The way modern China's successful entrepreneurs go about their people networks sets them apart from their counterparts around the world and marks out their generation's characteristics。 We have split the relationships in 'The Emotional Make…up of China's Entrepreneurs' into four categories： relationships with the spouse； friends； close family and their country。 How have these relationships played upon our entrepreneurs' careers？ The private sector continues to play an ever…important role in Mainland China's economy。 It follows that； in order to make an assessment of thefuture of the economy； we need to understand the role of the private sector； in order to understand the role of the private sector； we need to understand its top entrepreneurs。 To understand the cause and effect of their relationships is to understand an entrepreneur's fundamental make…up。
Relationship with the family and spouse
Born mostly into poor families； the future top entrepreneurs of China were brought up much like other children。 During the course of our research； we found they were more influenced by their mother than their father。 Just as business has changed dramatically over the last quarter…century； so has the family。 Increased longevity； divorce； the geographic dispersion of family members； the weakening of parental authority and changing gender roles have greatly altered family relationships。
Many of our entrepreneurs married young； choosing partners from their hometowns； before being financially successful and the modern…day 'fortune heroes' of today's China。 What sort of spouse were they looking for and how does their spouse support them？ In at least a third of the cases； the spouse has bee actively involved in the setting up and running of the business。
Family businesses play an important part in China's economy and require the need for building upon a strong family relationship。 A third of our entrepreneurs have family…run businesses。 This percentage fits well with the US model； according to a recent article in Family Business Review； a US journal dedicated to family business； which reports that families own 37％ of the Fortune 500 panies and 60％ of all publicly held panies。
Spending time away from the family while building their businesses； coupled with the change in financial circumstances bined to put strain on their traditional family unit。 Moreover； with over a third of our entrepreneurs now no longer living in their hometown or home province （having moved their business headquarters to financial centers； such as Hong Kong； Shanghai or Beijing）； new personal opportunities have added to the family strain。 From our interviews； we have noted that the pressure of running their own business has often resulted in neglect of their families。 In several cases； such as Cao Dewang； entrepreneurs have even discussed divorce with their spouses； but for the most part have decided to stay together。
Friends
Time is our most valuable resource。 The entrepreneurs we interviewed rank their closest friends as the people they have spent most time with。 More often than not； these friends are childhood； business or army friends。 Trust is key。 Our results are skewed somewhat； because the average age of the entrepreneurs we interviewed is slightly above that of our China Rich List； resulting in many of these entrepreneurs ing from the generation； which had to do military service。 In the US； by contrast； many entrepreneurs meet their future partners at school or 's top entrepreneurs have split with their erstwhile partners； be they family or friends。 This is not unique to China； because as the business grows； so personalities or other factors bine to outgrow the original relationship。
During the course of my research； I have found that many entrepreneurs in China have striven to create a 'club' for their friends and business contacts； formalizing the 'intangible assets' they have generated over their careers。 For the people I have met； this has included golf clubs； football clubs； private clubs and restaurants。 Stock market investors tend to invest into the restaurant business。 A good way to hear new information and create a sense of belonging 。。。 belonging to the world they have created。
Four Relationsh…
'A friend indeed'
An English saying has it that 'a friend in need is a friend indeed。' Many of China's top entrepreneurs have had to face up to difficult times。 At just such a point； the entrepreneurs we interviewed found themselves most reliant on their closest relations： their immediate family and best friends。
'What makes Bill Gates tick？'。 According to veteran internet journalist Robert X。 Cringely； at the heart of it lies Gates' petitive nature； fostered by his grandmother； and played out in board games and family athletic contests。
Unlike almost all of China's top entrepreneurs today； Gates was born into a well…to…do family。 He had a strong relationship with his mother； a bank director； who prodded him with guidance。 His father was a successful lawyer。 He met Paul Allen； Microsoft's co…founder； at high school； and later went up to Harvard with him。 But it was only when Allen was diagnosed with a serious illness； leaving Gates in sole charge of Microsoft； that he honed his executive skills。
Relationship with the country
〃China is like a university student just about to graduate；〃 said Sun Guangxin； chairman of Guanghui Group in late 2001。 〃The student knows much of what needs to be done and is preparing to go out into the world。 The Olympics and WTO will have a stimulant effect on China's economy； driving people to bee more petitive。〃
In the US； shareholder value is generally accepted as the reason for running a business； but in China there is a strong feeling； amongst many of the entrepreneurs I have met； of wanting to improve the lot of the people around them and； thereby； earning their respect。
Book series
'The Emotional Make…up of China's Entrepreneurs' is the fifth book in our series on entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in China。 Our first book sets out； in a simple dictionary…style format； some of the basic facts relating to Mainland China's 100 wealthiest entrepreneurs； together with a description of the evolution of the China Rich List； as published for the last four years in Forbes Global magazine。 Our second book； 'Qualities for Wealth' sets out ten characteristics that make up a successful entrepreneur。 Our third book 'Key Moments in Wealth Creation' highlights the critical turning points for our entrepreneurs； who describe when these moments arose and the factors that influenced their decision…making。 Our fourth book 〃Fortune Genes' explores the values our entrepreneurs profess to have and the way they educate their children； with a view to providing a benchmark against which people canmeasure their own success。 The purpose of this book series is to go beyond the China Rich List and start to dig out trends and ideas that e out of it。
'The Emotional Make…up of China's Entrepreneurs' is a book that takes a unique look at the link between an entrepreneur's relationships and business success。 I hope to encourage people to explore further their key relationship networks to build successful personal lives and bus