I don’t see a lot of hits for “editorial process outsourcing” in Google — but this is exactly what we do. Publications have been doing outsourcing for a long, long time. Mostly, they just outsource the development of content. They use freelance writers and freelance photographers, and they buy photos and articles from agencies. Editorial process outsourcing takes this a step further, by providing additional services on top of the content itself. For example, Relaxnews is a Paris-based outfit that provides high-end lifestyle content — they can do a complete magazine for you, writing, art, photos, layout, the whole thing. I’m currently working with one of their former editors, Fanny Landrieu, to start a similar agency in Shanghai. This is different from bespoke news agencies, such as Israel-based Abbey Content, which provides editorial services … Read entire article »

The Culture Matters show aired last week. People could watch me every night at 6:30 p.m., then again the next day around noon. Finally, this past Sunday, someone recognized me on the street. It was someone I already knew, though — Megan Shank, an editor at the Chinese edition of Newsweek. People at my kids’ school saw it, though — the producers of the show came to my house for some background footage and filmed my kids playing their instruments — the guitar and the violin. They also showed by son, Basil, making a salad. The producers tell me that they’ll be posting the show online soon. Then the kids will be really famous – I’m sure they can’t wait. Meanwhile, one of my fellow guests — famous Shanghai blogger Wang Jian Shuo … Read entire article »

I took some time away from work to see some elephants, as long as I was in Thailand. I was with Tim Phillips, editor of Petfood Industry magazine, and Julie Lezner Kirk, an expert on petfood safety and traceability, who also spoke at the conference. This is a picture of me riding an elephant. In this shot, I’m behind a waterfall. … Read entire article »

Today I gave a talk about global and Asian petfood industry trends at a conference in Bangkok. One of our clients is Petfood Industry magazine, and we’ve been covering the melanine-laced petfood scandal since it broke last summer. If you forgot, hundreds of dogs and cats were killed or sickened by petfood made with wheat gluten and other fillers that were laced with melanine, a chemical that makes it appear that the filler has higher protein content than it really does. Melanine is normally harmless, but can be poisonous when mixed with certain other ingredients. I love being up in front of large groups of people, and some of my presentation was video taped. I’ll be posting it later, if I ever get a copy. … Read entire article »

A beginning freelancer asked me today whether he should be a writer or an editor — and whether he could do both. At the end of the conversation, he decided what he wanted to do, but I’ve heard the question several times, so I’ll post my answer here. Editing and writing are two completely different jobs, and appeal to different types of people. Sure, they both involve words, and grammar. But that’s about it for similarities. Before you decide what you want to do, ask yourself a few questions. Do you like finding things out? Finding things out — and tracking down the right people who know those things — is one of the fun things about being a reporter. Editors, for the most part, sit back while someone else has all the fun. If … Read entire article »

Last Friday night, a bunch of us journalists slash bloggers slash entrepreneurs — and, in Shanghai, who isn’t these days? — were sitting around talking about cultural differences. We had a guy from a Chinese province who had moved to Shanghai, who was worried about taking care of his parents. A young guy who moved to Singapore, who was probably trying to get away from his parents. An older guy from Taiwan who had moved to the U.S. before moving to Shanghai and who was very concerned about taking care of parents well, and me, daughter of Russian immigrants, who was planning to be taking care of her parents someday. The guy from Taiwan said that a big difference between Asia and the U.S. is that Asians care about their parents. He … Read entire article »

As I type this, a crew from the International Channel Shanghai is here at my house filming me blogging. It’s for a program on blogging that will run in the middle of March. They taped five shows the day before yesterday, Friday, at their studio, but for some reason wanted to see me at home, and see my kids. - Maria … Read entire article »

As a business journalist, I’m a big believer in the power of economics. I’m also not a big fan of culture. Sure, it’s fine when it comes to entertainment, but I don’t trust culture as an explanation of behavior. Many habits which are routinely attributed to culture can be better explained by economics. Take, for example, the issue of saving money. According to some people, saving money is a Asian cultural value, or a Chinese cultural value. But saving money can also be attributed to economic forces — recent economic problems, combined with current wealth and doubts about the future. In the United States, we’ve seen high levels of savings after the Great Depression, for example, and with recent immigrants. My immigrant parents, for example, have a high propensity for saving money and … Read entire article »

This weekend, a friend asked me to tell him all I knew about consultants in China — but to tell it quickly, since he didn’t have much time.My initial thought was to list all the consultants I knew. Management consultants. Business strategy consultants. Market entry consultants. Sourcing consultants. Quality consultants. Engineering consultants. Financial consultants. Human resources consultants. Marketing consultants. If there’s a question you have about China, there’s a whole consulting industry dedicated to helping you.Then I suggested that he first check to see how long a particular consultant’s been around. In general, a good rule of thumb is that the longer a company has been in business, the more likely it is to be offering something of value.But then I thought about some of the oldest China hands I … Read entire article »

Frivolous lawsuits are one of the banes of Western corporate life. Lawsuit artists walk through stores looking for puddles to slip in, sue restaurants for the coffee being too hot — even sue people who try to save their lives during disasters.The lawsuit artists — and the lawyers who serve them — are considered the bottom feeders, the carrion birds of civilized society.But, like vultures and maggots, they also serve a useful purpose. They have a nose for rotting meat.In some cases, they go too far, and eat live flesh. In the case of Good Samaritans, for example, there are now laws in many jurisdictions protecting people who make a good faith effort to help others in emergency situations.But take the example of the $2.7 million lawsuit against McDonald’s alleging … Read entire article »