Taming the tiger: key success factors for trade with China

With its large population and increasingly open approach to foreign business dealings, China has been heralded as a land of opportunity for Western business. “What are the keys to business success?” Addresses this issue by Investigating key success factors for trade with China. Presents results from a survey of New Zealand organisations trading with China. Top‐ranking issues reveal a micro‐business focus (e.g. negotiation strategy, business etiquette). Low‐ranking issues include the need to understand advertising in China, and to have an intensive knowledge of the Chinese language. Correlations between importance and knowledge scores suggest that cultural issues are perceived as less important by those with a high degree of knowledge concerning trade relation intermediaries. Larger firms are also found to rate an understanding of negotiation strategy as more important than small firms.