In September 2007, LUO Chuan, CEO of Myspace China, ex-CEO of MSN China told the audience in a conference, Myspace China has a fully localized team in China and unlike other foreign Internet companies Myspace will be operating independent of Myspace.com. A year after this declaration of independence, the rumor we heard today is that Luo has resigned from Myspace China and will join a Beijing-based online video media company Netmovie. We are not sure yet about the reason caused Luo’s leaving, but the report says that Myspace.com is not happy with Luo’s spending too much time on driving his Myspace.cn, and they think Luo should have contributed more to the localization of Myspace.com. We might be wrong, but our understanding on this is that Luo wants to run the Myspace on his own way (on Myspace.cn), but his boss believe Myspace China should be a Chinese version of Myspace.com and follow its global strategy. So, if the rumor is confirmed, it means Myspace China’s Independence fails.
What shall we say? Trust your Chinese partners, be more patient and leave them the flexibility to run the business in Chinese way, which is the only way to succeed. The foreign Internet business seems still “Lost in Translation” in China, although we know the reason is rather complicated.
It’s not just the Internet business. It’s all sorts of business.
I think they need to learn to speak their cultural language, not just the official language.
long time no see.
haa…