When Peter Drucker wrote Concept of the Corporation in 1946, he revealed what made the large American corporation tick. Similarly, The Art of Japanese Management by Richard Pascale in 1981 explained the unique practices developed by the Japanese to bring that country's economy out of the ashes. The emerging Chinese juggernauts--the Alibabas, Lenovos, and Haiers--need similar revelation since they are a different breed in their own right. Little is understood about them, how they work, and what makes them such potentially imposing competitors.
Now, based on unprecedented access to...