another China book
Managing the Dragon (Crown; $27.50), Jack Perkowski's story of his almost 13 years running Asimco, an automotive components maker, in China is therefore a rare treat—a first-hand account of the struggle to build a business there. Tim Clissold, Mr Perkowski's former colleague, has already described how Asimco's Chinese partners cheated it out of millions, in his riveting 2004 book, “Mr China�. But Mr Perkowski hung on, and his wise and ultimately optimistic account should be required reading for anyone starting a business in China. Mr Perkowski is sensible on every issue—from the need to nurture (and listen to) local managers to the relative importance of local over central government relations. Most of all, foreigners must not shun the impossibly cut-throat local market because the price paid for a product in China today will be its price globally tomorrow. (from the Economist)