Rebirth of the Industrial Tycoon

In the VIP waiting room of the airport, Li Weidong was looking through the documents in his hand. He heard footsteps in the distance and saw Rebus walking over with his assistant and translator.

Rebus came and sat down in front of Li Weidong, and the waiter in the waiting room immediately came over with several cans of iced Coke.

"Iced Coke specially prepared for you." Li Weidong said.

"You better understand me and know that I like this!" Rebus picked up Kehe, opened the can and took a long sip, showing a happy expression.

Then Rebus asked: "Can we really handle Sharp this time when we go to Japan? With our small order quantity, we won't be able to catch Sharp's eye at all!"

Those big mobile phone brands can easily ship millions of units a month, with orders in the tens of millions each time. Xiaomi, which just plans to enter this industry, only plans to make two to three hundred thousand units of a mobile phone. Compared with major mobile phone manufacturers, this order is indeed difficult to discern as Sharp. Sharp usually receives tens of millions of orders, so why would it care about these small orders of tens of thousands?

Li Weidong explained: "If it was last month, Sharp would definitely not care about our mosquito meat, but it is different now. A magnitude 9 earthquake will have an impact on all industries in Japan. The key is Fukushima The nuclear power plant also leaked, which made Japan's manufacturing even worse.

Although the Fukushima nuclear leak is temporarily under control, the current problem is that consumers are worried about nuclear radiation and are afraid to buy products made in Japan. This is a catastrophic blow to Japanese manufacturing. . Therefore, Japanese companies now urgently need to rebuild the confidence of customers!

When we go to talk to Sharp now, it is actually to provide help in times of need. Although our order is small, for Sharp, it is a certificate of continued trust from customers. The symbolic meaning is far greater than the actual meaning. In order to stabilize customers, Sharp also I will accept this order. It's a thousand dollars to buy horse bones. "

"Then we have made a mistake?" Rebus took another sip of Coke and showed a relieved expression.

"Don't be like this. After all, they have suffered a disaster, so we can just smile in our hearts. When we get to Japan, our expressions should be serious, our faces should be fierce, and we should show condolences, lest people say we are gloating about our misfortune."

Li Weidong changed his voice and continued: "However, relying on foreign supply chains is not a long-term solution. We still have to support the domestic supply chain."

"In terms of mobile phone screens, the technology of domestic companies is still far behind." Rebus replied.

"The main reason is that there is no domestic demand for this. Once all Chinese brands of smartphones are produced, domestic companies will naturally keep up with the pace of research and development. However, we cannot wait. We still have to find a few leading companies and reach an agreement with them. If we cooperate, we can provide them with funds for research and development and share the results!" Li Weidong said.

Rebus nodded: "Looking at the current predicament of ham sausage, it shows that if we just do assembly and don't do core technology, it will be in vain. However, establishing a supply chain is still too far away for us.

The first priority now is to launch our Xiaomi mobile phone. With the support of mobile phones, our system can survive! Otherwise, within three years, we will definitely be defeated by Android! Android has developed so rapidly in the past year, and with Google as its backer, it has gained a lot of market share. "

"There is a saying that good fortune comes with misfortune. With Google as a big backer, I think it may not be a good thing for Android. Maybe Google will become Android's biggest destiny!" Li Weidong said calmly. .

Rebus looked at Li Weidong in surprise, and then asked in a low voice: "Director Li, do you have any other gossip?"

"As far as I know, there are quite big differences within Google regarding Android." Li Weidong also lowered his voice and continued: "Android is developing its own browser system. Have you heard about this?"

"I know about this. The in-house browser will have a higher degree of compatibility with the operating system, and the operating system will run more smoothly. Our technical department is also doing the same thing now." Rebus said replied.

"But Google also has its own browser. If Android develops its own browser, then who will use Google's browser? And besides browsers, Google has many other products." Li Weidong revealed your careful taste expression.

"You mean, Google wants to add its products to the Android system?" Rebus understood immediately.

"Yes, Google cannot allow Android to develop its own products. They will inevitably require Android systems to use Google products. But how compatible are Google's products with the Android system? Will the Android system forcibly add Google products to the system? What happens if there are problems with the stability and fluency?”

