When Culture Needs To Be Challenged

[george]

When culture needs to be challenged

While understanding and adapting to Thai culture is important, it is even more important for expatriate managers to know when and how to go against the grain to achieve results, writes Larry Chao.

Expatriate executives arriving in Thailand face a dilemma. Just how much do you need to blend into Thai culture to manage effectively? On the one hand, a certain degree of assimilation is required to facilitate change and achieve results. On the other, too much assimilation and you fit in and become part of the status quo.

Take, for example, Don Watson (a pseudonym), a 42–year-old US executive sent to Thailand by his multinational employer to lead its local subsidiary. As part of his orientation, Watson received a two-day immersion course on how to work within Thai culture. He learned about all the “dos and don’ts” and the importance of harmony, hierarchy and relationships.

This training served Watson well. He promoted good will and avoided conflict wherever possible. His popularity grew, and his “direct reports” were eager to work with him. Yet despite his good relationships, Watson had difficulty cajoling his staff to execute and deliver on promises. He was inconsistent meeting budget for six consecutive quarters, citing the laid-back Thai culture as his primary excuse. But by the middle of the following year, his company terminated his contract unexpectedly, and he was sent packing.

“Expatriate executives often complain that traditional Western management practices like challenging the boss or giving constructive feedback do not work in Thailand,” says Busba Virochpoka, customer-management director for True Corporation. “What they fail to realise is that they can be accomplished but not in the same way as in the West.”

Understanding local culture is essential for creating effective communication and interpersonal relationships. It allows expatriates to achieve results within acceptable norms.

Adds Busba: “Expatriate managers, for example, are used to giving subordinates direct feedback on performance, but here a more subtle method is required so that the Thai subordinate understands the message but does not lose face.”

But what if staff do not respond? Do you acquiesce and patiently wait for results? As in the case of Don Watson, most multinationals do not tolerate slow-burn performance. Success is measured quarter by quarter. There are no exceptions for poor local economic situations or cultural constraints.

“Adapting Thai management style does not always work,” admits Busba. “Sometimes you’ve got to ruffle a few feathers to achieve results. You’ve got to create the right amount of discomfort to effect change without wreaking havoc.”

Whatever the style, a universal set of values should govern how executives work with other people, chief among them being respect and dignity. Practising these values enables even gritty management approaches, such as challenging the boss, managing poor performance and even implementing painful lay-offs, to be implemented successfully.

A case in point is Carlos Ghosn, who rescued Nissan Motors in Japan from the brink of bankruptcy six years ago. Today Nissan enjoys a 10-per-cent operating profit margin and a line-up of popular new cars, including Altima and the Zcar series.

Granted, Nissan was in dire straits at the time Ghosn took over in 1999. While the entrenched Japanese management was open to change, achieving it was not easy. Along the way, Ghosn challenged the ingrained Japanese work culture.

For example, Ghosn replaced tedious, consensus-based decision-making with fact-based performance indicators that prescribed what needed to be done. He defied the chain of command and opened up two-way communication throughout the organisation. He mixed management layers and functions in group problem-solving. Rather than letting personal relationships dictate performance, he demanded individual accountability.

In the process, Ghosn rubbed many people the wrong way. He was also forced to make personnel changes to long-time favourites. But without his making these tough decisions, Nissan would not have had enough traction for change.

Such a clash with culture often spells disaster. But through it all, Ghosn was fair and treated people with respect. As a result, he side-stepped cultural backlash and revitalised the beleaguered automobile company. By the time he was through, he had set the company on a new course and instilled in it a new passion for performance and intolerance for mediocrity. The lustre associated with the Nissan brand name had been restored.

Expatriate managers here in Thailand can learn a lot from Ghosn’s experience. While it is important to understand the local culture, it is equally important not to assimilate into it at the expense of producing results. “You cannot tolerate mediocrity,” says Busba. “You cannot replace achieving results with being popular.”

