Can we compete?

This morning I had the opportunity to climb the famous Hindu temple Batu Caves. Close to 280 steps. It was a wonderful experience. I had not climbed the Batu Caves for the last 5 years. As with customary Hindu practice, we had gone there as a family to fulfill a prayer. The interesting part was when we climbed down the 280 steps; to quench our thirst, we decided to have a few Cokes at the local store. As we found no straws, we asked the customer service operator if we could have one and he just said “figure it out yourself, it should be somewhere there." 

My wife had recently visited India. Her goal was to buy a handicraft piece in the government authorized handicraft emporium. She paid with her Malaysian credit card.It has taken three long months and we have still not received the handicraft piece.  Apparently, this evening's phone call revealed that they have just about got the government permission to ship the handicraft piece. The customary answer to a frustrating question was “these things take time Madam." 

Compare it with my visit to China. I had bought two water features for the office. The service representative called me at every stage of the shipping process and we received the shipment within four weeks. And, on my next trip to China, I visited the shop; I was amazed to be greeted by name by the Chinese representative who spoke only a few words of English. 

I am a Malaysian of Indian origin and I just can’t stop being marveled by the competitiveness of the Chinese.  

What is the missing competency link? What is that we others are missing that the Chinese seem to do with ease? 

Can we ever compete with the fierce competitiveness of the mainland Chinese? 

Remember the saying: 

Every morning, a gazelle wakes up, ready to run fast to escape being eaten up by the tiger. 

Every morning, a tiger gets up, ready to run fast to hunt for food. 

It does not matter if you are a gazelle or a tiger, either way you just got to run fast. 

 

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