China′s Creative Imperative: How Creativity is Transforming Society and Business in China - Softcover

Sinha, Kunal

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0470823852 ISBN 13: 9780470823859

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 2008

Synopsis

In mid 2006, Ogilvy & Mather China embarked on an ambitious journey to understand how Chinese society and business are being transformed by creativity. It is, as concluded, a Creative Imperative. Whether it is a student attempting to be noticed by a recruiting company in class, or a small clothes store–one among the scores of businesses ? in the underground "Fashion Lady" market in Nanjing, or a poor migrant labourer with only 25 square feet of space to live in, or a Vienna?bound music composer – it is essential for them all to unlock the creative potential that lies within. When you have to compete with another 1.3 billion people to make yourself heard and recognized, the only way of doing it is by being creative. This book will make you rethink China′s creative potential.

About this title

About the Author

Kunal Sinha is Executive Director–Discovery at Ogilvy & Mather grater China, where he oversees the consumer insight & knowledge management function across all divisions of the company. He is a five–time winner of the WPP Atticus award for Original thinking in marketing services, and has won the Grand Prix twice. Kunal has been adjunct faculty at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication and an invited speaker at London business School, Kent State University, Johns Hopkins University. He has authored a large number of papers and articles in academic and business  journals, including a paper on "Marketing to India′s Underserved Consumers" presented at Harvard Business School. Kunal has also published two books, An Ordinary Traveler, about travels in South Asia and A Banarasi on Varanasi, an insider′s perspective on Hinduism′s holiest city. He lives in Shanghai with his wife and daughter.

From the Back Cover

"Important reading for managers seeking competitive advantage, as Chinese business moves ahead from a manufacturing–focused economy." – John Quelch "I′ve learned from my experience in china to never under–estimate the Chinese. Kunal′s insight creates a compelling case that they have what it takes to move beyond the world′ factory to become a force in creativity." – Colin Giles "China′s creative Imperative is an extraordinary account of creativity in china, from the distant past to the vivid present and the near future. Beautifully written and full of insights, reading this book is imperative for all those interest in creativity, in china or in both." – Jaideep C. Prabhu "This landmark book opens a window for the outside world to see Chinese people, to understand the genesis of Chinese creativity, its traditions and the potential that lies rooted in our culture. As a native Chinese, I really think that this endeavor will benefit business leaders in China and overseas tremendously, and even urge them to strategically re–examine the path to business development." – Lee Zhang

From the Inside Flap

Over 5,000 years, Chinese civilization gave the world a wealth of discoveries, inventions and spectacular man–made monuments. And then, through 50 years of the cultural revolution, suddenly, people were conditioned to think, dress, study and work alike for the common good of the nation. As China emerged from an imposed culture and opened up tot he world, it did so with spectacular speed and color. This explosion of creativity pervades every class of society. It provides functional and aesthetic value, adding meaning, joy and a sense of achievement in life. It is indeed a tool, a strategy for social and economic reform. No small wonder that businesses and individuals are profiting from this explosion of creativity. Based on interviews with a wide range of creators–designers, musicians, folk artists, painters; discussions with common people about the role that creativity plays in their seemingly mundane lives; and extensive trawling of the popular culture scene in China, China′s Creative Imperative provides the rich evidence and a provocative point–of–view that businesses and scholars will find hard to ignore.

Edition details

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0470823852
• ISBN 13: 9780470823859
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240