The mere title of The Little Red Book of China Business conjures up an image of Chairman Mao Zedong and the book draws on plenty of Mao-ness in its more than 200 pages. Author Sheila Melvin, who spent seven years at the United States-China Business Council advising executives on politics, economics and the practicalities of doing business in China, has cleverly drawn on the teachings and philosophies of Mao to explain one of the world's fastest-growing but complex economies, and in the process, provide advice to foreign executives conducting business in the country. 'I really feel that many non-Chinese speakers do not understand the importance of Mao's influence ... we tended not to learn about his contributions,' she said. Melvin's interest in Mao's influence dates back to the 1980s, where after arriving in Beijing, the first thing she did was see the late leader at the Mao Zedong Memorial Mausoleum. And in the eight-chapter book, the other side of Mao that is rarely depicted came through. For Melvin, Mao was both a Joseph Stalin and Vladimir Lenin. Melvin, who has read Mao's works intensively, begins each chapter with a quotation from the man. The quotation is followed by an interpretation of how he applied - or failed to apply - his own advice. For example, in the fourth chapter titled 'Master what you do not know', Melvin portrays Mao as someone who was inquisitive and liked to investigate. 'We shall have to master what we do not know ... we must acknowledge our ignorance, and not pretend to know what we do not know', Mao said. Melvin points out that mastering what one does not know is one of the most difficult aspects of working on the mainland, which is hugely diverse and changing fast. She says it is crucial to acknowledge one's ignorance - a hard task for seasoned executives, diplomats and journalists. 'But if Mao could admit that he didn't know enough about China then the rest of us should be able to do the same,' she writes. And that admission should be followed by investigation of those issues or topics. In each chapter, the author also singles out certain cultural traits that are common pitfalls for foreign investors. According to Melvin, Mao believed that there are 'many people who the moment they alight from the official carriage: make a hullabaloo, spout opinions, criticise this and condemn that'. The author also dedicated a chapter to highlight that 'People are the Decisive Factor', as Mao said: 'Weapons are an important factor in war, but not the decisive factor; it is people, not things that are decisive.' At present, human capital has become a critical issue for many businesses in the mainland and executives based there are learning the hard way the amount of time that must be dedicated to human resources related issues
