American Idol reject-turned-superstar William Hung, NBA
powerhouse Yao Ming, Super Girl champion Li Yuchun, pianist Lang
Lang, writer Han Han, and Olympics hurdles winner Liu Xiang all
have one thing in common. Apart from being the hottest celebrities
in the last couple of years, they were all born in the 1980s.
Writer Chun Shu, nicknamed Beijing Doll, appeared on the cover
of Time in February 2004. She was featured alongside
fellow writer Han Han, former computer hacker Manzhou, and rocker
Li Yang as symbols of post-80s China.
However, that image needs to be modified to include the scores
of techno-geeks who've made a name for themselves in the business
world, and in the process changed the traditional face of Chinese
enterprise in the world's fastest developing economy.
These technopreneurs include PCPOP's 25-year-old CEO Li Xiang,
Comsenz CEO Dai Zhikang, Mysee CEO Deng Di and President Gao Ran,
163888 CEO Zhang Li, MaJoy President Mao Kankan, and Veryol CEO
Zheng Ning. Their average age is 24.
Their success belies their lack of excellent academic results or
an overseas education, unlike previous generations of enterprise
leaders. For example, Comsenz's Dai failed 15 of his college
courses; Gao Ran skipped most of his classes at Tsinghua
University; and Deng Di spent more time teaching himself digital
and computer technologies than on his journalism major.
Their social backgrounds are quite diverse. Some come from upper
middle class families, while some had more humble rural beginnings
in China's southwest. But in the information era, the Internet is
the equalizer that can bring success to just about anyone with a
passion for technology. The virtual space is their university, a
concept that flies in the face of conventional education in
China.
This brand of entrepreneur is not new. The American bestseller
Geeks and Geezers by Warren G. Bennis and Robert J. Thomas
describe the Geeks as those who change the world with digital
technology and don't care about mainstream business regulations and
routines. Bill Gates is one of them. And in China, the 80s
offspring are its first generation of Geeks.
In an interview with China Youth Daily on June 6, Li
Xiang said that it is the "Internet spirit" that his generation
has. They totally ignore tradition and what they think is right,
cutting out the routine.
"My direction and goals are very clear. I always knew that the
Internet would be my career. I set a goal for each step, and went
about achieving them one by one. So, I won't squander my money on
material things and living it large, or give up when faced with
difficulties."
Li's company PCPOP is the third biggest Chinese IT information
website, earning 20 million yuan (US$2.5 million)?through
advertising in 2005. Li owns 50 percent share of the company's
stock, which is worth 200 million yuan (US$25 million).
Dai Zhikang was born into a family of intellectuals. His father,
for one, holds a PhD from the Daqing Petroleum Institute. Dai was
introduced to the computer at an early age, which nurtured his
passion for technology. He was a master programmer by the time he
entered university. One of his most famous programs is the
"Discuz!" Bulletin Board System (BBS) program designed during his
college years.
"Initially I didn't mean to found a company," he confessed. "I
just wanted to find a good job, and 'Discuz!' was what I needed to
prove my ability. But during the design process, I found that I
could make money off it. That's when I realized that I didn't want
to work for others."
Despite the differences in social backgrounds, one thing that
these technopreneurs have in common is strong family support. They
weren't restrained in any way and were always encouraged to go out
and do their own thing. MaJoy's Mao Kankan's family, for example,
didn't hold a diploma in as high esteem as most other families
might have.?
Zhang Jianguo, CEO of China's leading human resource website
Chinahr.com, commented: "The best thing about post-80s enterprisers
like Li Xiang and Dai Zhikang is their ability to innovate. They
dare to try new things. It's not like people born in the 70s who
always think too much and miss many opportunities."
However, Zhang also pointed out: "But the problem with them is
that they have huge egos. Managing an enterprise requires an
organic system of growth and teamwork. A good idea might be enough
to set up a company, but when the company becomes big, how to run
it is the issue those young enterprisers should pay attention
to."
?
Dai Guang, Dai Zhikuang's father, voiced the same concerns: "You
can launch a company with a technology, but how to transfer your
role as a technology genius to that of manager when your company
succeeds is a big problem."
These technopreneurs do recognize the importance of knowing the
actual ins and outs of running a company.
Li said: "In 2003 (when I first founded my company), I had too
much ego. I didn't take into account others' feelings. This taught
me many lessons and made me change. I started looking at myself
from an objective third point of view.
"I began to really communicate with my colleagues. And I've
found that this was a very acceptable approach, for everyone.
Therefore, the rules are not impossible to change. The thing is
whether or not you want to."
(China.org.cn by Zhang Rui, June 23, 2006)