Interesting Book: "big In Asia: 25 Strategies For Business Success"

[canadiangirl]

I was pleasantly surprised by "Big in Asia: 25 Strategies for Business success": despite the cheesy title (the cover is equally cheesy, all red with the Chinese character for "big" on it), it's quite a good read. It's mostly aimed at Western firms trying to expand into Asia, but I can't help but think a lot of those "my wife stole my bar!" or "I want to open an internet shop in Pattaya!" people would benefit from checking it out.

(I'm no business expert, so for all I know none of this is true, but it sounded like there was some truth to it. I'd be curious to hear opinions from more experienced people)

Some interesting chapters:

The role of "business families" on Asian business, and how family priorities are often tied up with business priorities in Asia, confusing Western partners and investors.

The roles of overseas Chinese and Indians in South-East Asian business.

How to choose good business partners

Problems of expats working for Asian firms

Problems of expats working for Western firms in Asia

Apparently the partnership between British Tesco and Thai Lotus (it's actually called "something" Lotus, but I forget the name) has been one of the more successful forays into Asia. There's a bunch of cool stories on the success of Tesco Lotus and also Big C.

In particular, there's a fascinating chapter on overseas Chinese, how much trade amongst SEA countries follows their immigration paths and the traditional occupations of people from those areas (like the Chiu Chow and the Hokkien). There's a long discussion about why overseas Chinese are such a powerful force in business.

The book gives two reasons, which I found very interesting:

While they do business in their local countries, overseas Chinese often keep in touch with a big network of family, clan, others who share their regional dialect, which helps them operate across markets, and gives them access to information in places where information isn't easy to get.

As well, they have institutions which help them do business in places where the law is weak: notions of face amongst associates, doing business with people they know already, and things like chambers of commerce where people can air problems without having to go to court.

I think this book is well worth a read by people interested in business in Asia. (And no, I have no relationship to the authors. :-P

Edited October 3, 2007 by canadiangirl

[Irene]

Thank you for the recommendation. Your last two points indicated to me that the writer has the knowledge of the insides. Not many westerners know that how closely knitted interaction among the Chinese of a few surnames. Among themselves, they truly follow the concept of "my word is my bond" but to the outsiders. I will get the book.

[fletchsmile]

As you say, the title looks Cheesey. Looks like some interesting topics tho'.

[percy2]

Thank you for the recommendation. Your last two points indicated to me that the writer has the knowledge of the insides. Not many westerners know that how closely knitted interaction among the Chinese of a few surnames. Among themselves, they truly follow the concept of "my word is my bond" but to the outsiders. I will get the book.

How true.

In another lifetime my boss managed to enter a business relationship with a company I had given up on.

When I asked how he managed it he answered family ties. I couldn't quite work it out my boss was Thai and the head of the other company was from HK.

My boss then explained that his surname was Laotrakul and the others was Lao so they claimed similar ancestry.

Cheers