Business-in-Thailand - Information on doing business in Thailand

Simply Overrated   June 17, 2003

The book does have some good points. I enjoyed the sketches of certain Overseas Chinese business leaders, some of whom I knew nothing about. There is also some original research here on the business environment in SE Asia, specifically on the lack of information that helps the Overseas Chinese maintain an edge against outside competitors in their home markets.


Very insightful book   December 4, 2002
  4 out of 5 found this review helpful

I really learned a lot from this book -- more about the culture and business environment of Asia than I thought I would from this slim book. I work as manager for Asian operations.


Excellent practical insights grounded in theory   October 27, 2002
  6 out of 7 found this review helpful

I give this book 5 stars! I do agree with the "Economist"'s review that this is an important book. I will go so far as to say that this is an essential book for understanding how the Overseas Chinese companies operate. They are family companies --but a lot more and that's the ground this book covers.

I disagree with Boris B's review below. I certainly did not read the book he did! Other than the opening quotes for each chapter, I very much doubt he read the book! I found this book extremely clear and straightforward. I also thought all theories were presented as simply as possible (sometimes the concepts are complex) and well-backed up with examples from the authors' extensive business practice and research.


Excellent understanding of Asian business   October 26, 2002
  12 out of 12 found this review helpful

This is a very practical and easy-to-read book on how to do business successfully with the Overseas Chinese that dominate the economies of Southeast Asia and China. The authors draw on their personal experiences with Asian executives as well as on extensive research. Despite their academic backgrounds, the authors display real hands-on knowledge of Asian business conditions. And despite being very solidly grounded in theory, the authors are never "stuffy" or talk down to you. They do an impressive job of applying theories spanning economics, strategic management and classical Chinese philosophy to understanding present-day business environments. Novices and old hands will find this an invaluable reference. I have re-read this little gem several times, and find some new insights every time. A must read!


A book that is borrowed but rarely returned...   October 24, 2002
  14 out of 15 found this review helpful

I notice that this book has generated a lot of talk and I would like to add my two cents. I am currently based in Hong Kong and travel and do business through South East Asia. I picked up this book on the airport as I deal regularly with the Overseas Chinese. I had planned to read it and discard it -- I have re-read it several times; my original, thumbed copy was "borrowed" and never returned. I have since bought another copy which I do not display in my office.

New Asian Emperors covers some very profound aspects of doing business with the Overseas Chinese and East Asians generally. However, it does so in a non-intimidating and straight-forward fashion.

This is a beautifully written and polished book. Actually, I never did locate the sentence on "Taosim" to which one of the reviewers below referred. I was particularly impressed by the chapter on Confucianism: I received a degree in East Asian philosophy and wish some of my text books had communicated the concepts so simply. East Asian philosphies and ethics emphasize duality and ambiguity. The economist who wrote the review seems unable to comprehend that this is the terrain with which the authors had to deal.

Many of the concepts first introduced in New Asian Emperors have been covered since in the popular press and "borrowed" by other authors with little or no credit given (see Frank-Jurgen Richter and Ming Jer-Chen). It's a credit to this book, its ideas and their exposition, that it still remains the leader in explaining how to do business with the Overseas Chinese, that continue to dominate the important markets of South East Asia. It's also the book most found on the book shelves of executives that are dealing with East Asian operations -- when it not borrowed ;-). I have been informed by clients and employees that they read it at university in Singapore, Hong Kong, the USA and China. This book has value.