Center for Urban and Regional Analysis (CURA) Winter Seminar Series continues with special guest Oded Shenkar, Ford Motor Company Chair in Global Business Management, Ohio State Fisher College of Business and author of the book, Chinese Copycats: How Chinese Companies use Imitation to Gain a Strategic Edge, Friday, February 4, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m., room 1039 Derby Hall. Discussant: Professor Daniel C.K. Chow, Joseph S. Platt -Porter Wright Morris & Arthur Professor of Law, Moritz College of Law. Lunch will be served. RSVP required to Colin Kelsey, Kelsey.26@osu.edu
About the book, Chinese Copycats:
In the business world, imitation gets a bad rap. We see imitating firms as “me too” players, forced to copy because they have nothing original to offer. We pity their fate: a life of picking up crumbs discarded by innovators striding a path paved with fame and profit. Oded Shenkar challenges this viewpoint.
Shenkar reveals how imitation -- the exact or broad-brushed copying of an innovation -- is as critical to prosperity as innovation. Her shows how savvy imitators generate huge profits. They save not only on R&D costs but also on marketing and advertising investments made by first movers. And they avoid costly errors by observing and learning from others.