"In the future one day, for some reason, everyone would have retired. When the company is in good condition and normal operation, I will retire." Three years ago, has a 71 - year - old Hou Weigui in his favorite light blue shirt and a navy blue jacket on zte's general election, his thin but the spirit is still full, when he has been released to the outside world will retire.
Late January 7, zte a paper notice formally announced Hou Weigui as "zte helmsman" the end of an era, chairman of zte for 12 years, Hou Weigui said no longer stand for the new board, new candidate will be announced in March elections.
From 1985 in shenzhen an overgrown, since its establishment a bunk Hou Weigui lasted 30 years, fully experienced from behind to rise, China communication technology to catch up with the process. "Ever seen a photograph of hou startup, a dozen people live in a hut, cook a surrounds the poon choi dinner, as China's reform and opening-up of the first generation of entrepreneurs and businessmen, Hou Weigui is for made great contribution to China's communications industry." Xiang communications experts on the "first financial daily" said.
For the future, Hou Weigui said, is not one of them is no longer involved in, also do not need to participate in, "I will be 75 this year, the life always has different phase."
"But in fact, not retired to the moment, the chairman is not idle down, last month, he went to overseas, the company's overseas stagnation point away." Zte insiders tetra (a pseudonym) told reporters.
The gap between zte and huawei are so open
Hou Weigui
Not the same as a generation
In 1981, during the early reform and opening up, as a space of 691 factory technical section chief, technical experts Hou Weigui was assigned to the United States is responsible for the technology and equipment introduced. 43 Hou Weigui came to shenzhen in 1985, founded the shenzhen zte semiconductor company, by the space of 691 factory and yun xing Hong Kong electronic enterprises and another three joint investment in state-owned enterprises, this is zte's predecessor.
Founded at the beginning of zte, and most Chinese companies, the "three to fill a" business. In the late 80 s and early 90 s, started in the hottest Chinese communications industry. Hou Weigui also found in experimenting communications equipment business.
In 1986, Hou Weigui used to trade the money set up r&d team, specializing in field of switches, 1989 developed China's first with independent intellectual property rights of digital program-controlled switches, zte transformation for communications equipment manufacturers. In 1992, zte contract sales have topped 100 million yuan.
Some people say that China telecommunication equipment market is a real international market from the beginning. "Seven of eight" of the 80 s, China's communications market monopoly by foreign giants, with "great China" - the dragon, datang, zte, huawei, represented by Chinese companies, compete with foreign giants while learning, finally rushes out a heaven and earth. In the process, if there is no Hou Weigui as keen sense of smell of technical experts and r&d perseverance, when weak zte is difficult to fight for the foothold.
In the first 10 years of development, make zte foothold in the market, also on the property right pattern innovation. In 1993, Hou Weigui zte promoted the property right reform for the first time, and more than 30 natural formed a private company zte to pass dimension; With 691 factory, shenzhen guangyu industrial joint venture set up new zte communications, two state-owned companies holding 51%, d to account for 49% of the shares, and the latter management responsibility, Hou Weigui served as general manager.
The move created a domestic "state-controlled, authorization management" mode of mixed economy, also laid the foundation zte's future development.
Hou Weigui, in fact, born in 1941, and lenovo liu chuanzhi, changhong NiRunFeng, huawei ren zhengfei, universal Mr Lu these famous both belong to the generation of entrepreneurs, the difference is that in the first generation of entrepreneurs, Hou Weigui almost is the lowest, few interviews and internal speech.
"It's a matter of hou general background, he did the teacher, have a simple and practical of the reader." Tetra pak said.
Hou Weigui has said he is a man not good at expression in public, "I'm a bit introverted, this is not necessarily an advantage, for management of enterprise, also is not necessarily the best, but management enterprise each have each way, finally see the end."
"He doesn't like ren, ren zhengfei, is a little 'wine meat across the gut feeling, Hou Weigui something like" tao ", most of the time he's a vegetarian, in practice." A former in zte years old staff wang (a pseudonym) said Hou Weigui.
"For the first time I talk to hou total contact is in early 1992, he was wearing a pair of black glasses and have a kindly for the elderly, is not the same as the majesty of ren zhengfei, the sort of commanding feeling. Hou sum is a kind of consulting type communication between employees: you take a look at this? What are your thoughts? Can be discussed. He is very generous, not haggle over every ounce, also won't yell at ignition." Another in zte and huawei are serving people told reporters.
