The Reality of the Eastern Business Mind

Abstract

During World War II American troops sent to Europe were provided with small handbooks which contained a smattering of words and phrases and comments on customs designed to permit those troops to exist with the Dutch, the French, and even the Germans. When dealing with people in the Pacific-Rim area modern American businessmen still use the “handbook approach,” and they are frustrated when they can't understand the attitudes, subtleties, and procedures of Pacific-Rim business practice. They know the details of the “handbook,” but they fail to understand the roots of cultural differences. They fail to understand that they are dealing with thousands of years of philosophy, ethics, and culture, and for this necessary understanding they have to realize both how and why their counterparts think as they do. The modern business person should go back to Taoism and Confucius for an explanation of contemporary business practices.