Doing Business In China:Italian SMEs Export Managers The Evolution Of The Figure Of The Italian Project Business Development Manager In China

In the paper, several topics are addressed but with a common denominator, which is the analysis of the Italian Export Manager doing business in the Chinese environment. The present topic would like to be the detailed sequel of a project study started in April2011, with the collaboration of an Italian consulting company Roncucci&Partners, about the examination of the Export Manager figure in specific countries as Brazil, China and Italy. The objectives of the present essay are to explore all the cultural differences and implications the Italian Export Manager come through when interacting with the Chinese market so that to determine what skills, responsibilities and methods need to develop in order to help his/her company to be competitive in the Chinese business environment.Therefore, the author, after presenting the theoretical framework including the principal international business context, cross-cultural management and export management studies, analyses the expansion of Italian SMEs in China. In particular, she describes first the profile of Italian SMEs and then the internationalization of these companies in China, given significance to the analysis of the main problems they encounter.The author focuses then her attention on the explanation of the principal Chinese cultural aspects which affect the business environment, such as guanxi and mianzi, and specifies the cross cultural differences between China and Italy, especially in terms of negotiation process.Through questionnaires and direct interviews, the research is then carried on the analysis of the Italian Export Manager in China:his/her profile, the negotiation techniques as well as the organization department structure and promotional tools adopted are examined in detail, in order to understand the competitive advantages and disadvantages of the Italian SMEs in the Chinese market.Finally, as a consequence of her direct internship commitment, the author decides to investigate the company Fabbri1905internationalization strategy in China, in order to provide an example and a model of successful SME in the Chinese market.