

For more clothing tips and some extra safety tips, see the below article written by Beth Whitman, an American writer who spent a month traveling through India.

For Women Traveling to India: Preparing for Safe and Culturally Respectful Immersion

It’s not like an abundance of good jobs abound in California right now.   Click HERE for some job hunting advice in China from David Wolf at the Silicon Hutong blog.  Good post and good advice, David.

I had asked you to read a post on negotiation and the SIlk Market in Beijing, where I will take you for some shopping. To refresh click HERE.

Check out this excellent NY Times article, Facing Counterfeiting Crackdown, Beijing Vendors Fight Back just published that discusses the legal crackdown at the Silk Market and the creative way in which some of the vendors there are fighting back against the trademark infringement cases that have been filed against them.

Said article nicely highlights the tension between how the West and China approach and differ in some of their views of intellectual property protection, how much of this issue is also tied to history an that portion of my session with you last week on Chinese history (e.g., the Opium Wars, Confucianism, the carving up of China by colonial powers), etc. Said article also highlights why when/if you lecture the Chinese in IP theft and lack of protection, buddy, be careful as you sometimes do so at your own peril!

Other:

By the way, for those of you looking to buy a suit in China at the Silk Market in Beijing (see my earlier post Lessons On Negotiating (The Ultimate Sport), In Asia), see this short YouTube VIDEO I recently came across on this very topic. I think it’s pretty well done and fairly accurate. Keep in mind, though, that the prices you will see in this video are lower for a number of reasons. E.g., he came back 10 days later to pick up his suit and did not need it the next day, he also went into a local neighborhood (in this case in Shanghai) that many Westerners would not feel comfortable going into to buy his suit, note his language skills and I assume he was/is a repeat customer for this tailor, etc. As you are MBA students, you recognize and appreciate the impact said variables can have on price.

Submitted by: Morgan O’Hara

To piggyback off two recent posts – the first about Zakaria’s manliness, the second about Bollywood’s appeal – I’d like to share an article on how American media corporations are getting fed up of chasing the carrot in China, and are shifting their energy towards India.

When it comes to the media industry, India is more open than China, and its demographic and economic trends excite media execs just the same. A few weeks ago, Ravi Asnani spoke to us about the potential of India’s youth, and how their drive and talent is transforming the way business is done. Ravi also talked about how there are plenty opportunities to sell to Indians, many of whom are happy to spend top dollar for an iPhone. Controlling the broadcasting channels that reach India’s up-and-coming middle class youth is BIG business.

But what about China? We all know how successful the Chinese government has been in facilitating the development of labor-intensive industries, often via foreign investment. Yet loosening controls over the programming that reaches its citizens is still taboo. It seems like the perfect example of China’s government wanting to have it both ways.

After reading the article, I wonder whether China’s hesitancy to work with Western media firms is a reflection of the ruling class’ paranoia, or are these media firms being short-sighted? Should they work harder and smarter to get their foot in the door? Or is China being unreasonable and is it time for media companies to look elsewhere?

What surprises me is how the Chinese censors haven’t caught onto the subversive nature of “Spongebob SquarePants.” That show is a psychedelic drug transmitted through television waves. Also ironic is how China’s nationalistic spirit may wedge open the broadcasting gates. The article posits that China’s envy of Slumdog Millionaire’s success will spawn action in China’s movie industry, which will in turn benefit American studios. Nothing like some Chindia rivalry to spur business. Your thoughts?

Submitted by: Raquel Rusing

Body: Few of you may know that I have danced the dances and sang the songs of Bollywood… right here at Cal Poly!

Each year a group of students organize a Student Spring Dance Show to promote Cal Poly’s under-recognized dance department. Those in charge of organizing the event also serve as choreographers who teach routines to voluntary students for the duration of the quarter. The routines are a wide variety of styles aimed to educate about the diversification that exists in dance.

For the last five years, I’ve taught a hip-hop class, but have also chosen to participate in a colleague’s Bollywood number. I was initially very skeptical because of its cheesy nature and awkward movements, but through some miraculous leap of faith, I joined nonetheless and fell in love with the energy and colors of Bollywood. Now, after Dr. Singh’s discussion of India at our last Chindia meeting, I have no choice but to share more!

