Young workers are calling quits on China’s workplace drinking culture
In early August 2021, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba was embroiled in a sexual assault scandal involving one of its female employees, Wang, and her manager, Zhang. Following the incident being made public, it sparked criticism within the Chinese online community and state media. Alibaba has since fired Zhang, who is now under arrest on suspicion […]
Payment methods in China: How China became a mobile-first nation
Over the past few years, paying with mobile phone has become a daily gesture in China. According to a survey, in 2018 92% of people in China’s largest cities use Wechat Pay or Alipay as their main means of payment. The phenomenon is the same in rural areas: 47% of the rural population is reported […]
Gen Z are “lying down” on Chinese work culture: Is it time to say “bye” to 996?
Modern day Chinese work culture is focusing on strict a hierarchical structure and long work hours. Clocking on average 46 hours of work a week, which is about 10 more than the average in the US and Europe, Chinese employees are often compelled to make sacrifices for their employers. The IT sector in China is […]
BPO and call centers in China: Is China the next BPO hub?
In today’s competitive international marketplace, companies are under intense pressure to lower costs. This has lead to China being the ‘factory of the world’ but now as manufacturing moves to other countries, other opportunities for business process outsourcing (BPO) in China rise. Does that mean China is the next destination for call centers? Call centers […]
How China celebrates International Women’s Day
In 1908, more than 15,000 women marched in NYC demanding more appropriate working hours, better pay and voting rights. Three years later in 1911, Clara Zetkin, the leader of the Women’s Office for the Social Democratic Party in Germany, suggested that there should be a celebration of women every year in every country. International Women’s […]
The e-cigarette and vape market in China: Will brands target young adults or convert smokers?
Vaping has become a trend worldwide in recent years. The e-cigarettes which were previously introduced to help smokers quit has become a symbol of the Gen Z. The size of vape market in China is still smaller than that in the U.S., despite a much larger smoking population. Many users, including middle schoolers and high […]
Riding the Guochao: How Chinese nationalism influences consumption and how foreign brands can navigate cultural confidence
Chinese nationalism has always been an important aspect of China’s cultural identity, but in recent years it has had a greater impact on consumption trends. In the past, foreign brands had dominated a lot of consumer markets and have had a leg-up on presumed quality. Now the tides are turning, and we see domestic brands […]
China Paradigm Transcript #105: Merging family traditions with etiquette training in China
Click here for China Paradigm 104. In this interview, Guillaume Rué de Bernadac, the founder of a business for etiquette training in China, shares how his school perpetuates his family traditions as well as the diverse types of clients he teaches in China, whether it is adults, kids, or luxury organizations. Full transcript below: Welcome to China […]
China’s golden week 2020 reveals new economic trends
According to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, during China’s golden week, which this year was a combined National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival, the retail and restaurant industry reached 1.6 trillion RMB in sales. Compared to the last year’s golden week, the average daily sales grew 4.9%, despite the global impact of COVID-19. Since the COVID-19 […]
TCM in marketing: meeting the demand for natural ingredients in beauty and personal care
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a healing approach that originated in China thousands of years ago. Chinese herbal medicine has a long historical tradition. Ancient herbology in China focused on potions whose function was part medicinal and part magical. In China today, traditional Chinese herbal medicine is used alongside conventional pharmaceutical treatment. Many brands have […]