Essay 2
 
Please describe the unique contribution that you can make to the educational experience of the other members of the MBA class. (500 words)
As a native of the Chinese mainland, I have experienced first-hand the tremendous changes that have occurred in China since the opening of my homeland to the rest of the world in the late 1970’s. From an insider’s perspective, I have witnessed the development of the country’s society, economy and business sectors over the years. With China’s accession to the World Trade Organization, there will be a huge increase in the cross-cultural exchanges between Western and Chinese people and businesses. The differences in culture between China and Western companies are sometimes difficult to understand on both sides. Therefore, I believe that the more that native Chinese people and Western people interact, the better we will understand each other. Better understanding leads to better relationships, not only in business but also on a more personal level. Better relationships lead to better international cooperation, which leads to improved international trade, therefore contributing to world stability.

My previous work experience has given me a thorough understanding of the business and economic environment in China. While working for the Legend Group, I have had the opportunity to study the development of some of the largest private sector domestic companies in China. Through my research, I have found that there are some key weaknesses that cause many of these businesses to fail. By sharing this information with my classmates during classroom discussions and case studies, they can learn about typical Chinese business models while I can learn their points of view on how to best correct these weaknesses. The interaction of traditional Chinese business methods with Western business theories should provide great starting points for in-depth analysis of the differences and similarities of worldwide business practices.

Another aspect of my work experience that will be valuable to my classmates is that of the importance of governmental connections when doing business in China. Through my work with the Legend Group, I have gained unique experience in establishing good relations with local authorities. To give our company a competitive edge with government bidding and purchases, I invited government VIPs to visit our company and our large-scale exhibitions. This also helped to promote our company image as a major player with regional and international consumers. Additionally, our company switched from operating as a purely domestic company to a joint venture, with potentially positive income tax implications. I was placed in charge of realizing these tax benefits through negotiations with the local Commercial and Industry Registration Bureau and Taxation Bureau. Through my thorough research into tax laws and persuasive communications with local officials, we overcame governmental opposition and were granted the more favorable income tax rates, thus leading to greatly improved profits. By applying these learning experiences to our discussions of case studies and business theories in class, I can share this valuable knowledge with my classmates as I also learn from them. Shared learning through cross-cultural exchanges is one of the main motivating factors that have inspired me to earn my MBA through the Ivey School of Business.