Obviously when someone hears Bollywood, they think Hollywood. And they should because the name is derived from the combination of Bombay (the former name of Mumbai and the central hub for this genre of film) and Hollywood. As Alex Van Dalen said in our meeting, these films are purposely unrealistic, similar to Western musicals during the World Wars, because they serve as a form of escapism. They incorporate catchy song-and-dance numbers, less than logical transitions between everyday sets to extravagant and exotic locations, extended melodramatic moments and formulaic storylines. However, despite that these types of film have only become increasingly popular within the last decade overseas, Bollywood has been around since the American Great Depression.

The shift of popularity to the Western world is mainly attributed to Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film Moulin Rouge!, which was directly influenced by the Bollywood style. The play within the film follows the storyline of an ancient Sanskrit drama, The Little Clay Cart, and Nicole Kidman leads a Bollywood-styled dance sequence to the famous song Chamma Chamma from a 1998 Bollywood film, China Gate.

The China Gate version can be accessed here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKtdZDE_orw

The Moulin Rouge! version can be accessed here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thbqyJxP0ok

The music is probably what makes or breaks an experience for a member of the audience. If you don’t catch onto the tune… you might as well not watch the films. The music itself is called filmi (meaning “of films” in Hindi) and although the actors and actresses are dancing, none are singing. The entire film is lip-synced and the majority of the actors and actresses don’t even record in the studio. They enlist professional playback singers. Does this remind anyone of the Chinese incident during the Olympics – the young cute girl performs to the voice of a hidden and less attractive, but vocally gifted young girl? I thought it might until I found out that most of the playback singers are featured with pride during the opening credits and have their own fan base. Furthermore, to promote interest in the movie, the soundtracks are often released prior to the movie itself.

By the by, if you’re a male thinking that you’re not interested in these chick flicks, let me inform you of a couple of reasons for why you should think about watching them.

Item #1: Snoop Dogg. That’s right. Last year D-O-double-G signed up for a guest appearance on the title track of Singh is Kinng.

Here are the words of Mr. Snoop himself from a NY Times article:

“I really dig how much music is infused with the movies in Bollywood… Lots of hip-hop tracks sample Indian music, and a lot of their music sounds like it was influenced by hip-hop. Snoop Dogg’s got love for everybody. I like how the Punjabis get down; the way they dress is fresh and they got a real appreciation for music. Watch out y’all. I’m coming to take over Bollywood… this is just the beginning.”

Check out the music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1BgMwyZhtU

Item #2: Have you seen the ladies?! As Dr. Singh would agree, let me show you some of these beauties.

Mallika Sherawat

Priyanka Chopra

Aishwarya Rai

Item #3: Business opportunities. Yep. I read a Time Magazine Article called Ring, Ring, Bollywood Calling! and the mentioned company by the name of Saavn (acronym for South Asian Audio/Visual Network) is profiting significantly thanks to Bollywood.

According to the article, “[Saavn] controls global distribution rights, outside India, to a massive number of Bollywood films, songs, albums and music videos, all downloadable to iPods, MP3 players, cell phones and computers. And if consumers in America are captivated by the song-and-dance… Saavn believes its offerings will be attractive marketing tools for U.S. companies. [They] have already conducted a brand-marketing campaign for Verizon. Half a dozen major U.S. companies are now in discussion to use Saavn’s content to pursue the same market. The wealth and education level of South Asian consumers in the U.S. make [Saavn] a desirable target.”

This makes me think of William Chillingworth’s discussion about owning exclusive rights to Western commodities overseas. Is there a possibility for a profitable reverse – exclusive rights to Indian commodities in the U.S.? Will Saavn continue to grow as the popularity of Bollywood rises in the West or is this another passing fad? What do you think of the Bollywood craze? Will it be as successful as Hollywood? Domestically? Globally? What are some other business opportunities available through this industry both directly and indirectly?