“Unlocking Digital Opportunities in China: Navigating Resistance and Reshaping Change”
(The following section has had some light proofread, edits have not affected the structure, purpose, tone. Just a note.)
Guomao: “Innovating Resistance in China with Yuli Jiaojiao Liu”
… and you? I want to ask the real thing:
“Shaojie, Yuli, Jiaojiao, and Liu discuss resisting digital transformation in Gu
Introduction:
As a business strategist helping my China-based clients adopt new digital technologies in the age of tech-driven transformation, I had to grapple with their resistance to transformation despite a growing realization that the world was changing, and even if I had successfully helped them explore various options (digital solutions, innovation labs or incubators, cloud migration, AI platforms, etc.), it always felt unclear whether the decision maker saw any concrete benefits. However, in retrospect I believe my stories would provide invaluable learning lessons. Allow me, then, to share some personal anecdotes as they occurred. So sit down, grab your hot pot and get the tea right, this story may stir up some thoughts in you! As Guomao’s first-person story is too massive, my first story will be shared by one of my mentor – Shaojie – in order for you to get a more comprehensive context about China and Guomao in general
## My Stories
I had once talked to a CIO of Guomao about her decision to not implement AI and to resist it despite her company growing rapidly
“Digital transformation resistance in China’s Guomao: perspectives from Han Yuli Yao and Liu
Introduction/ Context:
“Guomao,” a leading enterprise information management company in China, has been striving for its digital transformation to boost growth while facing internal resistances to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). While this hyperlink employees recognize the potential value that the application can add such as automation of data entry, the fear of loss of control is also very prevalent. Despite efforts to prove the benefits of implementing the AI, Guomao’s CIO was never convinced. ”
China’s digital transformation challenges and solutions.
Article topic: “Guomao: Overcoming Resistance to Digital Transformation in China” (20% on article context, 30% of each on alternatives & analysis), Section: A Journey Towards Accepting AI
Overcoming Resistance to Digital Transformation in China with AI-Driven Solutions.
# Why I Hate/Love the Topic
There’s a peculiar beauty in navigating an untested realm while encountering opposition – a sense of overcoming the tide in search of better solutions. Despite having the moniker ‘Shangzhou of the Future’, Guomao’s current plight with AI is reminiscent of a ship struggling on stormy seas to change its ways and venture forth. In this journey, I can appreciate two conflicting perspectives about digital transformation in Chinese businesses: resistance (the love and fear aspect) to the use of AI technology for transforming operations to overcome challenges or lack thereof and opportunity (the excitement angle) to adapt business plans to emerging trends for competitive advantages in industries with changing landscapes driven by evolving technologies (such as AI, data analytics, big b
Overcoming resistance to digital transformation in China with Guomao experts Shaojie Han, Yuli Yao,
Guomao has always faced skepticism on how to integrate digital change and technological advance into their traditional retail industry. To date, while Guomao has tried to use various forms of IT, e-business and AI, their resistance and limited adoption still pose barriers to success. With AI becoming the norm, Guomao faces the question of how to transform and innovate additional hints dealing with skepticism to new technology. To add more pressure to this challenge, I observed first-hand courtroom battles and found conflicting strategies within and outside organizations. There were individuals within Guomao advocating technological advance as well as others pushing the company to wait until everyone adopted the technology and then leap in – fear and expectation of missing profits on potential early adapters creating a perfect storm in their retail environment, which made some decision making processes challenging (if not impossible
“Unifying Business Models in Guomao through Digital Transformation in China: Balancing Innovation and Conven
Section: Local law practices, small regulation quirks. In analyzing this case study scenario, one of the initial issues that I want to bring light to and explore is that in China local legal practices could impact Guomao’s progress toward a successful digitization effort as it navigates through their digital transformation in the China. The regulations are ever-changing and can create confusion amongst company stakeholders (from executives to frontline staff); for this reason, understanding those legalities needs to be part and parcel
Overcoming resistance to digital transformation in Guomao.
The lead-in was the perfect setting up and establishing the importance and context of Guomao; we are now on top