Does Asian Management Matter

With the increasing globalisation of business, Asia has much to teach and to learn in the areas of management theory, research and education. The relevance and impact of Asian business practices are scrutinized in this volume which presents chapters written by international scholars on issues such as strategic management, organisational behavior, the performance of multinationals, foreign investments and human resource management. Advances in these areas within an Asian context can make a global contribution to the research on management theory. This volume consists of the principal contributions from the inaugural conference of the Asia Academy of Management and will be of interest to business practitioners, academics and students interested in Asian management.

'Navigating paradigm changes is a critical element of business leadership: analog to digital; brand to retailer to consumer; reason to emotion; West to East. Anything that illuminates these powershifts is valuable for the fast-moving decision-maker, and in this respect Asian versus Western Management Thinking is a first-rate inquiry into cultural business behaviors. Insular frameworks of thinking and action matter less by the second. I'm an And/And practitioner and my experience of bridging business between East and West, and vice versa, suggests we need to know the human distinctions that matter and the harmonies that will matter even more. Between the covers of this book by Kimio Kase and colleagues, business moves forward.' Kevin Roberts, CEO Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi, Lovemarks Company 'Having lived and worked my entire life in various countries around the world, I agree with the authors' premise that Asians and Westerners often approach business problems from different angles. Rather than focusing on differences, I welcome the strength that comes from diversity. As my experience at Renault and Nissan has demonstrated, the richest solutions come when ideas are challenged or questioned by people who have a different perspective. This book illustrates the value of accepting diverging ideas as a fact of life that can be used to enhance the world in which we all live and work.' Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Renault-Nissan Alliance 'A most welcome addition to the unbalanced management literature about the 'analytical' West and the 'synthetic' East. For too long the field has been dominated by comparisons of cultural value systems which paradoxically tell us precious little about how habits of mind influence management thinking and practice in different parts of the world over time. At a time when the world's economic centre of gravity is visibly shifting to Asia, this really is a most timely book.' Nigel Holden, Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for International Business at the University of Leeds, UK

Written by the highly regarded diplomat Marty Natalegawa, former ambassador and foreign minister of Indonesia, this book offers a unique insider-perspective on the present and future relevance of ASEAN. It is about ASEAN’s quest for security and prosperity in a region marked by complex dynamics of power. Namely, the interplay of relations and interests among countries — large and small — which provide the settings within which ASEAN must deliver on its much-cited leadership and centrality in the region. The book seeks to answer the following questions: How can ASEAN build upon its past contributions to the peace, security and prosperity of Southeast Asia, to the wider East Asia, the Asia-Pacific and the Indo-Pacific regions? More fundamentally and a sine qua non, how can ASEAN continue to ensure that peace, security and prosperity prevail in Southeast Asia? And, equally central, how can ASEAN become more relevant to the peoples of ASEAN, such that its contributions can be genuinely felt in making better the lives of its citizens?

With the increasing globalisation of business, Asia has much to teach and to learn in the areas of management theory, research and education. The relevance and impact of Asian business practices are scrutinized in this volume which presents chapters written by international scholars on issues such as strategic management, organisational behavior, the performance of multinationals, foreign investments and human resource management. Advances in these areas within an Asian context can make a global contribution to the research on management theory.This volume consists of the principal contributions from the inaugural conference of the Asia Academy of Management and will be of interest to business practitioners, academics and students interested in Asian management.

Local culture has long been recognised as a critically important factor in shaping management styles in different Asian countries. This book provides a comprehensive overview of culture and management in major East and Southeast Asian economies. Each chapter provides a survey of the country's history, culture and economy, going on to examine management in the country, together with management education and how management is currently changing. The book will provide an invaluable introduction for students of international management, for those studying management within East and Southeast Asia, and for businessmen trading with the region.

With the accelerating integration of China into the global economy, there is a thirst to understand how Chinese managers like to lead and how Chinese employees like to be managed. There is no doubt that China can be a difficult and risky market for foreign businesses. The authors show managers how to succeed when doing business in China.

