Philosophy Regardless of background or experience level, it’s hard to be completely free of all the blind spots that the systemic and cultural gaps that characterize US-China business. It’s easy to make assumptions about the operating environment or motives of our counterparts – and we usually don’t even realize we’re doing it. This course is taught by a 30 year veteran of US-China business, with the goal of showing participants how to close the gaps in mindset, knowledge and skill that make China business harder than it needs to be. The class is practical, high level, high impact…and entertaining. Methodology Each participant picks or is assigned a “game identity” – a fictional yet typical business person in the landscape of locals and expats, halfpats and Asian heritage resources - that populate the US-China business world. Adopting that perspective of a counterpart or a colleague drives home the value of insight –instead of assumptions – when addressing the frustrations of working across major differences in the commercial logic and behavior in the USA and China. Material High level analytics – visual representations of the differences in business systems, mindset, culture – are at the core of lecture, then discussion, on the areas most critical to China business competence: a. Ground rules/ Party, Policy and Planning – the effects of political structure on commerce in China, at home and abroad, for state owned and private enterprises – and why Americans misunderstand the logic that drives China’s companies b. Strategy / Competitive Landscapes - how industries grow and what businesses do to win – how they define success, how they get capital and customers, and why Americans get confused trying to work in China’s markets c. Negotiation/ Decision Dynamics – eight key contrasts in the cultural values of the USA and China, and how these shape purchasing, management, and leadership behavior d. Talent/ Team Structures – summary of the contrast in typical life and educational experiences in USA and China, and how we can use these insights to build and manage better across cultures

1. What you need to know – and be able to do. No fluff, no filler. And no boredom. :)
Summer Saturday Seminar at the Confucius Institute for Business
China business issues: are you feeling the impact?
Need to build higher level skills fast?
Looking for a no BS approach?
This class is for you.
Class meets: Sat. July 13 9 AM-4 PM -or- Sat. August 10 9 AM-4 PM
At: 116 E. 55th Street (55th between Park and Lexington, SUNY Global Center)
Cost: $250/person. Contact instructor for group rates and detailed agenda.
Registration: confuciusbusiness.suny.edu

2. About The Class
Systemic differences and cultural gaps make US-China business challenging. When our
actions are based on insight – instead of the assumptions we are often not even aware
we are making - team work and success across the US-China gap become possible.
The class consists of one 6 hour session, July 13 or August 10, 9 AM – 4 PM. During the
day there are 5 discussions revolving around a case study, and covering 4 topics:
Ground Rules: Party, Planning, Policy/ Competition: Chasing Margin, Customers, Capital
Cultural Values: Negotiation & Decision Dynamics / Team: Motivating who’s in the mix
In other words, high level knowledge to improve skills in strategy, negotiation, and team
management in US-China ventures of all kinds.
What you need to know – and be able to do. No fluff, no filler.
Summer Saturday Seminar at the Confucius Institute for Business
Are you feeling the impact of China business in your life?
This seminar closes gaps in knowledge and develops new
skills, so you can reduce frustration and improve your China
project results.

3. Want to build China business skill fast? Walk a mile in someone else’s
shoes and…be better at selling to Chinese customers, managing China-
facing projects, and seeing the big picture in US-China relations.
Summer Saturday Seminar at the Confucius Institute for Business
About The Method
Students apply the course knowledge by assuming roles of a character in a US-China
case study, in five discussion sessions throughout the day.
The method encourages students to work with stock characters from the team at a
fictitious US-China venture called Wuxi Lighter Sun during discussions. This technique
allows students to dig into their imaginations, confront their own assumptions, and
learn to create space for addressing a conflict.
The combination of role play – which helps internalize and personalize learning – with
material that informs every US-China business situation - creates an experience that
benefits a wide range of people in US-China business.
What you need to know – and be able to do. No fluff, no filler.

4. About The Teacher
Janet Carmosky earned a BA in Chinese Studies from the University of Pennsylvania in
1985 and went to teach English at Xibei University in Xi’an. She married into a family of
Shaanxi Provincial level officials in 1986, she worked in American invested business in
China, as Janet Zhang, until 2003. Her broad understanding of the patterns of US-China
commerce come from her experiences at staff, management, and executive levels in
fields ranging from import-export trade to internet; sourcing to private equity;
telecommunications to fashion retail to technology transfer,
Need a no BS approach? The teacher has no agenda other than teaching.
And she has 3 decades of experience working for both American and
Chinese organizations.
Summer Saturday Seminar at the Confucius Institute for Business
Since returning to the United States in 2003, Janet Carmosky has worked
in training and business facilitation for both US-based and Chinese
organizations . American training clients include Omnicom, Continental
Airlines, Hilton, Marriott, J&J and numerous manufacturing, law, private
equity, and consumer marketing firms.
What you need to know – and be able to do. No fluff, no filler.

5. Summer Saturday Seminar at the Confucius Institute for Business
Preview

6. The best minds, the hardest workers, the most reliable technology, Is it enough?
The Business Case: Wuxi Lighter Sun
Wuxi Lighter Sun, a 60%-40% US-China JV, has hired talent with an eye for diversity: problem
solvers from Wuxi, experienced technologists from Korea and the Home Office in America,
and finance people who can connect with the Chinese banks, marketing and sales people
who can handle customers both domestically and internationally.
But the battery market crashed last year and now this team of the best talent money can buy
has to pull together even more than ever.
The problem is morale. The company had four great years and now is crushed by their
devastating losses of last year. What should the do to get the business back on track? It’s an
adventure about understanding the business systems in China relative to the countries its
people come from and work with – and surmounting the cross cultural barriers that are now
paralyzing communication –not to mention strategy, production and sales.

7. 中国人
Cast of Characters: Wuxi Lighter Sun
毫贝贝 Hao Bei Bei Wuxi born + raised, not bilingual, very limited intl exposure
刘军海 Ocean Liu Wuxi born + raised, Shanghai university degree, intl company work experience
孙利利 Lily Sun Beijing born and raised, intl company management experience
Yang Rui
The Locals

8. The Heritage Hard workers
Wyatt Wang California born and raised, to first generation American Chinese. Big family in Wuxi
Kelvin Chiu Hong Kong born, working on the mainland for 10 years
Kitty Pei Her husband’s job moved her here from management consulting job at home, in Singapore
Sam Park Ran production for the USA partner’s Korean JV, now troubleshooting in Wuxi
华侨远东中国统
Cast of Characters: Wuxi Lighter Sun

9. 美国人The Americans
Greg Richmond Came to Wuxi to teach English, loved it, applied for a biz dev job at Lighter Sun
Alice Monk Alice spent two years in Nanjing studying Chinese, this is her first “real” job
Pat Pringle Eighteen years with Lighter Sun in USA, he’s the loyal company man in Wuxi now
Christopher Fuchs This is his fifth General Manager job in China – and the first where the HQ
Americans seem to understand…
Cast of Characters: Wuxi Lighter Sun

10. What you need to know – and be able to do. No fluff, no filler.
Summer Saturday Seminar at the Confucius Institute for Business
Class meets: Sat. July 13 9 AM-4 PM -or- Sat. August 10 9 AM-4 PM
At: 116 E. 55th Street (55th between Park and Lexington, SUNY Global Center)
Registration: confuciusbusiness.suny.edu
Cost: $250/person.
Contact instructor for group rates and detailed agenda.
janetcarmosky@gmail.com
(518) 894-4805
Recap