Li Weidong picked up the cup and took a sip, letting Rebus digest what he said, and then continued: "In addition, we have to consider whether Android is willing to accept Google's products. If they don't accept it, they will definitely follow suit. If there is a conflict at Google, then the civil strife on Google Android will be an opportunity for us!”

"You've been thinking about it for a long time." Rebus nodded with deep understanding.

Li Weidong continued: "That's not all. Android wants to develop its own products. Don't those mobile phone brands have the same idea? For example, Samsung makes a Samsung browser, Sony makes a Sony browser, and they are all installed in the mobile phone when leaving the factory. , will Google allow it to be used or not?

If it is allowed to be used, it will definitely seize Google's own product market. If it is not allowed to be used, will mobile phone brands fall out with Google? Even if Google allows its use, will Google's own products be deleted, or will two products of the same type exist at the same time?

If there are multiple products of the same type in an operating system, will they conflict with each other? Can the system bear the load? Will it affect stability and fluency? These are all potential problems, and these problems that are about to break out in Android are all opportunities for us. "

Rebus frowned and thought for a while, then said: "If it is like you said, Google wants to create a monopoly and exclude other similar products, then we should do the opposite. We can directly Cooperate with mobile phone brands and make customized systems specifically for them! ”

"You're right! Consumers are our customers, and all mobile phone brands are also our customers. What we have to do is to meet the needs of customers, provide services to customers, and allow customers to have a better experience, rather than forcefully The customer makes the choice!" Li Weidong said.

Although Google is the boss of Android, Android founder Andy Rubin has a different philosophy from Google.

With Ham Sausage being sued in the United States, the conflict between Android and Google has become increasingly prominent.

"Father of Android" Andy Rubin wanted to ensure the integrity of the Android system API. He did not integrate Google products into the Android system. Instead, he formed his own team to develop a series of basic applications, such as Android's native browser. Android native SMS system and so on.

This is beneficial. The basic system developed by Android itself does not affect the operation of the underlying Android system, which can improve the operating efficiency of the system and ensure stability.

But Google does not recognize this, because Google itself has various products. Google hopes to integrate its products into the Android system. As long as it is an Android phone, it will come with various Google products. By then, Google products will be promoted on a large scale.

Different ideas between the two parties will lead to conflicts, and the final result is that the power of capital takes the lead, and Android still can't screw its boss Google. After losing the ham sausage patent lawsuit, Andy Rubin was also kicked out of Android on the grounds of transferring profits to ham sausage.

After that, Google found an Indian to run Android. Here is Sundar Pichai, who the Chinese call him "Pichai".

Technology companies in Silicon Valley are indispensable for the presence of Indians. Xichai was the boss of the "India Gang" at Google. This guy later became the president of Google, and then vigorously promoted and appointed Indians, so that more than 30% of Google's employees were Indian origin.

The biggest advantage of Indians is that they are obedient. They do whatever the boss tells them to do, regardless of whether it is right or wrong. Moreover, Indians will feel comfortable working as wage earners and will not think about starting their own business. It is also for this reason that American technology companies like to hire Indians as managers.

After Xichai became the president of Android, he thoroughly implemented the wishes of Google's boss and integrated various Google products into the Android system. It also forces mobile phone manufacturers to install a service framework containing Google products.

So at that time, the Android system was very stuck. When I opened the background, I saw all kinds of useless Google programs running, taking up a lot of memory space. I couldn't turn them off even if I wanted to, and couldn't delete them even if I wanted to.

This has three consequences. The first is to promote Apple's sales. Although Apple mobile phones are expensive, they are easy to use! An old Apple machine is smoother to use than a new Android machine and has a better user experience, which naturally cultivates a large number of Apple fans.

Secondly, it gives China an opportunity for the rise of thousand-yuan machines. Consumers buy a mobile phone, use it for more than a year, and then it becomes stuck and need to replace the mobile phone. Then it is not cost-effective to buy an expensive flagship phone. It is better to spend one to two thousand yuan to buy a cheap product, and it will not feel distressed to throw it away after a year. .

