Chapter 27 The Sublation of "Wolf Culture"

Throughout the ages, wolves have given humans the impression of being cruel and cunning, and people attribute wolf nature to barbarism, cruelty, greed, and tyranny.Ren Zhengfei claims to be a "coyote" from the East, "fierce and difficult to deal with"; Huawei's corporate culture is also positioned as a "wolf culture", and the "wolf spirit" played a pivotal role in Huawei's entrepreneurial process. However, "wolf culture" is a product of the war years. With the development and progress of society, large-scale revolutionary movements have passed, and win-win cooperation has become the requirement of the times.The times are changing, and corporate culture should change accordingly. This is the objective truth.

Now, on many occasions, Ren Zhengfei no longer talks about "wolves", but vigorously advocates "friends and businessmen", imitating Rabin who "exchanged land for peace", and strives to create a peaceful atmosphere and open the way for Huawei's internationalization. Ren Zhengfei's "wolf culture" can be said to be a rebellion against the tradition of Chinese civilization for thousands of years, injecting fresh blood into the lagging farming culture, and it is a deafening criticism of tradition. However, everything is inseparable from its era, and "wolf culture" is also a "child" of the era.It was inevitable for Ren Zhengfei to choose the "wolf culture" at the beginning, especially in the 1980s during the reform and opening up, he launched the "wolf culture" is understandable. "Wolf culture" is the product of the transition from traditional Chinese society to modern civilization, the product of the initial stage of market economy, irregular system and the development of enterprises that have just started.

In the 1980s, the reform and opening up started, and just after experiencing the trauma of the "Cultural Revolution", various systems still need to be perfected.In order to quickly get rid of the backward state and realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the Chinese government has given many preferential conditions to foreign-funded enterprises, and these foreign-funded enterprises enjoy "super-national treatment" in China.Foreign-funded enterprises that were originally "well-off" rushed in and quickly occupied the huge Chinese market, forming a market monopoly and grabbing high profits.

China's reform and opening up has just started, its economic strength is relatively weak, and private enterprises have just begun to grow.However, just at the "doorstep", they have been strongly "encircled and suppressed" by foreign-funded enterprises. If they confront them head-on, it is tantamount to "eggs hitting a rock", and they will only end up being annihilated.Moreover, due to the difference in status between the two, they were not on the same starting line at the beginning of the competition. It was a late start, and they had to break through numerous obstacles, making survival even more difficult.Therefore, if they want to survive, they need to have "the spirit of the wolf, with a keen sense of smell, a strong sense of competition, teamwork and sacrifice."Therefore, they naturally choose "wolf nature" and don't pay much attention to rules.

The 1980s was an era of adventure, and it can also be said that it was the period of primitive accumulation of capital in China. Without the "wolf nature" and timidity, enterprises would not grow at all. This phenomenon also existed in the period of capital accumulation in the West.In the period of primitive capital accumulation, there were crazy colonial plunder and slavery, "the war of all against all", "trampled all the laws of the world", and took risks... Therefore, Marx wrote in "Das Kapital" that "capital came to the world , dripping with blood and dirty things from head to toe.” “The history of primitive accumulation of capital is recorded in the annals of mankind in words of blood and fire.”

The "wolf culture" makes Huawei people have a deep sense of urgency. They are always vigilant, actively seize opportunities, make decisive decisions, be ready to go, implement effectively, unite and cooperate, and will never give up until they achieve their goals.It is precisely because of the hard work of the humble "wolf team" that Huawei has survived and maintained a strong vitality.This kind of culture has made great contributions to Huawei's growth.To a certain extent, it can be said that without the "wolf spirit", maybe Huawei would not be able to survive, and it would not be where it is today.

"Wolf culture" is a product of the times, and it will inevitably change with the changes of the times. This is an objective fact. During an entrepreneurial stage, the "wolf culture" made great contributions to Huawei's growth.However, as Huawei goes international, the disadvantages of the "wolf culture" are increasingly exposed. "Wolf culture" is the product of imperfect market development and irregular systems. As the market gradually matures, various rules will gradually improve, creating an environment for orderly competition. After all, the "wolf culture" is a culture of war, which has brought a lot of trouble to Huawei itself. Wherever the "wolf" goes, it will arouse the high vigilance of the opponent.Cisco first started to curb it, and Huawei attracted headaches. The British government refused to buy Makeni, and Ericsson succeeded when it wanted to invest in India. A series of troubles have hindered Huawei's overseas expansion. Although it contains some discrimination, the influence of "wolf culture" cannot be ignored.

