China has long been known for cheap labor, fast turnaround times and imitation products, but today, China is no longer a copycat. As one of the world’s largest economies and projected to overtake the U.S. in terms of GDP within the next 10 years, China has been making moves to change these perceptions. The move from imitation to innovation, however, can’t come by way of a Central Committee decision; an entire shift in mindset is needed. For the Middle Kingdom, it might even be considered a change of culture. Nevertheless, the process of changing that mindset is already underway – the people are growing bolder, Chinese companies more creative and their products increasingly competitive.
China’s revamped and re-evaluated economic plans encourage a more innovative environment with greater emphasis placed on improving higher education and the establishment of creative clusters in the form of more technology parks. China’s Premier, Li Keqiang, openly pledged to do more to promote the Chinese entrepreneurial spirit and foster homegrown talent and ideas. A growing number of well-educated Chinese have also begun taking small, but essential, steps into the entrepreneurial sphere.
The increase in entrepreneurial awareness means co-working spaces and “Think Tank Circles” such as Lean In Beijing are popping up left and right. Such support groups and platforms are venues for more freely available education and are inspiring and motivating young Chinese minds. Now, many foreign tech entrepreneurs based in Beijing are reaching out to encourage those who have ideas but aren’t brave enough to pursue them – especially young women, who still feel immense pressure to prioritize baby-making and the prospects are exciting.
Motivation: check. Support: check. Inspiration: check. But one thing that poses a threat to the governmental and social efforts for startup advocacy in China is the local culture. With an inherent fear of failure rooted in traditional Confucian ideals and family expectations of success moderated by stability, the entrepreneurial lifestyle of high risk and difficult decisions can be terrifying. For those who have never allowed themselves to experience failure, it’s hard to fall down, rise again, learn from mistakes and carry on. Perhaps more importantly, startups require the ability to change tack and direction and need an owner who is flexible – not a characteristic for which China is famous.
China is thirsting for recognition as a technology giant and a hub of innovation but dreaming is easy and entrepreneurship most certainly isn’t for everyone. While there are many reasons starting a company in China makes sense, there are deep-seated psychological obstacles inherent to the country’s culture that could derail even the most promising startup. That being said, China has proven to the Western world that it’s capable of amazing economic miracles and if homegrown, organic innovation is the next phase of the Chinese dream, there’s little doubt they will achieve it. A fundamental step along the way, though, will be a radical cultural shift that allows for failure, encourages individuality, and transforms “thinking different” from vice to virtue.
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