Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany (left) and countrywoman Kathrin Hoelzl celebrate their victories in the FIS World Cup Alpine womens giant slalom on Nov 27, 2010 in Aspen. Roberto Luongo Authentic Jersey [PhotoAgencies] GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN - Reigning world giant slalom title-holder Kathrin Hoelzl is still struggling with back problems ahead of Thursdays race, but Olympic champion Viktoria Rebensburg is over her flu. Hoelzl, 26, trained on Monday for the first time after a three-week layoff having suffered from persistent back problems, but is still not pain-free as she battles to defend her title at the world ski championships. She complained after the training session of having sore muscles, but we can control that. I hope she can race on Thursday, said Germanys director of Alpine sports Wolfgang Maier. Rebensburg, 21, also stepped back on to skis for the first time on Monday following a heavy dose of flu which forced her out of the Super G on Feb 8. The flu cost me a lot of strength, but now I feel really good again, said the 21-year-old. Rebensburg is ready to add the world giant slalom title to the Olympic gold she won in Vancouver almost a year ago. But the biggest threat to the Germans comes from Austrias Elisabeth Goergl, who is going for her third straight gold and is in the form of her life at the fortnight-long championships. She turns 30 on Sunday, the last day of the championships, and has already claimed Super G and downhill gold medals. Having won giant slalom bronze in Vancouver, Goergl is looking to upgrade to another world gold as he lives up to her nickname here of Golden Goergl. The Austrian - who sings the official song of the championships Between Heaven and Hell (Youre the hero) - has said the conditions at the Kandahar course suit her aggressive style of skiing. This is my gig, I like this type of snow and I am looking forward to the giant slalom, said the all-rounder. This type of snow is in my favor, it doesnt matter if it is icy or not, you can ski aggressively. You can push forward. Another all-rounder with a proven giant slalom record is Slovenias world and Olympic silver medalist Tina Maze, who won silver in last weeks super combined here. Likewise, Frances Tessa Worley leads the World Cup standings for giant slalom ahead of Rebensburg, but overall leader Maria Riesch will also be among the top skiers. The race will be missing three-time World Cup winner Lindsey Vonn, who announced on Monday she was quitting the championships to focus on trying to win a fourth straight crystal globe. Agence France-Presse Ryan Kesler Jersey . He was 81. Altman died Monday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, surrounded by his wife and children. Director Robert Altman poses Oct. 3, 2006, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Altman, the caustic and irreverent satirist behind M-A-S-H, Nashville and The Player who made a career out of bucking Hollywood management and story conventions, died at a Los Angeles Hospital, his Sandcastle 5 Productions Company said Tuesday,Nov 21, 2006. Ryan Johnson JerseyTeam China won the gold followed by silver medallist team U.S. and Russia the bronze. [File PhotoReuters] Chinas Zhang Nan has been taken to the hospital for tests after a training injury on Friday and is doubtful for Saturdays balance beam final at the world gymnastics championships, organisers said. Trevor Linden Jersey-- Cody Eakin had a goal and two assists and Nathan Lieuwen made 25 saves to earn the shutout as the Kootenay Ice blanked the Medicine Hat Tigers 3-0 on Saturday night. Derrick Rose Jersey Jones blasted a solo shot in the seventh inning to tie Juan Gonzalez for 37th place all-time with 434 home runs, and Rick Ankiel chipped in with a pair of hits and two runs batted in, as the Braves bounced back from two tough losses in Cincinnati Saturday and Sunday. Derrick Rose Authentic Jersey Javon Borum added 14 points for UCR (2-2), while Kareem Nitoto tallied 11 points, to go along with six rebounds. Rodney Clinkscales connected on 6-of-13 attempts from behind the arc and finished with 19 points for SMU (1-3), while Jeremia Samarrippas tallied 15 points, to go along with seven assists. Wu Jiayuan is typical of Chinas older generation of home-grown private entrepreneurs. Having started from the bottom of the ladder at Hubei Dengfeng Heat Exchanger to eventually become chairman of its board, his international business career couldnt be more different than his childhood during the 1960s spent in rural Da Ye, in the central province of Hubei. Hardship back then was no stranger and had a profound effect on the senior executive. I am a simpler man than most, he says. I grew up in a rural area, and even from an early age, life was never easy. Today, I treasure every stage of development in my life. His business life certainly mirrors that of many entrepreneurs in China who have been ready and waiting for every move to open up the countrys economy to Western practices and partners. When waves of privatization and management buy-outs swept through China in the late 1990s, Wu, like many others, was caught up in the drive to modernize. 