Larry Chao is managing director of Chao Group Limited, an organisa-tional-change and training consultancy based in Bangkok and New York

--chaogroup.com 2005-09-19

[Mr. Farang]

A case in point is Carlos Ghosn, who rescued Nissan Motors in Japan from the brink of bankruptcy six years ago. Today Nissan enjoys a 10-per-cent operating profit margin and a line-up of popular new cars, including Altima and the Zcar series.

/snip

Expatriate managers here in Thailand can learn a lot from Ghosn’s experience. While it is important to understand the local culture, it is equally important not to assimilate into it at the expense of producing results. “You cannot tolerate mediocrity,” says Busba. “You cannot replace achieving results with being popular.”

--chaogroup.com 2005-09-19

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmmmmm.

Thailand and Japan are so different in just about every way imaginable, I can't see how applying corporate management lessons learned from Japan to Thailand have much relevance. Thailand, Thai People and Thai Culture are very different than Japan, Japanese People and Japanese culture.

The article seems to be more of one of those indirect press releases for the benefit of True Corporation.

Expatriate executives often complain that traditional Western management practices like challenging the boss or giving constructive feedback do not work in Thailand,” says Busba Virochpoka, customer-management director for True Corporation. “What they fail to realise is that they can be accomplished but not in the same way as in the West.”

This is more of an advertisement for True Corporation, than an article, based on the context of the message (my opinion).

[cdnvic]

This is more of an advertisement for True Corporation, than an article, based on the context of the message (my opinion).

You got this from one reference? If it's an advertisment, then it's very effective. I've found Thai staff to be very hard workers, but you don't want them in quality control, or handling safety issues... many are just not up front enough to say when something's wrong.

cv

[Mr. Farang]

You got this from one reference? If it's an advertisment, then it's very effective.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Only because my company uses a similar technique, writing articles and publishing them in strategic on-line and print media...... and in the past we have hired a PR firm to help us with "soft advertising" whereas they (the PR folks) network with journalists and match jounalist's interests with the business of their paying clients - this is a bit expensive, but can be quite effective.

Management and other consulting firms (subject matter experts) use this form of "soft advertising" extensively. The goal, naturally, is to be perceived as a subject matter expert in a timely and informative article, and hopefully receive a few business opportunties from the article.

[taxexile]

Management and other consulting firms (subject matter experts) use this form of "soft advertising" extensively. The goal, naturally, is to be perceived as a subject matter expert in a timely and informative article, and hopefully receive a few business opportunties from the article.

sounds like subliminal deception to me.

does business learn from governments or is it the other way round.

[Mr. Farang]

Management and other consulting firms (subject matter experts) use this form of "soft advertising" extensively. The goal, naturally, is to be perceived as a subject matter expert in a timely and informative article, and hopefully receive a few business opportunties from the article.

sounds like subliminal deception to me.

does business learn from governments or is it the other way round.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All advertising is created to influence and change perception, right? Soft advertising is actually more effective, for many businesses. Most professional service companies, depending on their advertising budget, use both soft (or indirect) and direct marketing - soft marketing; includes published papers, public speaking, newsprint articles, on-line articles - all to generate name recognition in their subject area.

Governments also do it. People do it.

Kindly recall, in the human world of "ideas" and "mental objects", perception is reality. If an organization or individual can create the perception that they are "experts" then many will believe they are "experts"..... if someone writes a paper on a topic, then that person becomes (more often than not) ... "an expert".

Some keywords: Information management. Perception management. Information operations. Information warfare. Cognitive Space. Knowledge management.

Best wishes, na krap.

[taxexile]

Kindly recall, in the human world of "ideas" and "mental objects", perception is reality. If an organization or individual can create the perception that they are "experts" then many will believe they are "experts"..... if someone writes a paper on a topic, then that person becomes (more often than not) ... "an expert".

still sounds like subliminal deception to me. !

the advertiser is seeking to distort reality so as to make the readers perception somewhat different to the actuality. i.e. the reader is decieved into believing a distorted view.

when soft advertising is used in the guise of an independently written article , then the reader is being subliminally deceived.

basically its immoral.

