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看慣了我們中國作者分析中國出口面臨的挑戰和挫折，今天我們看看德國作者怎么以他們的角度出發闡述“應付“中國挑戰之策。本文作者是赫爾曼•西蒙，咨詢公 司Simon-Kucher & Partners董事長兼創始人，著有暢銷書《21 世紀的隱形冠軍》(Hidden Champions of the 21st Century).
When it comes to competition in global markets, especially in exports, China and Germany are increasingly on a collision course. Germany was the number one exporter from 2003 t0 2008. In 2009 China overtook Germany to become number one — and it will stay there.
In 2010 both nations again showed strong export growth and defended their positions, well ahead of the US in exports. With remarkable similarities between Chinese and German exporters, the competition will be tough.
Hidden Champions
Why is Germany, a comparatively small country, so strong in exports? The explanation lies in its “hidden champions”, little known mid-sized world market leaders. My total count of these companies is around 2,500 worldwide, and 1,200 of them are from Germany. They alone account for about one quarter of German exports.
Surprisingly I found a rather similar structure in China. 68 percent of all Chinese exports come from companies with fewer than 2,000 employees — not from large corporations. It is also amazing that China already has well over 100 hidden champions, probably more than highly developed countries such as France, the UK or Japan.
Strong ambitions
One outstanding characteristic of these firms is their extreme ambition with regard to global market leadership. This is the aim that drives hidden-champion entrepreneurs in both China and Germany. In numerous talks in China I asked the audience, “Who wants to become world market leader?” Always more than half raised their hands, very similar to Germany. These ambitions will unavoidably lead to a competitive collision in the global marketplace.
Germans as low-price competitors
Globalization usually starts with exports and sales. Manufacturing follows, then R&D, and later on complete management functions. Most German companies are in the late stages of this process. They are not only building huge manufacturing sites in China, but also moving R&D for cheaper and simpler products there. Siemens and Bosch are well advanced on this path. Schenck Process, a world leader in industrial weighing and measuring processes, has even moved its complete competence centre for the mining industry to Beijing. The only way for German companies to remain competitive against the Chinese in the low-cost, low price-segment is to “become Chinese” themselves.
Tata Nano ‘German’
A very recent idea which I strongly advocate is that German companies should start to attack their Chinese competitors on the cost side. This requires radically simplified products, known as ultra-low-price products, and manufacturing in the lowest-cost locations. These are usually outside China, in countries such as India, Bangladesh and Vietnam. The Tata Nano car in India is a case in point. It is essentially a German car with nine German suppliers involved, Bosch being the biggest. The components delivered by the Germans were developed and are manufactured in India, not in Germany.
Chinese as high-value competitors
But we also see a movement in the opposite direction. The Chinese call it trading up. When I visited the concrete pump plant of Sany in Changsha, China, about a year ago, I was stunned. The first thing I saw in this ultra-modern plant (comparable only to a Scania plant I had visited near Stockholm shortly beforehand) were Mercedes and Volvo truck chassis. Expressing my astonishment, I got the reply, “We mount our concrete pumps on the best trucks in the world.” And it went on. I saw Deutz diesels, Bosch Rexroth hydraulics and controls from Siemens. Sany stated unequivocally that they use only world-class suppliers.
A few months later I met Sany’s General Manager Europe in Cologne, near to which Sany is currently building a greenfield plant — the first Chinese plant in Germany. My “Why?” question again found an interesting reply: “Sany has to be in a world-class manufacturing location. If we want to become world-class we must be in direct contact with the best global manufacturing and engineering talent.” In 2009, Sany overtook Putzmeister from Germany as the global leader in concrete pumps.
Sany is not a typical Chinese company, but it is a harbinger of things to come. I consider the Chinese the most serious competitors for the Germans in the future. But with their strong presence in China and other emerging countries, the Germans are well prepared for the looming fight.
Learning to learn:
文章最后一段點題，寫出了德國面臨的挑戰也存在機遇。這種內涵，作者是通過兩層轉折成功實現的，學習這種寫作手法，為以后高階寫作打好基礎。
Language Points:
1. collision 碰撞 2. manufacturer 制造商
Exam Focus:
1.Which statement is Not true about “hidden champions”?
A They are little know mid-sized world market leaders.
B They play an important role in Germany’s strong export.
C Nearly half of them are from Germany.
D They contribute to 68% of all Chinese exports.
2. Does the author have confidence in German’s ability in dealing with Chinese enterprises’ challenge?
A Yes B No C Not given.
Keys:(1) C(2) D
參考譯文：
過去兩年，我認識的每家企業都歷盡了磨難。遺憾的是，好時光不會很快就回來。因此，我編制了一份較有創意和價值的企業省錢途徑列表，幫助企業家在面對挑戰時仍能生存。
● 隨機審計費用支出
費用濫用屬于地方病，但如果員工知道，就連他們的手機賬單偶爾也會受到檢查，那么他們占公司便宜的可能性就會降低。企業應該制定非常明確的費用政策，這樣弄虛作假的人就無法渾水摸魚逍遙法外
● 購買二手貨
我們經常為餐館購買二手廚房設備。如果能省錢，就不要猶豫選擇二手貨，而非全新商品。
● 帶頭控制成本
作為老板，你應該經常對成本提出質疑，并努力讓人們認為你很節儉，而不是奢侈浪費——至少是對公司資產。如果你大手大腳，就會為別人樹立一個效仿的壞榜樣——用公司的錢。
● 要求提前付款折扣
如果你握有現金，這或許是提高利潤率一個好辦法。如果供應商面臨資金壓力，他們很可能會答應對快速結款支付5%的折扣。如果你把錢存在銀行，以目前的低利率，掙到這筆錢需要差不多兩年的時間。
● 了解每個員工在干什么
至少每年對所有員工的職責進行一次徹底分析，努力計算出他們的真實生產率——如有必要，就對崗位進行合理化改革。記住：沒有人會告訴你他們的工作負荷不夠，或者他們的貢獻不重要。
