How to Do Business in 12 Asian Countries 12. What will you need to know in 2010 or 2020 to work in Asia? As Hans Koehler pointed out in his Preface, we live in changing times. In this century China and India are changing the economic balance of the world. But many of the cultural tenets presented in Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: Asia took hundreds or thousands of years to develop. These stable precepts help us understand why people behave differently around the world, and they will help you to avoid global marketing faux pas | 80 Kiss Bow or Shake Hands Asia Malaysians obviously feel comfortable with their own cultural traditions and will defend them. Know Before You Go Malaysia is close to the epicenter of the tsunami of 2004 but it was shielded from full impact by the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. Besides the tragedy of the earthquakes and tsunamis the greatest hazards faced by the average foreign traveler are those found in most countries near the equator sunburn heat stroke and or digestive upsets. Frightening incidents reported in the global news that also occur but are relatively rare include mob violence typhoons and floods. Malaysia maintains some of the strictest censorship laws in the world. It is official policy to insulate the Malaysian population from the corrupting foreign media. Foreign journalists are routinely asked to leave the country after writing something uncomplimentary about Malaysia. Although Malaysia has virtually no Jewish population anti-Semitism is common especially among Muslims. Even former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad publicly blamed Jews for his country s financial problems. Bribery and corruption are not unknown in Malaysia. Historically Malaysia has been considered less corrupt than Indonesia but more corrupt than Singapore which enforces strict antibribery laws . 3 CULTURAL ORIENTATION Cognitive Styles How Ethnic Malays Organize and Process Information Although the ethnic Malays have assimilated many indigenous religious rituals into their Islamic religion they adhere to the closed thinking of Islam when it comes to accepting outside information into their everyday lives. Information is processed subjectively and associatively and this leads to personal involvement in problems rather than abstract analysis. Negotiation Strategies What Ethnic Malays Accept as Evidence The subjective feelings of the moment form the basis for truth with faith in the ideologies of Islam having a very strong influence. Malaysia 81 Only the most westernized and secular
