China Unicom reform in full swing

Telecom firm streamlines organization to boost efficiency

Marketing professional Wu Xiaoen, 28, had never imagined that working with a State-owned enterprise such as China United Network Communications Group Co Ltd or China Unicom, the country's second-largest telecom carrier by subscribers, would entail a fast-paced, stressful job.

Her expectation was shaped by a long-standing perception that SOEs offer cushy jobs where staff are not stressed and had loads of spare time.