1. Why were formal contract negotiations "getting nowhere" from 1979-1982? In addition to information in the book, think about what you learned from the background briefing.
2. AMC's V.P. of International Operations, Tod Clare, majored in International Relations with an East Asian Studies concentration and had lived for 5 years in Hong Kong (p. 28).
How well prepared was he for negotiations in the People's Republic of China? What were his strengths & weaknesses?
3. What factors finally made a the contract signing possible in 1983?
Why does the visit to Egypt and Tod Clare's cultural knowledge help (pp. 82-83)?
4. How well did the U.S. media cover the contract to create the joint venture? What caused flaws in coverage?
5. How can one evaluate journalism to verify that it is a reliable source of information on a foreign country?
Mistrust of outsiders
Fear of lies and exploitation
✓Negotiating style
Negotiating style (pp. 71-73)
Delay, deception, play off rivals
✓Government permitting process
Government reduction in spending, 1979-82 (pp. 65-67)
✓Multiple lines of authority (p. 68)
Disincentive to take risks
Responsibility w/o reward
Planned economy
State-owned enterprise (SOE)
British colony until 1997
Market economy
✓State-owned industry
Government mandate for agreements, 1981 (p. 76)
Negotiators with more authority
Chen Zutao (p. 76)
Increasing trust of AMC
BAW testing Jeep prices in Europe (p. 80)
Talks with Egyptian partners (pp. 82-83)
Decreased suspicion of exploitation
✓Clare's solicitous treatment of guests in Egypt
Expertise of authors?
Language ability
Academic credentials
Research skills (academic)
Interview skills (journalist)
Country experience
Values of author
Political motives
✓Financial motives of AMC and newspapers