Looking back at the development history of CIMC Group, we have a few insights to share with you: "Globalization" is a process of comprehensive reconstruction of the enterprise's operating system, which not only includes the completion of several international trade transactions and the completion of several A large overseas sales order, or investing and building several factories or offices overseas, or completing one or two sensational overseas mergers and acquisitions. The essence of "globalization" is "building a global operating system and creating a world-class 's leading enterprise".
There is a recent best-selling book called "The World is Flat", which points out various phenomena of the globalization trend and also puts forward a point of view: "The trend of globalization will inevitably affect existing business models and enterprises." Organizational structure and business processes have undergone tremendous changes..." Enterprises will grow in a "flattened" world - from an "international enterprise" based on the local area and aiming to profit from international competition to one located in a "flattened" world. "Multinational enterprises" in which company branches and departments in different countries and regions independently contribute value to the enterprise eventually grow into a "global" enterprise that fully utilizes the advantages of global regions and integrates into a global division of labor and cooperative unified enterprise structure.
Indeed, in today’s world, with the sharing of information in the Internet era, the convenience and speed of modern transportation, the improvement and popularization of production outsourcing and offshore business models, and the professionalization of social division of labor, the original global The industrial structure has been "flattened", and the difference between the global market and the Chinese market is getting smaller and smaller. Enterprises no longer have the so-called "internationalization" and "localization" choices. The global market has become a supply chain and supply chain all over the world. With the combination of regional advantageous industrial clusters, competition among enterprises has become a competition to obtain global industrial resources.
For CIMC Group, "globalization" means seeking the world's best industrial resources and resources while maintaining China's industrial worker group advantages, manufacturing cost advantages and CIMC's advanced manufacturing management experience. Market resources, build a global enterprise operation system, and create a world-class leading enterprise. The global development of any enterprise will not happen overnight. It must go through the entrepreneurial stage and the accumulation stage before it can finally "go global" and achieve successful cross-border mergers and acquisitions. At the same time, even after entrepreneurship and accumulation, the company has a certain industry reputation, industrial advantages and foreign exchange capital accumulation, cross-border mergers and acquisitions are by no means a whim, but the execution and embodiment of long-term international strategic planning, which is the future of the company. A global way of living. From our point of view, when Chinese companies conduct cross-border mergers and acquisitions, they must have several "hard currencies" in their hands:
1) International management foundation-possess a set of mature management methods and This method can effectively control the global supply chain, transnational collaborative R&D and manufacturing model, global market channels, global customer service network and international capital chain system.
2) Global business model - with successful local market operation experience and mature international market brand image, it has products and services that can meet the needs of the global market.
3) International talent reserve - have a group of international talents with global vision and practical ability, especially senior management talents.
4) Abundant capital reserves - modern business society is linked by capital. From a certain perspective, the global industrial chain is the global resource chain. Therefore, any link in cross-border mergers and acquisitions is based on capital. Chain based.
5) Rich knowledge reserve - Information asymmetry is one of the most important characteristics of the globalized business society. Ignoring a legal provision, missing a piece of patent information, forgetting a cultural taboo may lead to several problems. A billion-dollar overseas project failed. Full research on global industry trends and business background is a necessary prerequisite for successful cross-border mergers and acquisitions.
3. Technological innovation is the golden key to mastering the right to speak in the global market
In the development process, Chinese companies are often blocked by foreign companies due to lack of original patents. Technological innovation is The golden key to mastering the right to speak in the global market. Without world-class technology research and development capabilities and without absorbing advanced global technology, it is impossible to produce world-advanced products and create a world-class enterprise.
Based on the above understanding, CIMC Group has always insisted on its right to speak in the field of technological innovation during its development process:
In 2000, CIMC Group obtained the tank container production contract from UBHI in the UK. technology, thus entering the global mainstream tank container manufacturer industry.
In 2003, CIMC Group launched environmentally friendly glulam flooring made of fast-growing eucalyptus as the main material, which was quickly certified by container customers.
In 2004, CIMC Group obtained the key patent for folding boxes from the British company CSC, and CIMC Special Containers quickly became a new world-leading product.
In 2005, CIMC signed a final transfer agreement with the German Waggonbau Company and obtained 77 refrigerated container patents in addition to the 11 patents independently developed by CIMC, fully controlling the entire technical system in the field of refrigerated containers.
In 2006, CIMC technical experts participated in the International Container Standards Conference for the fourth time and were the only Chinese enterprise representatives.
In June 2006, the "Intelligent Safety Container" project jointly developed by CIMC Group and General Electric (GE) of the United States passed the acceptance of the National Ministry of Science and Technology. The project filed 72 patent applications, and CIMC Group became the next An original innovative member of a generation of container technology.
CIMC Group has independently applied for more than 800 domestic and foreign patents in the group's global industrial fields such as containers, boarding bridges, road vehicles, etc. along the independent innovation path of original innovation, integrated innovation and introduction, digestion and absorption. , with more than 200 original invention patents.