"Scholar" and "soldiers"
"An excellent enterprise overall performance, is being able to maintain the balance between the profit ability and speed of development. Zte distance outstanding enterprises and some distance, but we will work in this direction. Hope to investors and the public enterprise performance every month on the rise, but they are still more to see short-term interests, as the company's decision makers and managers, not only in the current profits and ignore the long-term development." Among the various Hou Weigui decision statement, balance is a very high frequency words mentioned.
In Hou Weigui point of view, if the leader only consider about five years later, to compensate for five years now, this is definitely not, business so, investors must take foot vote. From input to output, three years you can accept, if more than five years, it is often difficult to enterprises. This kind of thing to do is much, enterprise can't live, can grasp the company's long-term strategic development and current operation of the balance, is a good operator.
"Hou overall style more pragmatic, robust, not like ren 'bet' because if lost the bet, may be the result just like datang, datang wager TD, there would be no bet to win." Wang said.
In fact, is not only the internal staff, peers, suppliers and partners will often bring zte and huawei, after all, the founder of the two companies have much in common: age, both in the 80 s chose entrepreneurship, chose to telecommunications, business highly coincidence.
But look from the management style, Hou Weigui and ren zhengfei, but each has a distinctive features.
Hou Weigui is a top student at school, to teach for two years after graduation, then enter the 691 factory, from skilled workers to the workshop director, to the technology section chief, always is an expert in the highest technical level in the factory, and for more than 20 years. He belongs to the typical types of intellectuals, robust, there are few excesses. Ren, in contrast, although born in intellectual family, but a former soldier, military career has laid a deep imprint on him, so he is also the strong military temperament implanted into huawei, such as the absolute obedience, execution, and high work intensity, the Wolf spirit and so on, and willingness to take risks in the operation, do not follow the conventional.
"Ren military man, for the past era of faith, worship, made to the style of the big fight. Such as huawei, have the right to dividends without the right to vote, in shenzhen to do this is possible, but nationwide, there's no second home. So he made a lot of innovation, for what is not to win, willing to bet on character on ren." Wang said to the first financial daily, and as a engineer Hou Weigui is more emphasis on communication, tolerance, emphasis on experience.
Before zte, senior vice President of Mr. He is described Hou Weigui and ren he knew: "when I first contact hou overall in 1992, we'll feel he is like the factory director of state-owned enterprises, the feeling of an old engineer, friendly to people and, more emphasis on human side. While dominant huawei ren zhengfei, military completely according to the way managers and reward is clear."
At wang's view, Hou Weigui this style of formal establishment may be in the zte after "PHS event".
"Zte in 2002 and 2002, when there is a transition, zte do PHS was particularly successful, exceeded the utstarcom, PHS to save the company and since then the zte didn't start the phone." In wang's view, the zte's handset business let huawei said envy, but also is during that time, the gap between zte and huawei is pulled open slowly.
"The earliest time, the gap between the two basic no, a 10 billion, 8 billion, a basic upon a level, but since 2004, the gap between zte and huawei is more and more big, the beginning is 1.5 times of zte, huawei 2 times, 2.5 times, up to now almost three times as much." Wang believes that the fundamental reason may be that hou always as managers pay more attention to management of cash flow.
Zte, huawei gap opening is starting do PHS, zte tasted the quick money. Another reason is that the choice of 3 g technology route, WCDMA and CDMA, zte has chosen the CDMA, but advanced technology of CDMA cost is high, but markets have underperformed the choice of huawei WCDMA.
"Huawei is focusing on solid online in early times, because at that time, the ability to phone haven't done, everyone still do cable, routing and switching. 2004 years later, huawei is becoming more emphasis on r&d investment; zte more pragmatic, attaches great importance to the cash flow, technical route, zte has chosen the CDMA, huawei chose the WCDMA, but CDMA was later qualcomm also give up off, licensing costs are high, so can't for large-scale popularization, WCDMA patent scattered, facilitate everybody form a cross patent, costs will come down soon, huawei seized the opportunity."
But wang agreed that technology is a kind of weapon, investigate its fundamental is the result of corporate strategy. "Is a radical, is a solid model, two company founder's character determines their look for what kind of person, what kind of r&d staff. Zte, a former President of the nanjing post and telecommunications college teachers, with the bookish, so he would think that CDMA is good, but better technology but not necessarily will be successful in business. The simplest example is MOTOROLA according to plan, plans to launch its 28 satellite, is no longer a cloth net, the idea is good, but dragged down by cost."
