Do you buy this? Jay<g>--"China's small businesses 'most competitive'"
2005/1/12
By Wee Sui Lee SINGAPORE, AP
China's small companies were voted the most competitive in Asia by regional business owners, outranking those from Hong Kong and Japan, according to a business survey released Tuesday.
Chinese small businesses, defined as having less than 250 employees and turnover of under US$40 million (euro30 million) per year, were ranked first by 73 percent of respondents in the UPS Asia Business Monitor survey.
Firms from Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan were also considered relatively competitive, while Philippine and Indonesian small businesses ranked the least competitive.
The study, commissioned by the parcel delivery company and prepared by research agency Taylor Nelson Sofres, surveyed 1,200 business owners and managers in 12 Asian economies between Aug. 16 and Sept. 28. It wasn't immediately clear why the results weren't released sooner.
Business leaders in China were less enthusiastic about their own standing, ranking small companies in Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan above their own.
Commenting on the results, Patrick Turner, director of the International Center of Entrepreneurship, INSEAD, said that it will be difficult for regional businesses to compete with China on a "pure price level."
"But you can rely on other areas like customer service and dependability, for example, improving the quality of your product," Turner said.
Responses were mixed about China's emergence as a manufacturing center for the world.
Some 43 percent of business leaders saw that as a positive development, while 27 percent saw a negative impact, 17 percent saw both positive and negative aspects, and 12 percent saw neither.
The availability of qualified staff was rated the most important factor for business competitiveness by survey respondents. Lack of innovation and access to funding and working capital were considered the biggest obstacles.
chinapost.com.tw |