Why ‘Managing across diverse cultures in East Asia’? We re-examine in this book the link between culture and management across the region vis a vis the new economic, political and social landscape that has appeared over the last decade. We accordingly present a set of chapters on East Asian cultures, economies, societies and their management across the board, focusing on countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, as well as the Overseas Chinese enclaves of Hong Kong SAR, Macao and Taiwan. The contributors to this edited book are all specialists in their respective fields; they hail from a variety of universities and business schools across the world, located in a wide range of countries in the East and in the West. The chapters, we believe, reflect a balance between the past and present, theory and practice, as well as the general and the particular. 'East Asia could not be more important. Malcolm Warner could not be more insightful. Reading Managing Across Diverse Cultures in East Asia will allow you to gain a profound understanding of the cultural complexity in this dynamic region of the world.' - Nancy J. Adler, McGill University, Montreal 'We all need to understand more about management in East Asia, and to learn from it. Managing Across Diverse Cultures in East Asia has contributions from international experts who provide significant insights into the cultures of the most dynamic region in the world today. This book is a landmark publication.' - John Child, University of Birmingham 'This edited volume, with contributions by significant scholars from around the globe, provides a timely and penetrating review of management issues across East Asia, a region that rivals Europe and North American in economic significance and is still ascending. It is a must read for anyone who is interested in international management.' - Kwok Leung, City University of Hong Kong 'Helping a new generation of readers interested in this important region to make better sense, Managing Across Diverse Cultures in East Asia is destined to become a new classic. I expect this well-researched book to be widely read, cited, and debated in the years to come.' - Mike W Peng, University of Texas at Dallas 'Having had such unexpected disasters as earthquakes, floods and financial crises in recent years, we are increasingly dependent on people-management. Development of human resources, in turn, requires region-specific and organization-specific strategies. The present volume edited by Malcolm Warner points the reader to the secret of success in high-performing economies and firms in East Asia.' - Yoko Sano, Kaetsu University, Tokyo

Our understanding of management in Asia has not kept pace with the demands of managers and students. The Handbook of Asian Management provides in-depth critical reviews of central topics in strategy and organizational behavior research in Asian contexts. Leading scholars take stock of what has been learned and give clear directions towards greater rigor and relevance for research in this region.

More than ever, the world needs strong, effective and ethical leadership. Asia is the world’s fastest growing region. Its success in the 21st century will depend largely on the quality of its leaders. Learning from Leaders in Asia captures the rich experiences of leaders operating in the region, identifies the key elements of leadership and offers practical advice on how to make a lasting impact. An important and timely book for all who want to seize the moment. Anson Chan, Former Chief Secretary for Administration, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Learning from Leaders in Asia provides a solid understanding of the challenges faced by leaders in Asia today and tomorrow. It provides real life insights by leaders across various disciplines in overcoming challenges such as talent acquisition and retention, China strategies and globalization to name but a few. An invaluable read. Chen Shaopeng, President, Lenovo Emerging Market Group, Senior Vice President, Lenovo Group Learning from Leaders in Asia is a must-read for any business person in the world who wants to gain perspectives from Asia-based multinationals. It offers valuable insights as Asia’s importance rises. William Fung, Group Managing Director, Li & Fung Ltd. Learning from Leaders in Asia presents a unique opportunity for readers to learn from the insights of the business executives who are part of one of the leading EMBA programs in the world. Having interacted with these talented men and women I can say with full confi dence that they truly understand the issues of building and running a global business. That makes this book well worth reading and I highly recommend it. Jim Thompson, Chairman, Crown Worldwide Holdings Ltd. Learning from Leaders in Asia cuts through the data and popular opinions to offer an on-the-ground view of the region’s latest developments. Combining the acute perceptions and broad sweep of Leadership Experiences in Asia, this book examines the complex issues and offers fundamental insights into the business cultures of a host of countries. In lucid terms, it spells out the unprecedented opportunities and challenges facing companies wanting to devise a strategy that effectively adapts to the Asian reality. Marjorie Yang, Chair, Esquel Group This extraordinary book is the sequel to Leadership Experiences in Asia, Dr. DeKrey’s first effort to describe the functioning of leadership in the Asian contexts. There is no-one with better credentials for doing this than DeKrey, an American who has lived and worked in Hong Kong for more than two decades and who has experienced the very best examples of leadership both in the West as well as in Asia. There is no one whose leadership skills cannot be enhanced by the principles and illustrations laid out in this book. David M. Messick, Morris and Alice Kaplan Professor Emeritus of Ethics and Decision in Management, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University This timely and highly relevant book tackles the critical issues that keep general managers awake at night as they strive to build a sustainable and profitable business in Asia and, in particular, China. The triple challenges of building talent, encouraging breakthrough innovation and ensuring strong governance may be global, but they face added urgency and complexity in Asia given the very high expectations for growth and unique cultural challenges. The blend of theory, strategy and highly practical experience in this book provides invaluable advice for leaders who are determined to build a legacy in Asia. Ron McEachern, President, PepsiCo Asia