[Mr. Farang]

Kindly recall, in the human world of "ideas" and "mental objects", perception is reality. If an organization or individual can create the perception that they are "experts" then many will believe they are "experts"..... if someone writes a paper on a topic, then that person becomes (more often than not) ... "an expert".

still sounds like subliminal deception to me. !

the advertiser is seeking to distort reality so as to make the readers perception somewhat different to the actuality. i.e. the reader is decieved into believing a distorted view.

when soft advertising is used in the guise of an independently written article , then the reader is being subliminally deceived.

basically its immoral.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dear Taxexile,

Perception is reality. Immoral or not. - "the world" is what is it. Humanity has come a long way from walking on all four legs and living naked under trees... Come to think of it, I hear life was pretty "immoral" back then.... rape, hatred, tribal warfare, etc..... so maybe we have not really changed so much, as a society of humans.

By your view, as I understand it in your two posts, .... Money is immoral. Commerce is immoral. Advertising is immoral. Putting on beautiful clothes to attract the opposite sex is immoral. Perfume is immoral......... Speaking softly today only to be angry tommorrow is immoral, as these are all forms of "sensory deception" - influencing perception, changing how others "sense" and "interact" with the world.

All these things, these forms and objects, created by humans create "the way the world is"........ The kamma-matrix we refer to as "society" and "life" on the planet is everywhere. Recall the movie "The Matrix".... where the theme was that life, as we know is, is a computer generated program. The fact is that life, as humans perceive it, is a "human-society generated program"..... for the most part. Money and work...created by humans. Houses... created by humans. Clothing.... War. News. Important. Not-important. Moral. Immortal. Right. Wrong. Rules. Tradition. Ritual. All created by humans over thousands of years - to influence other humans. This is what appears as "reality" .... what was and is constructed.

It follows that humans act to influence, manage, and change the "sensory response" of other humans, to achieve a desired outcome. This is kamma.

Very best wishes, na krap.

Yours sincerely, Mr. Farang.

Edited September 19, 2005 by Mr. Farang

[taxexile]

It follows that humans act to influence, manage, and change the "sensory response" of other humans, to achieve a desired outcome. This is kamma.

so making exaggerated claims for the abilities of "sudso soap powder" in placed articles designed to look scientific and academic in order to improve sales to already bewildered consumers is now called kamma is it.

in that case the world has gone truly mad.!!

By your view, as I understand it in your two posts, .... Money is immoral. Commerce is immoral. Advertising is immoral. Putting on beautiful clothes to attract the opposite sex is immoral. Perfume is immoral......... Speaking softly today only to be angry tommorrow is immoral, as these are all forms of "sensory deception" - influencing perception, changing how others "sense" and "interact" with the world.

money , commerce , attracting the opposite sex , speaking softly and loudly etc. is not immoral.

truthful advertising is not immoral.

making exaggerated or false claims , and clothing those claims in the cloak of respectability (academia , articles in respected publications ) , in order to increase sales is immoral.

[Mr. Farang]

Dear Taxexile,

Take care of yourself and have a nice day.

Yours sincerely, Mr. Farang

[chownah]

It follows that humans act to influence, manage, and change the "sensory response" of other humans, to achieve a desired outcome. This is kamma.

so making exaggerated claims for the abilities of "sudso soap powder" in placed articles designed to look scientific and academic in order to improve sales to already bewildered consumers is now called kamma is it.

in that case the world has gone truly mad.!!

By your view, as I understand it in your two posts, .... Money is immoral. Commerce is immoral. Advertising is immoral. Putting on beautiful clothes to attract the opposite sex is immoral. Perfume is immoral......... Speaking softly today only to be angry tommorrow is immoral, as these are all forms of "sensory deception" - influencing perception, changing how others "sense" and "interact" with the world.

money , commerce , attracting the opposite sex , speaking softly and loudly etc. is not immoral.

truthful advertising is not immoral.

making exaggerated or false claims , and clothing those claims in the cloak of respectability (academia , articles in respected publications ) , in order to increase sales is immoral.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm interested in learning how you define the words "moral" and "immoral".

