Annika Steiber is a senior fellow at the Berkeley Policy Institute.
The Dynamic Capabilities of Chinese Companies: Leadership In An Age Of Disruptive Innovation, Emerging AI, And Global Competition
Abstract
In the global tech and business competition, Chinese companies are no longer mere followers – in many arenas, they are innovating faster and leapfrogging Western rivals. This article compares how leading Chinese and U.S. firms are implementing AI-powered ecosystem business models and how these choices both enhance and reflect their strong dynamic capabilities and, in turn, enhance their competitiveness on the world stage. We focus on seven paired case examples –Alibaba–Amazon, DeepSeek–OpenAI, ByteDance–Meta, Baidu–Google, BYD–Tesla, and Huawei–Qualcomm – spanning industries from appliances to social media to electric vehicles. Each pair illustrates differences in leadership, vision, governance, business model design and evolution, and AI integration. By examining these high-profile cases, we aim to reveal how Chinese top management and supportive government policy is enabling Chinese companies to outpace global competition. We explore the lessons executives everywhere can draw from this shift. The article endeavors to be evidence-backed and highlights insights from the dynamic framework along with actionable takeaways for business leaders.
Read the full piece at here.