Huawei: Leadership, Culture, and Connectivity

The inspirational business story of how to go from start-up to world leader in two decades… With over 170,000 employees in more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than one-third of the world's population, how does entrepreneur Ren Zhengfei manage a telecoms giant called Huawei? What is the secret to Huawei’s global success? In 1987, a 44-year-old man founded a telecom equipment-trading firm in Shenzhen, China, with start-up capital of $5,000. In 29 years, it grew to become the largest telecoms company in the world. This book goes behind the scenes to explore the story of what Ren Zhengfei did differently, how the company he started reached the top spot, and why Huawei is known as a "collective" and not a private. Fourteen years of meticulous research and 136 senior management and employee interviews reveal how Huawei’s international business success lies in its ability to transform the intellectual elite into a band of soldiers with the same set of values and resolve, while at the same time preventing a culture of subservience. This fascinating story provides a unique glimpse into the machinations of one of the world’s most powerful companies. The company serves as an example for many Chinese entrepreneurs striving to go global, and also presents valuable lessons for Western companies striving to integrate Eastern and Western values and ways of looking at business.