Thousand-yuan phones are dominated by Chinese brands, and those big brands disdain to make thousand-yuan phones with low profits. This directly promoted the development of China's mobile phone industry. At that time, dozens or hundreds of thousands-yuan mobile phone brands emerged. After several years of fighting, those who survived eventually became giants in the mobile phone industry.

The third consequence is that major mobile phone manufacturers have begun to make their own UI. Since your Android card is terrible, the manufacturer will optimize the system by itself. At the beginning, the manufacturer's optimization was just a skin, but after several years of hard work, many manufacturers' optimization plans have greatly alleviated the lag situation.

In Li Weidong's view, Android's internal strife is an opportunity for Xiaomi's system to seize the market. Doesn't Google force manufacturers to install Google products? Then I will take the professional customization route and incorporate the manufacturer's own promotion into the system. When selling things these days, who wouldn’t want to mix in some of their personal work?

And Indian executives are indeed unreliable. Take Google as an example. After replacing Indian executives, how many products have been messed up! With Android in hand, Google+, Google Talk, Hangouts, Google Duo, Allo and other products have not been equally successful.

…

When it was time to board the plane, Li Weidong, Rebus and others walked into the cabin along the boarding gate, only to find that there was no one inside except the stewardess.

"Director Li, are you chartering a plane?" Rebus asked.

"Even if you charter a flight, you don't have to charter an A350!" Li Weidong chuckled, and then said; "Don't forget what's going on in Japan now. How can anyone dare to go to Japan these days? It's a life-threatening situation! Aren't you afraid of being exposed to radiation! "

"That's right. We are the only ones who want money rather than our lives to go to Japan at this time." Rebus shook his head with a wry smile.

"What do you mean by asking for money rather than life! We are here to build a great brand, this is for a lofty ideal!" Li Weidong lowered his voice and continued: "When you are interviewed by the media in the future, you have to say this, how noble! "

"It's true that the richer you are, the thicker your skin is!" Rebus whispered, and then sighed softly; "The airline is also having a hard time. Such a big plane only takes a few of us, isn't it? What a loss!”

"When we went there, there were only a few of us, but when we came back, it was hard to get a ticket. Now the fares for domestic flights from Japan have increased several times, but it's still hard to get a ticket. Everyone is desperately trying to escape Japan!"

Li Weidong pointed to the empty seats and continued: "If you think about it this way, the airline has made money! And the flight we took, although we were the only ones in the cabin, the cargo compartment was full."

"Director Li, what good things are you going to transport to Japan?" Rebus asked immediately.

"I have prepared 10,000 air purifiers with anti-radiation function. After arriving in Japan, you will donate it to Japan in the name of Xiaomi. At the same time, you will find reporters to promote it. Let's create a wave of momentum first, and then we will discuss purchasing with Sharp. ." Li Weidong answered.

"What a good idea! Before negotiating, let's win the favor of Japanese public opinion and let the Japanese know that we are here to support their Japanese products. The bigger the momentum becomes, the less Sharp will dare to refuse us. If we take this kind of initiative If those who come to purchase products end up empty-handed, it will also be a blow to the confidence in manufacturing in Japan.”

Rebus immediately understood Li Weidong's intention, but he still asked: "But does this air purifier really have the function of anti-nuclear radiation? If it doesn't have this function, wouldn't we be making false propaganda? "

Li Weidong immediately explained: "During the Cold War, both the United States and the Soviet Union built a large number of underground fortifications to resist nuclear attacks. However, these underground fortifications could withstand nuclear explosions, but not nuclear radiation.

Nuclear radiation is mainly spread through tiny dust in the air, so both the United States and the Soviet Union began to study the installation of purifiers in the vents of underground fortifications to prevent dust floating in the air from entering the underground fortifications. This is the earliest air purifier.

In this regard, even masks can protect against nuclear radiation, not to mention air purifiers. They already have the function of protecting against nuclear radiation. We just focused on promoting this function. "

"It seems that I have to learn more from you about product marketing!" Rebus said with emotion.

"Are you praising me or hurting me? But even if you are hurting me, it is normal. I am also one of the first self-employed people in the country. Those of us who started from street stalls are different from college students like you. Although we have reaped the first wave of dividends from reform and opening up, we have also done some deception and deception. This can be regarded as a microcosm of an era!"

