Asian Business: Customs
and Manners
Author: Mary Murray Bosrock
Publisher: Meadowbook Press (Simon & Shuster), 2007
ISBN:
10: 0-684-05200-8
Reviewed by Terrance
Malkinson
Products, money and people transcends
borders. The career savvy individual will
take the time to become informed about other
countries, their cultures and ways of doing
business. Asia is the world’s largest
continent, containing almost 60 percent of the
world's population. Asian economies are
growing rapidly and its cultures and customs
differ considerably from what we in the
Western World may be used to. In addition,
many Asians are working in the United
States, so to
facilitate a good working relationship, it is
important for both sides to recognize and
respect their cultural differences. Mary
Murray Bosrock's comprehensive
372-page book, Asian Business: Customs &
Manners, provides the information necessary for success
when interacting with Asian business
counterparts. The book is
divided into two parts.
Part one begins
with a short chapter entitled “How to Go
International," emphasizing the importance
of avoiding generalizations, showing
consideration and respect, concluding with “Ten Commandments of Visiting
Asia.” Chapter Two provides general information on Asia, and
the challenges it faces. Chapter Three, “General Rules:
What to Know and How to Behave,” provides an excellent overview of
information for presenting yourself well
and getting the job done in almost every
situation that you might encounter. Some of
the topics covered include: greetings,
language, dining, entertaining, manners,
punctuality, dress, gifting, corporate
culture, and interfaith etiquette to name
but a few. In general, the book's
content is presented in a very efficient bulleted format
which makes for a very accessible, reader-friendly
format.
Part Two covers country-specific
information, as practices vary not only among
Asian countries but also within each
country. Each country's overview is
extremely thorough and, again, reader-friendly.
Mary
Murray Bosrock is a writer, lecturer and
well-known expert on cross-cultural
communication, the author of many books, and
international traveler and speaker. For
anyone who deals with international
clientele and markets, Asian
Business: Customs and Manners will be a
valuable addition to your library.
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