For Huawei's development, Ren Zhengfei's health has been deteriorating, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and cervical spondylosis.Due to the ruthless competition of the wolves, the atmosphere inside Huawei is tense.Working overtime nervously, working desperately, aging prematurely... More importantly, disharmony began to appear within the "wolf pack". Many people began to go out to start businesses, and even became competitors of their old clubs. With regard to these difficulties encountered by Huawei, Ren Zhengfei has also realized that the "wolf culture" needs to be transformed. "Wolf nature" is only a means, and human nature is the foundation.Doing business requires a bit of a wolf, always feeling a sense of crisis, and taking the lead in every action, but the "wolf" also abides by the rules and competes in an orderly manner.However, "wolf nature" will eventually return to human nature, and only companies that exude humanity can last forever.

With strong execution, combat effectiveness and cohesion, the enterprise has jumped over the survival line and started the process of moving towards a large enterprise. This requires reducing the rigidity in the culture, which is the key to the long-term vitality of the enterprise.Huawei has successfully completed the first venture, and is now transitioning to the second venture, and humanization has become the key to the transformation. The famous economist Mao Zhongqiang said: "The major responsibility of modern enterprise management is to seek the consistency between corporate goals and personal goals. The more consistent the two are, the better the management effect will be." This is humanized management, caring for employees, stimulating With their enthusiasm for work, the enterprise can progress faster.In recent years, Ren Zhengfei has practiced himself, gradually abandoning the "Huawei Basic Law", abolishing the "overtime culture", and realizing management in line with international standards. The "wolf culture" is undergoing a difficult transformation.

With the progress of society, peace and win-win have become the requirements of the times, and the role and value of people have become increasingly prominent.Shi Zhenrong, a Chinese business leader, once said that the 30 years of entrepreneurship are actually dealing with human nature.This humanized management has enabled Acer to produce talents in large numbers and grow rapidly into a global large enterprise. As Huawei is moving towards becoming a large international company, Ren Zhengfei has consciously downplayed his "wolf nature", followed the common international business value orientation, and made friends with international giants.

"The sea is open to all rivers, and tolerance is great." For large multinational companies, a set of global standards and rules is required, and cultural inclusiveness and symbiosis must be taken into account when formulating and implementing them.A successful experience in one place may lead to failure in another place, so we must respect differences and be inclusive. To be a world-class enterprise, you must have the boldness of a world-class enterprise and be inclusive.To truly become a large international company, it must first have an inclusive large corporate culture.Ren Zhengfei wants to be a world-class enterprise, and internationalization is the key to achieving this goal.Going abroad, the "wolf culture" that was once successful in China is facing a threshold, and the distinctive Huawei characteristics need to be transformed. In order to achieve business goals, enterprises need to integrate three cultures: corporate culture, their own country's culture, and target market country's culture.In recent years, Huawei's internationalization process has been significantly accelerated, and Huawei's culture has been downplayed. Considering cross-cultural differences, it is increasingly urgent to develop an inclusive culture. Employees with different cultural backgrounds have great differences in values, ways of thinking, habits and styles.Once, at the Huawei India Research Institute, a project team was in a dispute when discussing technical solutions. Then??? Loudly, if you are angry, clench your fists hard, and discuss it when you calm down." Cultural integration is the key to attracting overseas talents.It is very difficult for Huawei's overseas research institute to recruit foreign employees, so it is necessary to get rid of the narrow corporate culture and national culture. After 2000, Ren Zhengfei's promotion of "wolf culture" gradually faded, and Huawei's culture began to drift westward, gradually establishing a commercial culture with universal value. "Wolf culture" faded out after completing its mission. Huawei's culture has gradually become more inclusive and has the style of a large enterprise. Realizing the transcendence of "wolf culture" is the key to Huawei's internationalization. step.