Interview: China 'winning big' in tech sector, says industry expert

GENEVA -- The 2024 Future Readiness Indicator report by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) showed that China is still "winning big" in key industries, said Howard Yu, director of the IMD Center for Future Readiness.

On the future readiness of Chinese companies, Yu said that tech giants Tencent, Xiaomi, Alibaba Group and Baidu were powering ahead.

"Organizations that still win big in China do two things really right: One is going through very careful segmentation so that their attractiveness is still maintained," Yu said.

"Meanwhile, they're really diversifying risk, such as expanding their product lines as well as geographical expansion outside China. This combination strategy is the winning formula," he added.

The report is the second part of its annual ranking of the world's top companies, with a focus on the fashion, pharmaceutical and technology industries this time. The first part released in May this year ranked 88 of the world's largest finance, automotive and consumer-packaged goods companies.

To measure future readiness, IMD assessed the financial performance of organizations, investment in growth and innovation, leadership and organizational culture, operational efficiency, as well as the market position and competitive dynamics.

"The results reveal surprising shifts in what drives success. Market size is no longer enough, what is needed across all three sectors is cultural relevance," Yu noted.

"A company can no longer just chase after easy growth. These days, the expansion needs to be thoughtful, so that companies are prepared for the future," he said.