[taxexile]

Dear Taxexile,

Take care of yourself and have a nice day.

Yours sincerely, Mr. Farang

thank you mr. farang , i'll do my best.

[taxexile]

chownah ,

i go by the dictionary definition.

moral.

1.  involving right and wrong: relating to issues of right and wrong and to how individuals should behave

2.  derived from personal conscience: based on what somebody’s conscience suggests is right or wrong, rather than on what the law says should be done

3.  in terms of natural justice: regarded in terms of what is known to be right or just, as opposed to what is officially or outwardly declared to be right or just

a moral victory.

4.  encouraging goodness and respectability: giving guidance on how to behave decently and honorably 

5.  good by accepted standards: good or right, when judged by the standards of the average person or society at large

[~G~]

Expatriate executives often complain that traditional Western management practices like challenging the boss or giving constructive feedback do not work in Thailand,” says Busba Virochpoka, customer-management director for True Corporation. “What they fail to realise is that they can be accomplished but not in the same way as in the West.”

This is more of an advertisement for True Corporation, than an article, based on the context of the message (my opinion).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"True corporation"

and

"Accomplish tasks on time"

do not go hand in hand in my book...

...with all due respect to their marketing abilities. This is certainly not the only case where there is a huge gap between the performance of the marketing department and the production/service departments.

But, I afraid, all responses here (including mine ) are I do believe the topic is interesting on its own merits, effective managment in Thailand is non-trivial.

Edited September 20, 2005 by ~G~

[steveromagnino]

Actually, much as I don't like it, "below the line advertising" or PR is one of several ways to get a company message across. We use it extensively to promote what we are doing...sometimes in a good way, sometimes less so.

Bear in mind that let's say I have a great product; but my competitor is 10 times larger with a terrible product and a massive ad budget. If I can explain to the press how my product is better, objectively and fairly, then maybe I can get news that his dodgy piece of junk cannot (which is why he needs to advertise).

Is that OK? After all, in the case of say selling environmentally friendly products, most of the press know nothing, so if I can educate them a bit then aren't I doing them a favour?

Seems fair enough....

However, not long from there, it is easy enough to stretch that to being a dodgy junk seller, acheive "expert status" within a field and then be feeding any old tripe to the journos, most of whom do not have enough specialist knowledge in anything to detect a lot of cobblers anyway.

The heirachy in PR goes something like this

1. People know who you are

2. People know what you are doing and who you are

3. People look to your organisation as some sort of expert in that industry

Examples are maybe McKinsey as an indsutry expert in business; perhaps some of the IBs and brokerage houses in financial markets; that sort of thing. But hold up; surely McKinsey actually ARE supposed to know something about this sort of stuff? Sure, they do, but they also spend a fair bit of time making sure that it is their name attached as experts and not BCG or heaven forbid Accenture - their name and reputation is all they have - they don't advertise that I am aware of, so PR is a worthwhile way to go.

But then you look at say Enron and realise what a bunch of hacks they can be anyway

IMHO journalists should be good enough at their job to figure out who knows something and who doesn't. In my own case, several journalists like to ask me for comments about the indsutry I work in, simply because in their opinion I provide worthy sound bites (quotes); I speak succinctly; I know the industry I work in and the competitors in the same industry...well some of them are verbose morons and a couple are really good and used all the time so they need another viewpoint. They are asking me, so should I not comment simply because I work in the same industry?

Getting back to the original topic; I cannot see why you cannot take the best of two concepts and combine them to get something better. In the case of western management practises; some aspects work (challenging, questioning, discussion) but these tend to work best using Thai (when Thai people who are ESL don't have to worry about grammar and stuff) and when the expat knows something of Thai customs and the staff knows he/she knows (so they don't expect to get randomly yelled at as can be the case with some westerners).

