The Overseas Chinese of South East Asia : History, Culture, Business

Studies of business in China often focus on the People's Republic of China as it continues its slow progress towards becoming an economic superpower. But the 60 million Chinese who live outside of China have long been an economic powerhouse in their own right. They play major, often dominant, economic roles in many countries in South-East Asia, and led much of the rapid growth and industrialisation of the region in the 1980s and 1990s.This book sets out to describe these communities and the environment in which they live and work. Managing in South-East Asia is not like managing anywhere else; it is not even like managing in China. This volume explores these cultural influences in depth, and the need for cultural understanding as a pre-requisite for business success is a major theme of this book. China's development as an economic giant is well known. Less visible is the role played by the overseas Chinese community in transforming modern China. During the second half of the twentieth century, immigrants and refugees from China developed into a new entrepreneurial class across much of South East Asia. Today, they control some of the world's largest and most competitive businesses.describes how the Chinese community grew and developed, side by side with wider economic changes in the region. It discusses cultural and language differences, which can be a source of tension but also of great strength, and it describes the fascinating business culture of the region with its strengths and pitfalls. This book is essential reading for anyone intending to work or do business in South East Asia Front Matter....Pages i-vi Introduction....Pages 1-11 Nanyang and the Huaqiao....Pages 12-26 The Tribute Bearers: Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos....Pages 27-40 The ‘Land Below the Wind’: Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines....Pages 41-57 The Ancestral Country: Changing Fast....Pages 58-75 Talking Business: Towkays, Tjukongs and Kongsis....Pages 76-90 The Spice Route: The Early Economy of South-East Asia....Pages 91-106 The Rise and Fall of the Tigers....Pages 107-117 Confucius Abroad: South-East Asian Businesses and Managers....Pages 118-134 Seven Paths to Happiness: Doing Business in South-East Asia....Pages 135-145 The Future....Pages 146-158 Back Matter....Pages 159-171 The 60million Chinese Who Live Outside Of China Have Long Been An Economic Powerhouse In Their Own Right. Managing In South-east Asia Is Not Like Managing Anywhere Else. This Book Describes Their Communities And Environments In Which They Work And Emphasises The Need For Cultural Understanding As A Pre-requisite For Business Success. By Ian Rae, Morgen Witzel. "China's development as an economic giant is well known. Less visible is the role played by the overseas Chinese community in transforming modern China. This book describes how the Chinese community grew and developed, side by side with wider economic changes in the region."--Jacket