For that matter, xiang told our reporter, he once also chat with Hou Weigui, "I said why you see some things than huawei but was later than, Hou Weigui said I not than huawei, I was tracking a lot of things, a see this opportunity is very big, I will, see little chance, gradually gave up."
From the answer of hou, xiang said you can see its different: with ren ren zhengfei, is a military man, force out of a hole, this is the style of a soldier. Hou Weigui is more moderate, is relatively balanced. "So working in zte, less pressure relative to huawei." Xiang said.
Wang said the two style has its own obvious characteristics: zte composed, enterprising; Huawei take. But the stability of the style while get zte have become overcautious throughout the enterprise, may not have much momentum, but also help the company through many difficulties. "A lot of the same industry company since 2009 has disappeared, and zte, huawei stand a foot in the world, is not easy, that employees feel special."
Adhere to the reform and
Privately, Hou Weigui also adhering to the "old factory" in state-owned enterprises of low-key, simple style, even a bit too traditional.
While at the mall, but privately Hou Weigui several habits are a firm of: read on the plane, flying economy class and love sports.
"Hou always go abroad is basically flying economy class, not to say that the company can't afford the money, after all, only tens of thousands of dollars, but he will keep on flying economy class; and to visit abroad must be inspected are tough place, and the staff dinner; use office computers to upload issued is a paper report. Can on the one hand is to give an example for their subordinates, on the one hand, is the person who s habits." Wang said to our reporter.
Tetra also revealed, the secretary of the hou not exclusive, he nearby of the executive secretary or when security guards before, now it was a bit of bodyguards.
"Once I listen to xiao-feng gao is telling his grandfather, a meal also steamed bread slices of the bowl to wipe again, clean, water a blunt to go, it's not like in the home at ordinary times, how much you have to save a little face outside. But Hou Weigui is a bit in this way, when I travel, I often let a person with a rice cooker, with some rice, porridge in the hotel, he's not one hundred percent vegetarian, but I know he rarely eat meat." Wang told reporters.
"Hou Weigui is the older generation of entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs, and now is not the same as the young entrepreneurs, many entrepreneurs are now more than 20 years old, graduated from the university, to investment business. Hou Weigui is working in state-owned enterprises for 20 years, first as a leader, in his 40 s and out to start a business in shenzhen. What do you do when he was just starting a business, I don't know, but they've seen a picture of two people live in a hut, boil the surrounds the poon choi dinner. He do electronic, electric fans, in the process of continuously grope for trying to find an opportunity to do communications equipment." Xiang said, as the older generation of entrepreneurs, Hou Weigui is very successful, cannot say he is not successful, and huawei have difference is for made great contribution to China's communications industry, 100 billion is also a cow.
Industry said someone evaluation Hou Weigui and the style of ren, Hou Weigui is a typical Oriental entrepreneur, he is just a kind of western companies experience of Oriental entrepreneurs; Ren is more close to the characteristics of western entrepreneurs, he is just a environment have a profound understanding of western entrepreneurs in China. Hou Weigui language ability and speaking ability and his character, modest, steady, despite the lack of ren zhengfei, paranoid, sharp, turneth the edge of the speculation, but with the commonplace and profound philosophic theory, influence the climate of zte.
In fact, the communication industry in recent years great changes happening, operator network infrastructure to start sharing between each other, operators in America and Europe continuous polymerization, traditional enterprises and their business models are challenged by new forces and subversion, at the same time they may also be updated quickly, more dynamic model with the product.
Always Hou Weigui "stability", at this time have to re-examine themselves over the years insist on "healthy, balanced" style, consider to change system. Inside his speech he said, in this case, if to telecommunications industry may be able to win a place, but if you stick to the traditional telecom thinking, so, the future may lose.
"Which is also the company realized the real problem." Tetra pak said.
After 2013 years of losses, Hou Weigui on zte's strategy, organization and personnel conducted a major adjustment. Zte internal highest decision-making body ece announced the formation of terminal division, independent operation, and to raise its enterprise network level 2 business unit for the company, to "young turks" Ceng Xuezhong entrusts with an important task at the same time, after the 70 Ceng Xuezhong zte terminal become head of the business, you know, the terminal was counting in the zte business accounted for more than 50%.
This means that zte 2 c market reform is placed in a closer to consumers, with the Internet thinking of young people, does not see more on this in the history of zte. Perhaps, this also is Hou Weigui before leaving office, to adhere to the style of more than 30 years "prudent" zte modified buried under an important stage.