4. Commitment and trust are the fusion agent for cross-cultural harmonious development
Cross-border mergers and acquisitions are a game for the brave. The success of overseas mergers and acquisitions is the biggest challenge in international operation platform management—— It is about how to integrate and harmonize work under different cultural backgrounds, and whether the brightest parts of business units under different cultures can be brought out, instead of attriting and canceling each other out. CIMC's North American M&A project is located in the small town of MONON, Indiana, in the central United States. In a town with a population of only 1,800 people, the employees of CIMC's Vanguard factory account for a quarter of the total population of this town. There are actually no There are 4 churches and 4 Christian denominations in a supermarket.
CIMC’s European merger and acquisition project Burg has a factory located in Belgium. The local residents speak French as the main language, the technical workers in the workshop mainly use German, and the management and sales are mainly Dutch and English.
These two projects represent the cultural dilemma of CIMC’s “going out”. One company has four sects, while the other company requires four working languages. The integration of cultures has become the key to successful overseas mergers and acquisitions. key.
There is no trick that can bridge cultural differences. CIMC’s approach is to stick to its commitments and exchange “credibility” for “trust”; secondly, it is to be appropriately integrated while being inclusive. Any culture must identify with CIMC’s enterprise. Self-adjustment on the premise of culture, and everything is ultimately based on the success of the global operating system.
The name "Vanguard" of CIMC Group's new North American project company was determined after extensive solicitation of opinions from American employees. The trademark pattern was also designed jointly by China and the United States. As a result, the new image of the product was launched on the market. It was generally recognized. CIMC's overseas mergers and acquisitions process is generally smooth, but it also contains twists and turns. For example, CIMC's European mergers and acquisitions project encountered an antitrust investigation by the European Union. The lengthy investigation process caused the project to seriously lag behind.
Companies in other industries in China have also encountered similar experiences. We believe that cross-border mergers and acquisitions are the competitive behavior of enterprises and a concrete manifestation of national competitiveness. In recent years, the Chinese government has introduced a series of policies in terms of liberalizing foreign exchange controls and accelerating foreign investment approval procedures, providing enterprises with a continuously improving policy environment. At present, CIMC feels that the most urgent things are:
1) The government should provide enterprises with an information platform or institution so that enterprises can understand the political and economic situation and macro investment environment of relevant countries when conducting cross-border mergers and acquisitions. Understand the information to help companies prevent potential risks, provide authoritative third-party opinions when trade disputes occur, and communicate with the other party's official agencies on an equal footing.
2) It is hoped that the government will build a series of policy promotion systems, actively study fiscal and taxation policies, approval systems, laws and regulations that encourage and support Chinese enterprises to implement cross-border M&A strategies, and further play the role of national policy financial institutions. Increase credit support.
3) It is hoped that the government will continue to improve the Anti-Monopoly Law and other relevant laws and regulations, and seek parity and checks and balances between Chinese enterprises “going out” and foreign giants “coming in”, so that Chinese enterprises can Opportunities to gain voice in international competition.
4) Further simplify the investment approval procedures for Chinese enterprises’ overseas investments.
In CIMC, Mai Boliang has been a "veteran of five dynasties". Due to job changes, CIMC has had five chairman of the board, but Mai Boliang has remained unchanged. Here, we will not analyze Mai Boliang's historical status and his authority in CIMC. Just from the perspective of the driving force for CIMC, Mai Boliang has reasons for him to work hard to the end.
For change, Mai Boliang believes that the most difficult thing is people. "Currently, regarding reform, I feel that CIMC has one thing that is difficult. Regarding ideals, most of them say they are consistent with me, but some people can no longer keep up and are already coveting comfort and settling for the status quo. They have good food, a car, and a house, and their life is relatively comfortable. Change is difficult for them, so the next step is probably a battle between relationship and business development. Now I have already thought about it. It must be based on CIMC's business, corporate interests as the basis for judgment, and then be guided by the results. Don't talk so well. What I want to see is the actual results. If you can't achieve the actual results, Then I have no choice but to apologize. I have made this clear to my old friends and comrades-in-arms. I am in my position and have to do this. You can do it for yourself. Don't blame me. I know that in this process, someone may be hurt. Discipline old comrades to quit and leave leadership positions. Otherwise, our team will not be able to maintain sufficient vitality. This is easier said than done."
"Unless I quit. , As soon as I am in this position, I will be responsible for the cause of CIMC.”
The reporter believes in what Mai Boliang said about his dedication, and also believes in Mai Boliang’s courage to reform. But if we look back. The successors of the founding kings in history will make us have another kind of worry: Who else will be after Mai Boliang? Who will carry out Mai Boliang's changes smoothly? Perhaps as Mai Boliang said: "I don't think I need to worry about this issue. At least I am still in my 40s today. Now someone asks me this question, and I said I haven't considered it yet, and I really haven't."< /p>
Not long ago, Zhang Ruimin said, “There is a very big gap between us (Chinese companies) and them (hundred-year-old multinational companies). This is not just a gap of 100 years, but a gap of 100 years. They are still growing and competitive after this year. This gap cannot be solved in the short term. "How to solve this gap is also a challenge facing CIMC, which has already achieved the number one position in the world.