Pieter-Paul Walraven

My Master Thesis is on the international ambitions and strategy of some of the most prominent Chinese Web companies such as Tencent, Tudou, Hipihi, NOVOking, Alibaba, Sina, Baidu, Sohu, Giant Interactive Group, Perfect World, Youku, 51.com, PPLive, Shanda, Douban, Hoodong, and Netease.

Questions that I am addressing are: what do their global ambitions look like, how do companies see the near and far future, how are they trying to fulfill their international ambitions, and what does their strategy look like, how will they differentiate themselves from international competitors? Theories on the development of Chinese cultural and creative industries - from made to created in China - will play an important role in my research. Other elements that will be taken into account are: intellectual property rights, the pro-active government and international political influences such as the WTO.

I have traveled through China for five weeks and visited numerous companies in Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing. I have also met and spoken to numerous experts on the subject. Furthermore I have spoken to VC’s, several foreign research companies, and bloggers that focuss on Web 2.0 and innovation in China.