Entrepreneurship and Business Biographies

Since its origins in the 1920s as a refrigerator factory in Qingdao supplying the Chinese market, Haier has risen to become a major multinational company, overtaking the likes of Whirlpool and LG, to become the world’s leading manufacturer of household appliances today, with revenues of $30 billion. How did Haier achieve this amazing feat?

This book examines Haier’s organizational transformation, which can be traced back to 1984 when Zhang Ruimin (Haier’s current CEO) joined the company, and which became the essence of Haier’s sustained competitive advantage. In particular, it looks at the ͞RDHY Win-Win Model of Employee-Customer Integration͟, the latest management practice in Haier, which has had a profound effect on the company’s performance, and which has captured the attention of academics and managers around the world.

China's economic rise and influence have been one of the most significant developments in the global economy of recent times. A driving force behind this expansion has been the private entrepreneurs and companies of China, some of which have literally redefined the economic and business landscape, both inside and outside of China. Dong Mingzhu is one such entrepreneur. Gree Electric is one of the powerhouses of the air-conditioning industry, and owes its success to the entrepreneurial and management tenacity of Dong. As a young widow, aged 36, she travelled south and began work at Gree as an ordinary salesperson. Four years later, in 1994, she became head of sales. By 1996, she was deputy president, and by 2001, president of Gree. During this time, Dong challenged and transformed industry norms through her innovations in sales, service and employee policies. This is the story of one of China's most inspiring and innovative business leaders.