KFC RADICAL APPROACH TO CHINA: AN OVERVIEW OF FOOD BUSINESS VENTURE IN CHINA
China is a deep rooted cultural nation when compared to the West (especially US) which has seeming freelance outlook, therefore different lifestyle.
Population wise, the US, is about 1/5 of china, hence the need to expand/ have broader outlets than in US, with attendant larger workforce. These sprouting out, of many outlet, in variably attract attention, encourages trials and sustained recognition.
China tends to be a close – circuit state, relishing in secrecy & attendant intrigue; a foreigner needs to penetrate its circuit, to get in road and also over shadow competitor/ rival companies.
China projects an image of a people/workers’/mass oriented society, in effect, in order to be accepted by a larger Chinese society, one may need to attend to grass-root understanding, values and tradition of keeping close & ‘small’. In essence, to have a broadest grassroot base, while attempting to get to the top of the pyramid of business success, thus the term ‘bottoms –up’ syndrome.
Self sustainability / dependence also projects KFC, as well prepared, thus with its sound & improved, logistic platform, it reduced possible area of friction & disappointment with the authority, this also make it less susceptible to being hamstring by its suppliers. Encouraging variety of managerial views and practice by allowing it outlet manager some freehand; also would entrench some higher loyalty and corporate commitment. Certainly most of these outlet - managers are Chinese, hence the tendency of their feeling, that the Americans / West over-bossing them, is controlled, this is apart from their gainful employment.
Despite recognizing and applying Chinese taste, in its cuisine, KFC also flavours’ it with Western ingenuity and products, thereby with variety and satisfying some freshness, client would have choice of menu . Apparently this Chinese cuisine with some West ingredient having more prominence though. It is exciting to also realize that KFC, appreciate & reacts timely to customers’ opinion / complaints; delay would have cost it increasing volume of patronage. However, a tasking questions, is despite much that KFC packages to attract & satisfy customers, the cost of menu is relatively high, ostensibly, this might promote elitist/class patronage, and this make KFC product/service appear special, thus an KFC clients consider themselves as the affording rich class. This could seem counter productive, as it would not maximize a largest population patronage-opportunity, frustrating low wage earners whose propaganda could doom KFC growth in China . In a similar vein, KFC seem to be adopting McDonald culture which it claims it is not towing. Class syndrome could be endearing but not enduring. Nonetheless, its public relation strategy is welcome, but this could be copied and improved upon by competitors. (Admitted however; one is not informed of the rival PR stunts in the article). The KFC effort to keep it employee up graded in various marketing form is not unnoticed, how does KFC cater for their career upgrading without challenging/stressing its finance convenience?: This is in view of its exceedingly high recruitment programme.
Perhaps a most exciting challenge/backlash is it