Global expansion: Too fast?

Another example is Sany Heavy Industry Co Ltd, the Hunan-based construction machinery manufacturing giant that bought German firm Putzmeister Holding GmbH last year. Sany basically adopted a "hands-off" approach after the acquisition and did not require it to deliver profits immediately.

"This is because of a clear realization that in the short-term Sany has nothing to offer to Putzmeister outside China. Very few corporate leaders have this realistic view of their capabilities," said Schutte, adding at the end the Sany leader still have to comprehend what in particular it can offer the German company.

Another question that Schutte has frequently been asked is: "Must Chinese companies go global?" After all, a considerable number of small Chinese firms prosper in the local market because they are better acquainted with it.

His view is that local companies can always be better off in the home market by learning foreign competitors' best practices. In an ever more globalized world, competition increasingly comes from outside and there are very few industries that are purely domestic now. Being extrovert risks falling behind.

"Who guarantees you that as a domestic firm you always know your customers better than foreign firms? This is an 'assumption'," Schutte said.

"For example, the cosmetics market is an area that is highly culturally sensitive. But look at China's cosmetics market: The top eight companies are foreign firms. Li-Ning Co Ltd, a domestic sportswear brand, also lags behind Nike Inc and Adidas AG. The reasons could be that the two foreign competitors have accumulated so much experience in other markets that they can handle any market. They've seen it all," he said.

Going truly international, he constantly repeated, is a painful experience that many Chinese companies have underestimated.

"It is so much more comfortable to be at home. If I live abroad, it can be uncomfortable. It's always learning, always surprising. If I stay in my village, it is wonderful, although not that interesting. But you have to move out of your comfort zone," he said.

So the basic information is that Chinese companies should be patient?

"Patience does not mean they should do nothing about it. One of the challenges is you have to in a sense forget China is the benchmark for what you are doing," Schutte said.

"If you are really ambitious, you should always set the benchmark to be the international norm. If you don't do that, going abroad will be always a shock."