Li Weidong couldn't help but think of the glorious history of selling health care equipment. He shook his head mockingly, and then asked: "Mr. Lei, are you interested in making home appliances?"

Rebus shook his head without hesitation: "The competition in the home appliance industry is too fierce. Those who can establish themselves in this industry are all big and experienced brands. It is difficult for newcomers to gain a foothold in this industry."

"I'm not talking about traditional home appliances, but smart homes. We already have our own operating system and will also have our own mobile phones. This means we have the system and operating terminal. Next, we only need to integrate the terminal. We have a smart home system." Li Weidong explained.

"This is a good development direction. To be honest, I have considered wearable devices before, but I just felt that even mobile phones have not been built yet, so thinking about these is too far away." Rebus said.

"It's not that far away. Technology is advancing very fast. Within ten years, smart homes will begin to become popular. If you want to do it, you have to deploy it as soon as possible." Li Weidong continued; "Mr. Lei, if you plan to build a smart home, You can find our puppy OEM, but the quality of our OEM is hard to say.”

"Director Li is not afraid that Xiaomi's home appliance products will compete with your puppy appliances?" Rebus asked with a smile.

Li Weidong replied: "Only when you are competitive can you make progress! What's more, the home appliance market is so big that it is impossible for one company to monopolize it. This pie is enough for everyone to share. Only an industry where a hundred flowers bloom can create more possibilities!" "

…

Historically, when Rebus was making Xiaomi mobile phones, he took advantage of the Fukushima nuclear accident to go to Japan to negotiate with Sharp. According to later media reports, Rebus risked his life and braved nuclear radiation to negotiate. This sincerity moved Sharp, and it finally provided mobile phone screens to Xiaomi.

But if you think about it carefully, you will know that this is most likely the media's glorified reporting. It is true that Rebus risked nuclear radiation to negotiate. Sharp may also be moved by Rebus, but selling mobile phone screens to Xiaomi is definitely a commercial consideration.

At that time, Rebus was making futures mobile phones. The Xiaomi mobile phone in 1999 was a cost-effective killer, but only a few thousand units were released at a time. In terms of market demand, it was just scraping.

Therefore, Xiaomi's purchase of hardware for mobile phones is very small. When such an order is sent to Sharp, no one will even take a look at it. Wouldn't it be better to have the time to serve big customers like Apple who order tens of millions of dollars!

As a result, it was the Fukushima nuclear accident that gave Rebus an opportunity. The Fukushima nuclear accident was a catastrophic blow to the entire Japanese manufacturing industry. No consumers were willing to buy products that had been exposed to nuclear radiation, and Japanese manufacturing companies naturally lost large orders.

Even though Sharp's mobile phone screen was unique at the time, customers still chose to wait and see. They would not continue to place orders with Sharp until they were sure it was safe.

It was at this time that Rebus personally came to Sharp's headquarters in Japan and proposed a purchasing plan. This is undoubtedly a timely help for Sharp. As long as there are customers willing to place orders, those old customers who are waiting will also return one after another.

Even though the order quantity given by Rebus was not large, Sharp still agreed to the deal in order to have the effect of buying horse bones for a thousand dollars.

This is a deal where both parties get what they need. Although it is not as glorified by the media, Rebus's adventurous spirit and decisive timing of the move can be used as a textbook example of business operations.

…

Drug stores on the streets of Japan have signs saying "Masks sold out" on the door.

After the Fukushima nuclear accident, there was a rush to buy salt in China, and the Japanese were no less willing to give in. They were grabbing masks, medical protective clothing, and iodine tablets.

At that time, the price of iodine tablets was so high that it cost thousands of yen per piece. I couldn't get any iodine tablets, so I rushed to buy iodine wine, which can be taken internally or externally.

At this time, the news that Xiaomi Group donated 10,000 radiation-proof air purifiers instantly attracted a lot of media attention.

It doesn’t matter whether the air is purified or not, radiation protection is the key!

