中国企业求变 以赢得全球市场份额

China's TCL Corporation is confident that its overseas sales growth this year will at least match 2011's 13 percent.

Company Chairman and CEO Li Dongsheng has confidence that TCL's purchase of European electronics and communications product companies, which took place as early as 2002, will facilitate localized production and marketing.

In 2003, TCL bought French consumer products giant Thomson SA to integrate their TV and DVD businesses. TCL took a 67 percent stake in the joint venture with Thomson SA holding the rest of the shares, and it was agreed that televisions made by TCL-Thomson would be marketed under the TCL brand in Asia and the Thomson and RCA brands in Europe and North America.

According to Eileen Sun, assistant to the general manager of Brand Innovation Center of TCL Corporation, the merger has not been a smooth transition.

"In fact, Europeans usually have trouble recognizing Chinese brands as well as Chinese management. We have been working hard to convince them of our product quality, concept, design and relevant technologies. Today, Europeans think of TCL as their own brand rather than a Chinese brand. This is an initial and crucial step to success."

Another senior TCL staffer, John Shen, general manager of Industry Business Center with TCL Overseas Marketing Limited, also thinks the main challenges lie in conquering local consumers.

"I think it will take time for local consumers in European and North American markets who have their own consumption culture and habits to accept a Chinese brand. But, we are still working hard. I am confident that within 3 to 5 years, the goods developed by Hisense and TCL will be the first "designed-in-China" brand to be recognized by overseas customers."

John Shen believes that a transformation of brand value from "made-in-China" to "designed-in China" is TCL's brand strategy. However, innovation plays a key role in realizing global ambitions.

By citing Ice Screen, a 26-inch Android-based smart TV jointly developed by TCL and Chinese web titan Tencent, as an example, Eileen Sun explains how they have made certain innovations.

"It is our latest innovative product. In fact, each of our innovation attempts was made after we took time to understand what exactly the customers wanted. Competence, product quality, innovation and customer feedback are always combined before the marketing of a product."

Unlike TCL, Skyworth has not taken over any overseas companies or built bases across the pond.

However, according to statistics provided by Skyworth, its overseas TV sales volume grew almost 40 percent in 2011, which means more than 2 million TV sets have been sold in other nations.

Terry Liu, technical support manager of Shenzhen Skyworth Digital Technology Company, believes the advantage of their TV and set-top box products is in the rigid implementation of energy conservation standards.

"The most basic spare parts we apply in manufacturing TV and set-top box products are all environmentally friendly and strictly in line with the standards set in Europe. We have made our products with minimum power usage in standby status, particularly products to be exported to Europe and Southeast Asia. Energy conservation is also reflected in our design."

But he also points out the disadvantages in their products by citing the set-top box as an example.
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"For example, South Koreans consider matters from all sides before they begin to design a product. This is quite uncommon among Chinese manufacturers who usually manufacture before a satisfying design is available, causing repeated corrections. We have come to realize this problem and are on the way to improving the situation.

For CRI, I'm Xu Fei.