Here’s an older article from Businessweek. It’s not about international business failures, but the general message is very fitting: good companies embrace and learn from failure. I am just wondering if embracing failure sometimes doesn’t only promote creativity and risk-taking, but also ignorance and stupidity. That failure is tolerated could easily mean that companies don’t […]
Disney has recently announced that it’s plans to open a theme park in Shanghai’s Pudong area have received a nod from the Chinese government. It’s clear that a market as large and dynamic as the Chinese must be mouthwatering to Disney, but….! Not only are there countless stories of US-based multinationals who have found the […]
As the New York Times reports, US-based cable TV operator Liberty Global takes over Germany’s Unity Media for $3.7 bn. A case to watch.
Days after Apple’s official introduction of the iPhone in China, the media report of a rather lukewarm reception for the gadget that has been hugely successful in other countries. Where there were long lines in front of stores in the United States, employees at the Apple store in Beijing are yet waiting for the big […]
Hold the horses! Stop the presses! Forget all about my previous comments about the GM-Opel-Magna-Sbersk deal because the deal is off. GM announced that it withdraws its prior agreement under which the Austro-Canadian conglomerate Magna would have purchased Opel from it. Even insiders are still wild guessing about the true motivation for hitting the brakes. […]
With the takeover of ailing GM subsidiary by the Austrian-Canadian conglomerate Magna still not being finali, dark clouds are gathering over Germany. Volkswagen-owned Porsche is said to rethink its contracts with Magna for the production of its prestige Boxster model starting in 2010. And also BMW is expressing concerns over its relationships with Magna. As […]
Volvo of Sweden which has been owned by Ford for a number of years will be sold to a consortium led by Chinese carmaker Zhejiang Geely. It has been reported that the consortium is willing to pay about $2bn as it seeks to capitalize on the brands’ good reputation in the Chinese market. The first […]
General Motors (GM) has confirmed today that it would sell its Hummer brand to a joint venture between Chinese Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery and the Chinese Entrepreneur Suolang Duoji. It is clear why the Chinese would want the brand, but the question remains, does the world want a Chinese Hummer? True, under the current agreement, GM will […]
Do you belong to those who think that doing business in emerging markets is difficult? Think about what happens if you’re from an emerging market trying to enter another emerging market. You’ll not only be facing the challenges typical of emerging economies in your target market, but in addition you’ll start feeling those from your […]
After months of uncertainty and intensive negotiations, GM has announced this week that it will decide a 55 percent stake in it’s European Opel unit to a consortium of the Austrian-Canadian automotive supply conglomerate Magna and its Russian investment partner, Sberbank. 35 % of the shares will remain with GM, and another 10 % will […]
Pervasive corruption and an impenetrable maze of bureaucracies have caused IKEA to freeze new investment projects in Russia. One example of IKEA’s immense frustration with Russia is it’s 130,000 square meter shopping complex in Samara. It’s opening was originally planned for late 2007, but was then delayed by authorities eight times. According to 83 year […]
On June 5th Australian-British mining giant RioTinto canceled a deal struck in February with state-owned Chinese Aluminum Corporation, also known as Chinalco. The deal would have raised Chinalco’s stake in RioTinto to more than 18 %. Based on fears of growing Chinese influence in the region, the deal had drawn public and political opposition in […]