Examples of kick ass farangs here....well Bill at Minor seems pretty good; many of the hotels seem to run ok - but I'd say the majority I meet seem to only do well if they actually know something of Thai language and Thai culture; otherwise they end up as a front person incapable of doing much else let alone bonding with the staff.

But then again, I am an "expert" or at least I am telling all of you I am with my subliminal Intellectual collective knowledge of SICK for short.

[Mr. Farang]

Actually, much as I don't like it, "below the line advertising" or PR is one of several ways to get a company message across.  We use it extensively to promote what we are doing...sometimes in a good way, sometimes less so.

Over the years, I have found that "below the line advertising" is very important (effective) for businesses and ranks just below "word of mouth" (referrals) which is top shelf in my book.

The heirachy in PR goes something like this

1.  People know who you are

2.  People know what you are doing and who you are

3.  People look to your organisation as some sort of expert in that industry

Examples are maybe McKinsey as an indsutry expert in business; perhaps some of the IBs and brokerage houses in financial markets; that sort of thing.  But hold up; surely McKinsey actually ARE supposed to know something about this sort of stuff?  Sure, they do, but they also spend a fair bit of time making sure that it is their name attached as experts and not BCG or heaven forbid Accenture - their name and reputation is all they have - they don't advertise that I am aware of, so PR is a worthwhile way to go.

Articles by "experts" (that help promote the image of a company or person) are so common place. Image creation. Perception management. All standard tools in the information management tool box.

IMHO journalists should be good enough at their job to figure out who knows something and who doesn't.  In my own case, several journalists like to ask me for comments about the indsutry I work in, simply because in their opinion I provide worthy sound bites (quotes); I speak succinctly; I know the industry I work in and the competitors in the same industry...well some of them are verbose morons and a couple are really good and used all the time so they need another viewpoint.  They are asking me, so should I not comment simply because I work in the same industry?

I have been interviewed by the media extensively in the past. Mostly, contacted by media people seek "experts" to say "what they want to hear" to accomplish an outcome or create a message they, the journalist wants to give. Naturally, there are bonds that form between journalists, "experts", PR firms and the like. At all levels, business is about the socialization of ideas. Another potential path to travel ...

Getting back to the original topic; I cannot see why you cannot take the best of two concepts and combine them to get something better.  In the case of western management practises; some aspects work (challenging, questioning, discussion) but these tend to work best using Thai (when Thai people who are ESL don't have to worry about grammar and stuff) and when the expat knows something of Thai customs and the staff knows he/she knows (so they don't expect to get randomly yelled at as can be the case with some westerners). 

Examples of kick ass farangs here....well Bill at Minor seems pretty good; many of the hotels seem to run ok - but I'd say the majority I meet seem to only do well if they actually know something of Thai language and Thai culture; otherwise they end up as a front person incapable of doing much else let alone bonding with the staff.

Absolutely. I could not agree more. I would like to add that "superficial "window dressing knowledge of culture" can be just as problematic. or more so, as no knowledge, as the old adage goes "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

But then again, I am an "expert" or at least I am telling all of you I am with my subliminal Intellectual collective knowledge of SICK for short.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Laughing out loud, each one of these posts in the forum are "subliminal messages" to corrupt and influence the minds of readers with our "expert opinions"......... Do you think that maybe something like "anti-subliminal intellect glasses" would help?

Edited September 20, 2005 by Mr. Farang

[taxexile]

Laughing out loud, each one of these posts in the forum are "subliminal messages" to corrupt and influence the minds of readers with our "expert opinions"......... Do you think that maybe something like "anti-subliminal intellect glasses" would help?

not one bit !!

[steveromagnino]

>>

Laughing out loud, each one of these posts in the forum are "subliminal messages" to corrupt and influence the minds of readers with our "expert opinions"......... Do you think that maybe something like "anti-subliminal intellect glasses" would help?

ASIG for short?!

That is not a catchy acronym!!! LOL

There is some book out there about building political alliances; the writer talks a lot about creating a language; if we look at say Bush in USA or Blair in UK; they spend a lot of time creating language and concepts that their believers can use - e.g. asymetric warfare, home invasion (ok, not sure who came up with the second one), that sort of thing.