The public relations company hired by Xiaomi was not idle either. It first sent a batch of air purifiers to reporters. In Japan at the time, this was much more practical than giving money. As a result, there have been reports in many media about the donation of purifiers by international friends Xiaomi Group. The reports also inevitably mentioned that Xiaomi Group came to Japan to purchase purifiers this time.

These news first alarmed Japan's Ministry of Environment, and then Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is well aware of the impact of the Fukushima nuclear accident on Japanese manufacturing. Many customers are worried about nuclear contamination and have canceled orders. Most of them are in a wait-and-see state. Although the orders are still there, they will be replaced soon. Can't come.

Now that I have finally met a loyal customer who is not afraid of nuclear radiation and dares to come and buy something, I must actively facilitate the transaction. It doesn't matter how much the customer buys. The key is to open an opportunity so that the customer can continue to believe in Made in Japan.

Even with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry coming forward, Sharp could no longer keep its airs and could only quickly complete the order.

…

Sharp is headquartered in Osaka City.

The building of Sharp's headquarters was once a representative building in Osaka. This building carries Sharp's century-old glory and is also a symbol of the rise of Japanese manufacturing.

However, due to Sharp's poor management, the building was eventually sold in 2015 to alleviate Sharp's situation. The buyer is Japanese home furnishing brand Yideli. This is like a microcosm of the Japanese economy. The manufacturing industry that dominated the world at that time was unable to continue its glory and was gradually replaced by consumer industries with little technological content.

Later, Hon Hai acquired Sharp and wanted to buy back the building, but Director Guo's offer was too low and Yideli was unwilling to let go. Sharp did not regain its former glory in the hands of Hon Hai and was unable to bring in huge profits. In the end, the matter of buying back the building was abandoned.

At this time, Sharp's president Kozo Takahashi was waiting for Rebus' arrival.

Rebus was here to sign a mobile phone screen purchase contract. Normally, Takahashi Kozo would be happy when business came to his door, but at this time, his face was gloomy and he looked depressed.

"President, the reporters we invited have arrived. They will witness today's signing ceremony in a moment." The assistant reported.

"Damn it! Xiaomi Group's order is so small, but we have to publicize it with great fanfare! When did Sharp fall to this!" Takahashi Keizo said viciously.

"President, there is no way around this. After the Fukushima nuclear accident, other customers, including Apple, are now waiting and watching, afraid to place orders for us. We now need to break this deadlock." The assistant paused. , then said:

"And the Xiaomi Group that signed the contract this time donated 10,000 radiation-proof air purifiers to our country, which has attracted public attention. This high-profile purchase by Xiaomi Group also supports our Japanese manufacturing industry. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has We are also very concerned about this signing.”

"Isn't it just an air purifier! It's not like we don't have any at Sharp! The world's first household purifier was launched by Sharp!" Kozo Takahashi snorted coldly, and then said: "If it weren't for the pressure from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, How could I care about such a small order!”

Kozo Takahashi is not a successful business manager. This guy is arrogant, but he often apologizes at shareholder meetings. After Hon Hai officially completed its acquisition of Sharp in 2016, Takahashi Kozo made his last apology and then resigned as president of Sharp.

When Kozo Takahashi was in charge of Sharp, Sharp suffered losses year after year. In some cases, it lost more than 200 billion yen a year. Kozo Takahashi's "wise decision-making" was indispensable.

Sharp's LCD TVs were once the number one in the world, thanks to Sharp's ability to make the best LCD panels. There was a time when only Sharp could produce large-screen, high-definition LCD panels in the world.

At that time, the largest customer of Sharp's LCD panels, besides Sharp itself, was South Korea's Samsung. This meant that Samsung, the giant in the home appliance industry, had to rely on Sharp's LCD panels to produce televisions.

As Samsung's TV sales increased, market competition with Sharp's TVs arose, so Sharp decided not to sell high-end panels to Samsung. Samsung had no choice but to develop its own LCD panel technology, and then the current panel giant Samsung emerged.

Samsung's TV sales have also successfully topped the world. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Hisense had an advertisement that said "Second in the world, first in China". Many people will question who is number one in the world. Simply looking at sales, the number one in the world is Samsung.

Sharp's TV share is declining year by year, and even Xiaomi's sales are stronger than Sharp's.

