Silicon Valley Isn't Ignoring China; It's Looking For The Opportunity
from the looking-for-opportunities,-not-threats dept
Echoing some of Rebecca McKinnon’s claims that we discussed recently, VentureBeat is running an OpEd piece by Rebecca A. Fannin, claiming that Silicon Valley has its head in the sand about the rising “threat” of competition in China. While there certainly may be some folks who aren’t paying attention to China, my take on the situation is quite different.
Silicon Valley, as a broad generalization, doesn’t worry about “threats.” Instead, it tries to treat them all as opportunities. So, if Fannin is upset to see folks focusing on Twitter and the iPhone rather than the fact that China is building up a healthy and rapidly innovating tech economy, she may be focusing on the wrong thing. It does little to “fret” about the next big threat. There are always people warning about this or that big threat. A dozen years ago, it was how Japan was going to take over the tech industry. That didn’t exactly happen. Sitting around and worrying about a threat doesn’t make much sense.
Instead, it makes sense to pay attention to opportunities. And, many, many, many people in Silicon Valley view China as a huge opportunity. And, yes, new companies and technologies will flow out of China — and it will present formidable competition — but, again, competition isn’t a real threat, it’s an opportunity to do something even better and more innovative. So, I’d disagree with the assertion that Silicon Valley has its head in the sand about the rise of Chinese innovation. We’re just focusing on how to make them opportunities.
Filed Under: china, culture, entrepreneurship, opportunities, silicon valley, threats
Comments on “Silicon Valley Isn't Ignoring China; It's Looking For The Opportunity”
Silicon Valley has it’s head in the sand? Does this Fannin person know anything about Silicon Valley? First, echoing Mike, it is a big generalization and secondly a LOT of Silicon Valley based companies have facilities in China already. I know people who have been offered positions in China for major ‘Silicon Valley’ players.
As an engineer in the high tech industry I echo the view that most people are extremely alert to China’s expanding high tech capabilities and that most people are excited to see it. More competition, more talent, more opportunities.
Re: What's wrong with you punk ?
“More competition, more talent, more opportunities.”
Dude, are you f****** serious ?
Engineers in US are all pissed off about offshoring of tech jobs to China and India which greatly diminishes employment opportunities in the US,
and you are “excited” ???
Re: Re: What's wrong with you punk ?
He’s not talking about offshoring existing work but about creation of new work created by opportunities in China by both Silicon Valley firms and Chinese startups.
And that creates employment in the US and China.
ttfn
John
Re: Re: Re: What's wrong with you punk ?
In China yes, in US no
The idiocy of this shitty blog amazes me
Re: Re: Re:2 What's wrong with you punk ?
Angry Dude, you are just like the all of the scared and angry people in the seventies when the Asian market started to compete with the American auto industry. People who don’t understand how the global market works get scared, angry and then put idiots in office that screw everything up.
Did the America and the world suffer when Honda and Toyota started kicking American industries butts? There were some waves made, and adjustments(mostly for the better). Can you seriously look someone in the eye and say that that auto battle ended poorly? Things are better now for the consumer, the Asian countries involved, and America. Heck, most of those ‘Asian’ auto companies have a significant portion of there production in the states now.
Ignorance begets, fear, anger, stupid actions, and then more ignorance. Look at history, actually THINK about things, cause and effect. Calling people stupid and cussing doesn’t get us far.
Re: Re: Re:3 What's wrong with you punk ?
Are you serious, punky ?
Ever being to Detroit ?
Ever spoke to those union autoworkers who used to make a good living assembling american cars back in 70’s?
They’ll beat the shit out of you for even suggecting that they are better off now
Re: Re: Re:4 What's wrong with you punk ?
Yeah, don’t even get me started with that one. I am extremely familiar with the UNIONs of the 70’s. Like I said, some changes were for the better. The buggy whip manufacturers took the invention of the automobile pretty hard. I guess we should of stopped the evil automobile back when we had the chance huh? Technology and progress are evil huh? Why don’t you go check out your nearest Amish colony buddy. Learn, grow, educate yourself, become more useful everyday. That is the world we live people. Get used to it.
Re: Re: Re:5 What's wrong with you punk ?
That is a bunch of bullshit
Living in US you can’t compete with engineers in China just because of cost of living here. Period.
Amich colony is where we will all go when all tech jobs get offshored
Re: Re: Re:6 What's wrong with you punk ?
I apologize for the sarcasm in my last post and the whole Amish thing, it was inappropriate.
I agree that as China develops its technology industry, that some big waves are going to be in the States and around the world. Jobs will be lost, maybe even you and me, and some companies may even go out of business. I don’t deny that rough times are ahead of us.
The only point I am trying to make is that with this upset in the tech market will come new opportunities and progress. That is what has happened in the past many times and will happen again in the future. Those who prepare, learn, educate themselves, work hard, and adapt to the times will fare better than those who don’t. After an upset, things calm down and the balance of power settles with an overall improvement for everyone.
Back in the day of the previous mentioned ‘Auto industry crisis’ people had the same argument about cost of living. ‘Japan can make things cheaper because of the low cost of living.’ While this was initially true, and helps them get on their feet, it unavoidably changed. Infact, now Japan has a higher cost of living in the US and major portions of their companies provide employement in the US. Don’t fear the inevitable, look for opportunities in it, make it work.
The world constantly changes and can be scary. But here is a bit of advice bro(and I say this with no sarcasm): Don’t get emotionally charged about issues. Emotions are a pimple on the brain, and that’s the truth. If you find yourself letting your emotions think for you, stop, take a step back and think about it rationally. Read some history books, talk to people who were there. Compare peoples opinions in the past to what actually happened. Stay frosty and adapt.
Look you will probably cuss me out and say I am retarded, but at least think about it man. Good luck bro.
Re: Re: Re:3 What's wrong with you punk ?
“Can you seriously look someone in the eye and say that that auto battle ended poorly?”
I think if you look at the financial shape of Americas big three automakers its pretty easy to say the auto-battle has ended poorly, very poorly, even extrememly poorly, for American manufactuers (last I heard Mercedes was paying 10 million just to get someone to take Chrysler off thier hands . . . Ford lost what 10Billion in one quarter, more then they have ever even made in year . . . . GM, they havnt turned a profit since Nixon was in office . . . )? The auto-battle ended great, if your toyota?
I dont disagree with your overall point, “workers” will always face the wage deflation of exploitation in increasingly educated but still “poor” economies, good or bad its freakin reality. But this “polly anna” idea that its somehow “always for the best” simply isnt true.