1998 was a turning point in my life, he says. I was head of the factory, but I hadnt gotten there by kissing the ass of local authorities. I was considering leaving Dengfeng that year after a friend offered me a job with his company in Shenzhen with an annual salary of 600,000 yuan ($88,000), 10% dividends, and a housing and car allowance. I almost left. But the then-secretary of the county CPC [Communist Party of China] inspired me to buy out Dengfeng and convinced me to stay. Eventually, I bought 60% of Dengfengs shares. Over the next 10 years, Dengfeng became the countrys largest heat exchanger company by market share, supplying a range of customers, from auto makers to textile companies to medical instrument suppliers. It also began entering into joint ventures (JVs) with foreign partners, including one in 2003 with cooling equipment maker Chevon International Corporation of Singapore and another with Unifin of Canada to supply products to power utilities in 2005. Today, the company, with annual revenue of around 500 million yuan ($73 million) has a workforce of 1,200 employees. In the midst of the financial crisis last year, a US multinational and Dengfeng began discussions about a new JV. The financial crisis was a big test for me, says Wu. It was also an opportunity to watch and learn. I wondered why - in the middle of a serious worldwide economic crisis - would a company from US be willing to invest in us. I realized that it was because we run an honest and disciplined operation. In an interview with China Knowledge@Wharton, Wu shares his thoughts about corporate governance, information management, the conflicts that arise between Chinese and Western businesses, and the key to entrepreneurial success in an emerging market economy. As he asserts, Companies and wealth ultimately belong to the society of which they are a part. The following are edited extracts of the interview. China Knowledge@Wharton: Some observers say Chinas private enterprises are struggling. What are your thoughts? Wu Jiayuan: There is some talk about Chinas economy growing to be the largest in the world in 20 years, but I dont think achieving this is the most important thing at the moment. What is really important now is establishing a healthy, stable economic system and social order. We often hear about asset price inflation. Why is this? Because many manufacturing companies are investing their money in the stock market or property market, which means the manufacturing parts of their businesses are struggling. China Knowledge@Wharton: What are the main factors contributing to the situation that many of Chinas private companies find themselves in today? Wu: My view is approximately 70% of the respoonsibility lies with the owners of the private companies and 30% with societal factors, such as the allocation of resources, inequality in social status, and inability to hire effective resources and talent in the face of competition from State-owned enterprises. LeBron James Authentic Jersey. One of the biggest challenges impeding the growth of private companies in China is finding top talent. There is a traditional mindset in China that good students become government officials, and this has played a role in shaping peoples career goals. You can see the impact of this mindset in the number of people registering for the civil servant examinations each year. But issues of talent aside, social elements also have a profound effect. Some private companies owe their success to hard work and dedication, but others have become overnight successes through sketchy shortcuts and bribing corrupt officials. Because Chinas market is not mature yet, an increasing number of people choose to succeed through bribery or other illegal means. China Knowledge@Wharton: What are some of the problems with the owners of private companies that youve just mentioned? Wu: China has a long history and a splendid culture, but the market economy is a completely imported concept. We know very little about how to develop a business and compete in a market economy. Furthermore, impatience is widespread in China, and if manifested in company management, it leads to a host of issues and potential crises [affecting] a companys growth and survival. China Knowledge@Wharton: How do you view corporate management in general? Wu: When my friends and I discuss management, we usually use three analogies to describe the different mindsets of owners of private companies. Some view the company as you would a wife - as totally private and no one else can touch. Some see the company as a son, to be nurtured for longevity. Finally, some see it as an asset similar to a pig, and look for ways to increase its value. I lean most toward the third view. The relationship between you and the company is not the most important consideration. In terms of the management of private companies, there are four main aspects. First is the design of a management structure, which is well regulated, [rigorously] designed and developed with a long-term horizon in mind. Second is finding ways to use the entrepreneurs skills in developing this structure. These two aspects will be very difficult to address for those who look at a company as a wife or son. They wont trust outsiders and will be unwilling to develop transparency in the company. A transparent management system is key to a successful company, and achieving this involves a systematic effort to organize employees and the management team. Third, you need to build relevant managerial processes, introduce standardization and have symmetrical information. Fourth is the application of management tools, such as an [ERP, or enterprise resource planning] software system - but the problem is only about 5% of Chinese companies that have adopted an ERP system use it for their day-to-day operations. For most Chinese entrepreneurs, balancing the relationship between management and power is the biggest challenge. The traditional Chinese mindset sees power as the most important thing to achieve. For thousands of years, China has had a culture of power. However, I dont see management as power. Management is a capability, a skill. You cant manage a company well just through gaining a lot of power. It has to be a combination of the four aspects I mentioned.    Previous Page 1 2 Next Page      Previous Page 1 2 Next Page   ' ' '