There are some details that only people who have worked in foreign companies can understand. Why do you say this is because since the discussion in the WeChat group in the past few years, I have been thinking that after working for so many years, most of us former university students are in the same industry (after all, the same major), values, Why is the worldview so different? Why is the way of thinking about things (or methodology) completely different?
I am a computer major, and most of my classmates are also in the IT and communications industries. These industries are one of the most connected industries in China and the world. Both foreign and domestic companies are world-class (domestic companies include Huawei and ZTE, and foreign companies are among the world's top 500) companies. Even if they work on Party A, most of them are companies in China that are closest to the world's governance methods (such as telecommunications operators, banks).
So I gradually feel that the technology and industry engaged in may not be the only factors that shape a person's worldview. Maybe it's the company you work in during the day. The processes and systems you follow all the time will greatly affect the way you think about the world.
This topic is too big and will attract a lot of leverage, so I won't expand it here. I just want to talk about the feeling of watching this documentary.
First of all, I like this film very much. I have always respected Cao Dewang, and Fuyao Glass is also one of our customers. In the past few years, I have been reading Cao Dewang's speech about opening a factory in the United States on the Internet. We only remember that he said that the cost of setting up a factory in the United States may be cheaper than China (part of it), but he did not expect that he has experienced so many challenges and setbacks. But it is not difficult to understand. Cultural integration, how can it be so easy.
The temperament of Americans is different from that of China, not to mention that they are different from Chinese workers, and they are workers from China's third- and fourth-tier cities. In the eyes of many Americans, the Chinese are a relatively poor group, or at least they belong to another parallel universe. Many Westerners do not appreciate, let alone the maturity of the Chinese market and the characteristics of the Chinese business model. Even though China has contributed a lot of revenue, they look down on it in their hearts. As a foreign company, I understand this in my heart. So in the film, Americans have a strange feeling when they see the performance of the Chinese New Year party. I think a foreigner's review on IMDB described the Americans' trip to China as surreal, that is, magical. I think this word is very good, and I can imagine that foreigners think so in their hearts. Therefore, a foreigner in the film suddenly pulled out and walked out of the hall when he saw the collective wedding scene at the end of the party. The camera follows. I saw that the American had a complicated expression and seemed to have cried. He said that at that moment he felt that we are on the same planet. Although we have many differences, we are still one (to the effect). This passage is absolutely true and touching. But I also understand the reason behind it. In fact, in our opinion, China has fully integrated into the world, but in fact, most Westerners still regard the Chinese as a group of another planet. This is not malicious, but cultural barriers, and some look down upon it. The so-called finally discovered that everyone is actually on the same planet, which means that Chinese people used to be considered strange people, not earth people. A lot of words need to be heard right and wrong. I have no intention of blaming or arguing. In fact, I really like this humane American. I'm just from my experience in a foreign company to objectively analyze the possible background of his feelings.
The Fuyao Glass Annual Conference was full of chicken blood and inspiration, and there were performances by employees, and the concept of intelligent manufacturing was added in the New Year's Eve dinner. All of this, people who have stayed in China will smile knowingly. But foreigners will find it very strange and funny. Of course, many foreign companies are doing the same now, so I won't name them. This shows that in China, we must follow the local customs.
After an American executive had finished training from China, he came back and planned to learn this set of disciplines. Let the American workers stand there and report before the start of work. It can be seen that the American workers are all independent individuals, so a row of fans stand in front of the supervisor. That scene, somehow, reminded me of the formation in the brother company, you can look back if you don't believe it. It's the kind of spirit, it's very different. Even though Mo Yang Gong has been talking (the supervisor said that the production efficiency is higher if you put tape on the mouth), but they all seem to be super confident. The Chinese workers in the Fuyao Glass Factory are militarized and disciplined in queuing and shouting. They look serious and rigid, although their efficiency is more than 10 times that of American workers.
I think both models have advantages. Although Chinese workers are very cautious but very capable, Americans are not very efficient but each is an independent individual. We must not belittle ourselves, but we must not mock American culture wantonly. I sincerely hope that our next generation will be more like living people like Americans while maintaining the hardship spirit of our parents. In other words, I hope that in 50 years, our first-class enterprises will be able to stand out in the world without militarized management, so that our workers will naturally have the spirit of letting go.
In the second year, Fuyao Glass finally replaced the two professional managers in the United States and replaced them with Chinese. Actually this is nothing. How many foreign companies have only used their own people in China for many years, or used Taiwanese and Hong Kong people. I have no complaints here, and in fact, many professional managers in Taiwan and Hong Kong are indeed more professional and ethical than those in mainland China (do not accept rebuttals), but the glass ceiling of foreign companies does exist, and it makes no sense. So seeing Fuyao Glass doing a good job of old beauty in the United States, I have a very interesting feeling.
I came up to IMDB to read the foreigner's comments. The current IMDB score is 7.5, which is a pretty good score. I thought that the scores were all scored by Chinese people, but the comments on the previous screens were all written by foreigners. This can be seen at a glance from the English writing. Generally speaking, they all think the film is very good. Moreover, most people feel the same as me, that this film objectively reflects two cultures and two modes, there is no right or wrong.
Yes, there is no right or wrong. I see many people commenting on this film in WeChat Moments. It seems that this film reflects the victory of China, but it is not at all! In many things in the world, especially the way human organizations operate, there is no simple right or wrong, only appropriate. Some people think that this was taken by Obama to show Trump. Did not understand the logic. Trump has always asked Foxconn to open a factory in the United States. Isn’t it what Trump wants for Fuyao Glass to open a factory in Dayton? Why don't you say this was taken by Trump to show the world? These are all the thoughts of a group of people who take it for granted, don't understand the world, and only watch the low forcing the public account every day.
So in the final gesture of this film, the topic of who is right and who is wrong is completely thrown away. At the end of the film, the management of Fuyao Glass accompanied Cao Dewang to inspect the automation equipment in the workshop and told him where and how many people would be laid off. Here, there is no winner, and there is no better model, but you can see that living American workers will lose their jobs in a few months. Then, will Chinese workers be spared?
This reminds me of the end of Mel Gibson’s Apocalypse. I have always felt that the ending of a second-rate movie (yes, even without that ending, this movie is also the best in the second-rate) is forced to instantly upgrade its style and grade to the first-class. I think the ending of "American Factory" has the same effect.
ps I think there is a comment from IMDB that the soundtrack of this film is very good, with the style of Pillip Glass, which is reminiscent of Errol Morris's work.
Well, it's a bit like.
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