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Why China Can’t Innovate

hbr.org · 315 words · saved by 1 readers

The Chinese invented gunpowder, the compass, the waterwheel, paper money, long-distance banking, the civil service, and merit promotion. Until the early 19th century, China’s economy was more open and market driven than the economies of Europe. Today, though, many believe that the West is home to creative business thinkers and innovators, and that China is largely a land of rule-bound rote learners—a place where R&D is diligently pursued but breakthroughs are rare. When we ask why, the answers vary. Some people blame the engineers. “Most Chinese start-ups are not founded by designers or artists, but by engineers who don’t have the creativity to think of new ideas or designs,” argues Jason Lim, an editor at the website TechNode. Others blame the government for the unprecedented scale of its failure to protect intellectual property rights. Apple’s products have been pirated the world over, they point out, but only China has opened entirely fake Apple stores filled with employees who thin

Innovation Why China Can’t Innovate by Regina M. Abrami , William C. Kirby and F. Warren McFarlan From the Magazine (March 2014) Post Post Share Save Print Summary . Reprint: R1403J China has no lack of entrepreneurs, market demand, or wealth, but can the country succeed in its quest to become the world’s innovation ... more Leer en español Ler em português Post Post Share Save Print The Chinese invented gunpowder, the compass, the waterwheel, paper money, long-distance banking, the civil service, and merit promotion. Until the early 19th century, China’s economy was more open and market drive

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