It forms cohesion for groups later on; take a look inside companies like McK, or unis like Yale and the amount of "in talk" gets just massive - and it builds and us and them mentality - cohesion is one of the key parts of creating groups - and common culture through language is a way to do it.

Quite interesting really; if you ever have the chance to meet someone selling AMWAY or a scientologist; man they have even more language skills of their own than any other group!

[Mr. Farang]

>>

Laughing out loud, each one of these posts in the forum are "subliminal messages" to corrupt and influence the minds of readers with our "expert opinions"......... Do you think that maybe something like "anti-subliminal intellect glasses" would help?

ASIG for short?!

That is not a catchy acronym!!! LOL

There is some book out there about building political alliances; the writer talks a lot about creating a language,,,,,,,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is also the science of memetic, or "viral memes", credit appropriately given to Richard Dawkins in his book, "The Selfish Gene" where Khun Dawkins briefly discusses the science of cultural information exchange, breaking culture-information down into "memes", "catchy ideas" that "infect the mind"... so to speak. - An entire science was causal to this knowlege domain.

Oddly enough, I (personally) see information-exchange, viral memes, memetics, kamma, information management, information operations, all as different aspects of the "elephant" I often refer to as the kamma-matrix. The sum-total of all information cause-and-effect conditioned by humans creating the "reality" we mistaking believe is "life" when, in-fact, it is all a constructed reality - constructed by humans, for humans to effect human causes.

Well, I'm really flying... (ground control, can you hear me.... )

I often postulate, internally, that someday humans may "evolve" to an information-state where the constraints of a physical body do not subvert immortality, as the information-context of the brain can exist outside the carbon-based body that "houses" the information in the mind.

This brings me back to my earlier observation that reality, or what humans perceive as "reality" is simply a construction of a kamma-matrix of human conditioning, as perception is reality - and there is little more political and business "dharmma" than an intuitive understanding that the power is in information management and the centric cause-and-effect relationships information has in society.

Governments have become masters at information operations and information management. .... as I spin out into "outer space" on concepts and constructions far from the original topic of management consulting, laughing out loud, or whatever the topic was.

This topic, which has evolved from a news clipping post, is far too abstract, I dare to say, for Thai Visa.... (bzzzt.... changing the channel, the voice on the tele says, 'we now take you back to our regularly scheduled topics on "how much to pay my mia noi" and "farang men and Thai girls"'......)

Dystopia or Utopia?

Whatever it is, it will be, as humans are both the "disease" and the "cure" .....

BTW, I really like the song, "Voices (From a Distance Plant)" by Cybertribe.

Cheers!

Mr. Farang

Edited September 21, 2005 by Mr. Farang

[~G~]

Oddly enough, I (personally) see information-exchange, viral memes, memetics, kamma, information management, information operations, all as different aspects of the "elephant" I often refer to as the kamma-matrix.  The sum-total of all information cause-and-effect conditioned by humans creating the "reality" we mistaking believe is "life" when, in-fact, it is all a constructed reality - constructed by humans, for humans to effect human causes.

Well, well, well! Three times "human" in one sentenece yet claiming to reveal the reality behind the illusions!?? How is "human" more real than "life"? I'd say that the so called "human" is as much karmic cause and effect as anything else.

I often postulate, internally, that someday humans may "evolve" to an information-state where the constraints of a physical body do not subvert immortality, as the information-context of the brain can exist outside the carbon-based body that "houses" the information in the mind.

What about nama-rupa? The info-context of the brain is dependent on the physical brain, ones personality, and perception, is dependent on the physicality, one cannot exist without the other...

This topic, which has evolved from a news clipping post,  is far too abstract, I dare to say, for Thai Visa....  (bzzzt.... changing the channel, the voice on the tele says, 'we now take you back to our regularly scheduled topics on "how much to pay my mia noi" and "farang men and Thai girls"'......)

No argument here , yet a refreshing change.

