The Miracle of China's Express Delivery

China's express delivery sector has seen a 1000-fold increase in scale over the past 20 years, reaching 500 million packages per day by the end of 2024, with the largest single express company handling over 100 million packages daily. Some attribute this growth to the development of China's e-commerce sector. However, the United States, where e-commerce was born, has never experienced any similar growth, making the underlying reasons very much worth studying.

This is a serious academic book that aims to provide a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of this miracle, set against the backdrop of China's unique culture. It employs modern theories of economics, organizational behavior, supply chain management, advanced technology application, and green development. The conclusion may be surprisingly simple: open organizations governed by rules and agreements develop much faster and more sustainably than closed organizations reliant on administrative power. Embracing decentralization, fostering self-organization, and tolerating the inherent chaos of innovation have enabled Chinese express delivery companies to surpass the so-called "Coase's ceiling," culminating in an extraordinary collective triumph.

This conclusion is echoed in the ancient wisdom of "YongJiu" within the Qian hexagram in the Book of Change, which is regarded as a “divine book”by Western scholars: "The spectacle of a multitude of dragons without a leader foretells good fortune." It underscores the idea that the achievement of significant potential is augmented through the collaborative efforts and autonomy of many, a principle that resonates across both Eastern and Western cultures.

This book can offer Western scholars valuable insights into the underlying factors contributing to China's remarkable progress over the past four decades, providing a compelling example of cultural wisdom applied to modern development.