The People Link: Human Resource Linkages Across the Pacific (Hongkong Bank of Canada Papers on Asia , Vol 3)

This volume is the third in a series that examines Canada's economic relationships with the countries of East Asia. In previous volumes, we established a baseline against which to measure developments in business and economic relationships, and found that Canadian business has not been doing very well in the dynamic economies in the region. In the second volume, East Asian Capitalism: Diversity and Dynamism, we examined the characteristics of the diverse East Asian business systems-the Korean chaebol, Japanese keiretsu, and the business system in China. We found that some broad differences exist in the ways business systems operate in East Asia, but that there is considerable diversity within the region. A future volume will examine East Asian corporate finance and evolving fiscal frameworks as these influence the private sector; another volume will follow through on the benchmarking concept with specific case studies of the successes and failures of Canadian firms in the region. The purpose of this volume is to illuminate the links among the peoples of the region that Canadians need to understand when doing business abroad or cooperating with East Asians in North America. The book's six papers examine the role of culture in institutional similarities and differences, both within East Asia and between East Asia and the west, the impact immigrants have on the receiving economy, the role of education and human capital in economic growth, and the role international linkages like trade, investment, cooperation and immigration play in the spread of knowledge. The authors come from a variety of disciplines including economics, organizational psychology and geography. Considering the importance of international human resource linkages to Canada's economic i and business relationships with the region, we encountered a surprising dearth of Canadian scholarship on some topics and a lack of data on others. Since the purpose of the Hongkong Bank of Canada Papers on Asia is to promote understanding, provoke debate and stimulate further research, we hope that this volume will contribute to closing the gaps we have found. The series publishes timely and readable scholarly work in the fields of business and the social sciences, aimed primarily at the Canadian business and policy communities, to help increase their knowledge of and familiarity with East Asia's distant markets. The Hongkong Bank of Canada provides generous support. Professor A.E. Safarian is the series Editor. He leads a distinguished international Editorial Advisory Board which provides peer review and editorial advice. To stimulate high-quality research, the editors seek out top researchers and encourage them to write on subjects central to the Papers' mission. Manuscripts are commissioned and symposium and conference contributions are solicited. In addition, events are organized by the Centre for International Business to ensure timely dissemination to interested audiences. People Make Economies Grow. "The People Link" Focuses On The Characteristics of people, and their respective organizations, that contribute to integration and growth among the economies of the Asia-Pacific region. Particular attention is paid to three people links that have spanned the Pacific: the ethnic Chinese networks; the contributions made to Canada by Asian immigrants; and the role of Asian immigrants, as 'trade intermediaries' in promoting trade between North America and Asia. All western managers must be familiar with the role of people organizations, especially the values and practices in family-owned businesses. To identify future business partners, Canadian firms must understand the strategies of people and organizations from other cultures and figure out how to work with them.

The purpose of the Hongkong Bank of Canada Papers on Asia series is to provide practical information, in the form of timely and readable works, to Canadian business and government decision makers that will help increase knowledge and familiarity with the distant markets of East Asia. This interdisciplinary series establishes benchmarks against which Canada's future can be measured systematically.

Volume I, Benchmarking the Canadian Business Presence in East Asia, explained Canada's relatively modest business presence in the region and outlined the high costs of entering into these dynamic markets. Volume II, East Asian Capitalism: Diversity and Dynamism, examined these systems as one aspect of reducing such entry costs.

This volume is the third in a series that examines Canada's economic relationships with the countries of East Asia. The purpose of this volume is to illuminate the links among the peoples of the region that Canadians needs to understand when doing business abroad or cooperating with East Asians in North America. The book's six papers examine the role of culture in institutional similarities and differences, both within East Asia and between East Asia and the west, the impact immigrants have on the receiving economy, the role of education and human capital in economic growth, and the role international linkages like trade, investment, cooperation and immigration play in the spread of knowledge. 

Preface 5 Contents 7 International human resource linkages: Introduction 9 Culture, business organization and managerial behaviour in East Asia 21 Ethnic Chinese networks: A new model? 81 A portrait of Asia-Pacific immigration to Canada 113 Immigrants as trade catalysts 139 International human resource linkages and economic growth: An Afterword 161 About the authors 183 Centre for International Business 187