[Mr. Farang]

.... well, well! Three times "human" in one sentenece yet claiming to reveal the reality behind the illusions!??  How is "human" more real than "life"? I'd say that the so called "human" is as much karmic cause and effect as anything else.

I think we are saying the same thing.

More.... information:

What about nama-rupa? The info-context of the brain is dependent on the physical brain, ones personality, and perception, is dependent on the physicality, one cannot exist without the other...

Excellent reply, impressive thoughts Khun G. The info-content-context of the brain certainly has a napa-rupa interdependancy with the body. I think you would agree that there are mental objects which can exist outslde of the body. Today, the cognitive abilities of machines are often compared to earthworms. "Experts" (there is that word again) predict that, sometime in the future, machines will have cognitive capabilities much closer to the human mind.

To illustrate this construct, imagine a future (very far into the future) where the Earth is destined for destruction (hypernova,for example, that will destroy all life) and, (silicon-based) computing machines are very powerful. Scientists know (in this constructed scenario, for example), 100% sure, that all carbon-based life will be destroyed by the hypernova, and that there is no way for the carbon-based life to "escape" to another planet.

Each persons entire nama-rupa "profile" is "uploaded" to silicon, creating nama-rupa "databases" of each person, all kamma of each person "on hard disk"..... ( I want to be uploaded and stored next to a collection of Japanese Idol AV girls :-) .... and the entire kamma-matrix is "blasted off into the universe"........ the "sum total" of the kamma-matrix of Earth on a space ship ........ everyone, in silicon, "lives" but not as carbon-based entities, but as silicon-based contructions. Maybe, at that point in the evolutionary-chain, far into the future, napa-rupa evolves from carbon-bio-electrical to silicon-mechanical-electrical. - I don't know, but there is Dhamma in this illustration.

Carbon-based life has it limitations ...... and its rewards, because of our sensory-relationship with our surroundings. The taste of coffee, the voice of a friend, the touch of our loved ones.... all sensory-based. Carbon-based life also has its horrors. We can burn and be disfigured. We depend on delicate organs to exist. Other life forms inhabit our bodies (disease, viruses), like parasites. We depend on precision bio-cellular division to live free of defects (we age).

I hope this reply was along the lines of what you were expecting, Khun G.

..........yet a refreshing change.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cheers Khun G.

Thank you for adding nama-rupa concepts to this discussion in the Business section of TV, as we continue to "spin off"(like a space capsule tumbling end-over-end off course) into very abstract concepts.....

[think_too_mut]

When culture needs to be challenged

Expatriate managers here in Thailand can learn a lot from Ghosn’s experience. While it is important to understand the local culture, it is equally important not to assimilate into it at the expense of producing results. “You cannot tolerate mediocrity,” says Busba. “You cannot replace achieving results with being popular.”

Larry Chao is managing director of Chao Group Limited, an organisa-tional-change and training consultancy based in Bangkok and New York

--chaogroup.com 2005-09-19

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My thought is - it's all b-s..t. Junk.

What the article says might work if one is managing an assembly line. Like Nike sport shoes in Vietnam or sweatshops anywhere.

Try to manage that way any skill-demanding enterprise and you are dead.

An example: to train our staff, we send them to the US or Singapore or Sydney. All are entitled to 6 months of initial training and then 5 weeks of classroom per year. With their no-productive time, full pay, hotels, biz class flights..it goes up to 200K US$, just from zero to starting doing work. How much is a training for a commercial pilot? Maybe less than that.

Then, imagine a prick who does not want to be popular, wants results and makes the staff leave.

One from his team may leave, the second one won't - the manager will be booted out.

The staff have been recruited for their abilities and commitment. That could be and mostly is above what their manager has.

The article is a rubbish, bad attitude, IMO.

[Mr. Farang]

The article is a rubbish, bad attitude, IMO.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed. I thought the original posted article was both poorly researched and badly presented - very shallow and superficial, the way "article" was written.

Edited September 21, 2005 by Mr. Farang