In the face of foreign competitors, Sharp directly cut off supply and suppressed them, hoping to kill them by choking their necks. When facing Japanese competitors, Sharp also used the same method.

Both Sony and Toshiba were customers of Sharp, but they were also competitors of Sharp. Sharp also cut off supply to these two companies. As a result, Sony and Toshiba directly found another supplier, JDI, which is Japan Display Company, and waited for JDI to take over. After losing two major customers, Sony and Toshiba, Sharp recovered and quickly resumed supply. Unfortunately, it was too late.

Kozo Takahashi has made many similar "wise decisions", which turned the former industry giant Sharp into a company that has been losing money year after year.

After 2011, Sharp's core LCD panel business also suffered losses. The rise of Samsung and LG eroded a large amount of Sharp's share. Thanks to the rise of smartphones, Sharp has been able to rely on mobile phone screens to survive for several years.

…

The car slowly stopped in front of the Sharp headquarters building, and Li Weidong and Rebus both got out of the car.

"The negotiation with Sharp went surprisingly smoothly this time, thanks to the help from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. It seems that the donation of 10,000 air purifiers is still very effective." Rebus said.

"If there is no opportunity, we create opportunities. Especially in cross-border negotiations, it is very effective." Li Weidong continued: "There is a book called "The Art of Negotiation". I suggest you read it."

"Is this book well written?" Rebus asked.

"The writing is average, but the person who writes the book is extraordinary. That guy has a famous saying, no one understands XXX better than me. This XXX can be anything."

Li Weidong smiled and then asked: "How long do you think Sharp can last?"

"How long will Sharp last? Isn't Sharp good? Their mobile phone screens are in short supply. If it weren't for the Fukushima nuclear accident and other companies started to wait and see, we might not be able to get the goods." Rebus said.

"Sharp's core business is LCD panels, and life is not easy. Sharp's strategic mistakes in recent years have only strengthened South Korea's panel industry. In terms of high-end panels, Samsung and LG have begun to catch up with Sharp. Chinese panels are also rising rapidly. It will quickly erode the mid- to low-end panel market. If Sharp's panel business dies, how long do you think Sharp can last?" Li Weidong said.

Rebus frowned and thought for a few seconds, and then said, "Sharp's mobile phone screens are really good. If Sharp really can't survive, are you interested in buying Sharp? Then we won't have to worry about mobile phone screens." Go and beg grandpa to sue grandma."

"You are overthinking this! If I were the chairman of Sharp, I would spin off the profitable mobile phone screen business, and then package and sell the unprofitable parts, which can be regarded as draining Sharp of its final profits." Li Weidong responded .

Rebus nodded: "That's right. Many multinational companies do this if they want to sell."

Li Weidong continued; "Sharp's portfolio is too big. There are profitable departments and loss-making departments. Taking over them all would be too risky and would take up too much capital. On the other hand, I think Sharp's medical device business is interesting. If Sharp If you are willing to take action, I would like to buy it.”

"Sharp's medical equipment? Are they famous? In my impression, mid-to-high-end medical equipment is dominated by European and American brands! As for low-end medical equipment, we can make it ourselves and don't need to import it!" Rebus said.

"Sharp's medical equipment is mainly used for monitoring equipment, such as the screens of monitoring instruments. Many of them are produced by Sharp." Li Weidong continued: "But what I am interested in is not that screen, but Sharp's medical sensor technology. That thing could be applied to wearable devices.”

Rebus is also discerning. When Li Weidong mentioned "wearable devices", Rebus's eyes lit up, and he also realized the commercial value behind it. So Rebus immediately asked: "Will Sharp sell it?"

"That fellow Takahashi Koizo is arrogant and will definitely not sell Sharp's medical device business." Li Weidong said with a confident expression: "But today I can first put forward my willingness to acquire, so that Takahashi Koizo will have some confidence in his heart." Number of pieces, let’s wait until the time is right in two years before we start!”

"When is the time right?" Rebus was stunned and asked with a half-smile, "Do you have any other gossip?"

Li Weidong replied: "Dr. Guo of Hon Hai has always been interested in Sharp, so I have to wait for Hon Hai to make the first move."