Get Most Out of Trips With Business Etiquette in Asia

From the July 2000 edition of Managing Exports

Export professionals who do business in Asia can benefit greatly from the comprehensive guide, Business Etiquette in Asia, published by Australia-based Asia Pulse Pte Ltd, (contact information below). The 60-page manual-available free on request in electronic form-contains separate, highly-detailed chapters on 15 Asian nations: China, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines, Japan, Cambodia, Laos, Taiwan, and Myanmar (Burma).

Asia Pulse is a joint venture company of Asia's most influential news and information groups. In its Introduction, the guide points out that while "Asia is often referred to as one homogenous area, each country is distinctly different. Protocols that work in Korea will not necessarily apply to Indonesia." Business Etiquette in Asia is updated on a regular basis.

7 Sample Tips

The following list of "highlights" from the guide is an example of the kind of information that can save traveling export and international sales managers from making a serious faux pas while conducting negotiations with Asian customers, suppliers, or distributors:

• "In the People's Republic of China (PRC), don't write notes using red ink. This suggests that the writer will die soon. Avoid using the number four at all costs because this, too, signifies death."
• "In Malaysia, many leading businessmen have been conferred with a titled name. Care must be taken that they're addressed properly."
• "In South Korea, don't fondle or scribble on your host's business card. He or she might be offended."
• "In India, the significance of a business arrangement is often determined by the amount of time spent in negotiations."
• "In Indonesia, never touch a person's head, or point with your forefinger, as this is considered impolite."
• "In Thailand, it is considered offensive to show the sole of the shoe or foot to another. It is therefore necessary to take care when crossing your legs."
• "In Japan, never expect a junior person to make an on-the-spot decision. Hierarchies must be respected, and key decisions are usually made by senior executives."

The guide contains a comprehensive discussion of the overall issue of gifts as a crucial aspect of business practice in Asia, as well as a specific breakdown by nation. "No issue could be more intimidating than the etiquette that surrounds the use of gifts as a form of social lubricant throughout Asia," the guide notes. "Gifts may be given at the conclusion of a successful meeting, or at the start of a new relationship. They are the currency of business in Asia and have the ability to make or break a commercial relationship."

To make things even more complicated, business gifts in Asia fall into two categories: gifts for companies and gifts for individuals. The guide provides advice both on selecting appropriate gifts and on the proper etiquette for presenting them. Use of your corporate logo on certain gifts reinforces the nature of your professional relationship and appeals to communal corporate identity prevalent in many Asian cultures, the guide explains. And note: "Although novelty gifts enjoy a huge popularity in Western countries, the joke may be lost on an Asian person who may find the gift insulting."

Under its nation-by-nation chapter headings, Business Etiquette in Asia provides invaluable information on language, how to make introductions, general cultural issues, currency, business titles, correct business attire in each nation, working hours and holidays, and, of course, gift-giving customs.

To Order

For free electronic copy of Business Etiquette in Asia, contact Erica Hann: e-mail: erica_hann@aap.com.au.

For information on Asia Pulse, contact Chris Pash, CEO: Asia Pulse Pte Ltd., Level 7, The AAP Centre, 9 Lang Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia; 612-9322-8636; fax: 612- 9322-8639; e-mail: apulse@ozemail.net.au; Web site: www.asiapulse.com.