Consumer-based companies have long predicted that the future of consumerism rests in the wants and needs of the next generation. China, however, is presenting an entirely different story. The Chinese market suggests that the elderly are the next big source of consumers, and are spending in new and unique ways. Not only are the elderly in need of community center clinics and nursing homes, but are…
Following the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, COP21 supporters seem optimistic about China’s emissions. The U.S. and China agreed to ratify the Paris Climate Agreement and sent a strong signal to other countries about their commitment to reform. Under the agreement, China must reach three concrete goals by 2030: 1) reduce carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65% (compared 2005 levels); 2) reach its peak…
While it is common for Chinese citizens to find the sky covered in hazy smog, in the week leading up to G20, the skies were a crystal-clear blue. China’s white clouds and blue skies caused by the shuttering of manufacturing companies are a rare sight that has grown to synonymous with country’s most important conferences. The skies show the incredible power of the government to cease operations wit…
In this new report we provide insight into China's manufacturing labor force. For so long the work horse of the Chinese economy, the area of manufacturing has recently undergone considerable structural change. China is transitioning into its third economic cycle there is a far greater focus on the service sector and as a result the importance of manufacturing to total GDP has diminished. Furthermo…
“Your employer branding is not what you tell them it is, it’s what they tell you it is” This is how a recent employer branding seminar began in Shanghai. The premise was to understand the current trends in job seekers’ perceptions of employers, expectations, and preferences from an employer, and how firms can create effective KPIs for employer branding. While the issues of gender equality and…
Globally the future of work is changing. Millennial workers are entering the office, with widely differing expectations than the previous generations, more automated systems are cannibalizing jobs, and the shear nature of work spaces are changing with the proliferation of co-working and a far greater focus on collaboration. At Collective, our most recent Beyond Business As Usual Forum focus…
iPad to Gold? ThinkPad to Silver? Huawei to Bronze? That is the hope of the Japanese Olympic committee, taking waste electronics and transforming them into one of sports ultimate prizes. The country has long been a leader in the area of material recovery with advanced extended producer responsibility policies and an early focus on engaging consumers in collection schemes. As an island with l…
Be it through the movement from a manufacturing-based economy to one based on services, the movement of millions of people into the city, or through the increased presence of technology, the very nature and future of work is changing. For firms, this will require a change not only in how they attract and retain labor, but in how offices are designed and built for a more flexible labor force. Fo…
For decades, company executives have given speeches pitching to investors, engaging consumers and suppliers, and inspiring employees. But as the pace of the world and technology has moved on the style and embracement of such new techniques for engagement seem to have lagged behind. Living in a world filled with daily frustration, people – especially the Millennials – are constantly searching fo…
While some might consider a tradeoff between a country's economic development and the resulting socio-environmental burdens to be "justifiable," China has reached the tipping point at which the air crisis is significantly impacting economic development as well. The well-being of China's market is beginning to suffer, with stakeholders reluctant to engage with a country in the middle of an emiss…
While the rest of the world debates the impact of carbon emissions and the need to create binding agreements, China’s battle with air pollution has grown tangible enough to effectively catalyze stakeholders into action. With only six of China’s cities meeting the second tier of the National Environmental Air Quality Standards (NEAQS) in 2015, air pollution has become one of the biggest challenges…
Dormant - People who do not possess a smartphone or smartphone-like technology (e.g. iPad) and have no interest and/or ability to acquire. There are many reasons why elderly do not adopt new technologies, or in other words, are "dormant." However, the voices of the elderly in China often go unheard on the topic of technology. With this in mind, over the last few weeks, Collective has bee…
With China’s desire to shift from “made in China” to “created in China”, the movement away from labor-intensive industries towards new, innovative, and highly efficient manufacturing has begun. Additionally, the existing Chinese workforce is more expectant and empowered than ever, demanding increasingly higher wages – wages that are some of the highest in the Asian region. As many consider the…
"Improvements in China’s air quality will not only come through national government action. It is a challenge that will require the engagement and enforcement of regulations at both provincial and local levels of government. Recent pledges coming from the national level to reduce pollution, through the 13th five year plan, and measurable improvements in AQI during 2015, show progressive steps ar…
Someone has to get the ball rolling. Any and all progressive change requires intentional action from human beings, especially in terms of maximizing efficiency and sustainability in your firm’s operations. Now is no time to be passive, and this is the exact value of the sustainability ambassador — inspired individuals at all levels of leadership and influence who can pioneer your firm’s futur…
