Despite the growing economic importance of the Asia Pacific region, Western firms remain underrepresented. To remedy this situation, Western firms must approach their operations in Asia strategically, by questioning many of the traditional assumptions of Western business. While Japan has been the subject of much Western scrutiny, the other nations in the region--South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, China, and Thailand--have been virtually overlooked.
Strategies for Asia Pacific, the culmination of two decades of research and direct professional experience, is written to provide Western companies with a hands-on approach to doing business in Asia Pacific. The authors first define the region's key characteristics, its role in the world economy, and key features of market and consumer behavior. The book then turns to an overview of the competitive market for developing business there, outlining what is required to design and manage joint-ventures. The final chapters examine the prospective pitfalls in managing Asia Pacific operations and the human resource issues associated with such operations before concluding with projections for future trends in the development of the region.