Preparing For the Game
Strategic thinking is an important aspect in the mind of an Asian. These strategies have been developed and studied for very many years. The westerners are likely to fall, victims of the tricks of their Asian counterparts, if they fail to understand the Asian mind. In many cases, the westerners have paid dearly in when dealing with the Asians. In the Asian world, it is vital to note that the ideas and perceptions about racism are different from those in the western. In the west, any discussion that touches ethnicity or national groups is considered racist. On the other hand, the Asian people highly welcome the idea of racial superiority and inferiority. It is a natural feeling for the Asians to believe that anything about them is superior. In America, race is a sensitive subject that can elicit different types of emotions. The book also claims that American do not appreciate differences between Japanese, Koreans, and Chinese. The focus of the book is to enhance understanding of the American people concerning the Asian people and to do this effectively; it is important to put all the preconceptions aside.
The Market Place as a Battle Field
The Chinese people view the market place like a battlefield to overemphasise what success in business means to them. Just like how a victory in a battle means a lot to the history of a nation, success in the field of business is also a major step forward in elevating the economy of the country. Business competition is regarded as a battle and is referred to as ‘'Shang Chang Ru Zhan Chang'' in the Chinese dialect. Japanese on their part have historically been a beneficiary of Chinese philosophy and teachings. However, Japanese leaders have faced massive problems due to insufficient natural resources. Success in the market place has been one of the major reasons why Japan has been able to win military wars thus guaranteeing national survival.
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Military Strategy as Business Practice
The Asians firmly believe that the mastery of military tactics and strategies are essential for success and survival. Asian leaders have overemphasised the importance of learning Chinese military strategies to apply these aspects in day to day activities. According to Asians, all aspects of life are interconnected in a way. For instance, the wisdom that one applies in a battlefield is the same wisdom that another will apply in politics or business. Therefore, the military principles and wisdom can be applied in all other aspects of life to great success.
The Role of Bing-Fa
The term Bing stands for a soldier and Fa refers to a skill. Therefore in connecting the words, they would refer to as a ‘military strategy ‘or ‘art of war'. The Bing-Fa philosophy was primarily developed for military war, but it has since been revolutionized and used in various facets of human interactions.
The Influence of Philosophy
Unlike many other communities, Ancients do not treat knowledge as a distinct entity that is divided into categories with a specified principle governing each domain. They instead formulate a unifying doctrine or philosophy that can be applied in diverse manifestations of the world. One philosophy in the Chinese community that influenced this manner of thought was Lao Tzu. He taught universal doctrines of the military that could apply in every aspect of the human life.
The Moral Cause
The moral clause is necessary for creating unity of purpose among the rulers and the subjects. Japan is one country that has depicted unity of purpose, especially in the economic warfare. The Japanese government and its people have forged a unity that enables them to enjoy success in their economic, social, and politic welfare. The Japanese have been accustomed to the reality that since they are no longer a military state, they have to depend on economic success to stand out entirely. In contrast, the unity of purpose has seen minimal success in China. China has experienced instability in their quest to unite the government and its people. One of the factors that have hindered unity in China is its big size. Many Chinese people are comfortable with provincial concerns as opposed to the national call.
Temporal Conditions
The element highlights the importance of appreciating the nature’s timing. In the contemporary world, political concerns dominate the economic field. Domestic and foreign policies are dynamic and complex. Such policies operate under the provisions of the natural timing.
Geographical Conditions
The geographical conditions of a place are responsible for determining whether a person lives or die in the cause of war. Every local setting has its pros and cons. For example, mountainous areas may hinder movement but at the same time promote defence against an enemy. A good leader must not struggle to remove the barrier but instead understand the advantages and the disadvantages of the terrain and how they can use it to their full advantage. The scenario is also applicable in the business world. Every marketplace has its ending problems which as a businessman, one must endure, understand, and accept. The author claims that some Americans doing business in Asia do not carry out research concerning strengths and weaknesses of their opportunities. Taiwan has utilized its insufficient resources well by strengthening their educational systems and building a strong work ethic that has enabled it to compete economically with the world’s giants.
Leadership
The Asian people do not differentiate leadership in the military to leadership in the industrial sector. Leadership in military and business requires certain qualities including trust, sincerity, wisdom, courage, and strictness among many others. The moment business leaders lack these characteristics; they fail to receive the necessary support from their workers thereby leading to low productivity and cases of discontentment. American countries have been accused of lacking a sense of empathy between the leadership and the workers. The objectives of the workers are typically different from that of the management. The difference in salary between the top brass and the workers is a primary reason for such problems. However, in the Asian countries, especially Japan, the pay difference between the management and the workers is smaller. Americans have got loose organizations while the Japanese have strong organizations. Loose organizations are prone to the development of disorder. Also, the American people do not like organizations with order and a restrictive environment. On the other hand, the Japanese work best where there are order and discipline.
One strategy that has been described in the book is the human greed. The Chinese people have two attractions that are fancied by the American people. First, is the market with many consumers and secondly is a land that is endowed with resources. Such assets will always guarantee that western companies will try and find a market in China. Such companies can, therefore, be played against each other using certain tricks best known to the Chinese people. The Chinese normally do this by inviting bids for a huge project. They encourage every bidder by letting them know that their bids appear lucrative, but more details are required by the awarding of the contract. This could present in the form of a training session in another city or country arranged and facilitated by the western country in question. This will ensure that the Chinese companies enjoy vacation and training for free already knowing whom they are going to award the contract.
Falsehood is one of the strategies that are used to a greater extent by the Asians. It is essential in dealing with an opponent because they will tend to focus on the false situation enabling one to accomplish their objective without any problem. The second strategy is referred to as ‘borrow another's hand to kill.' It involves intensifying enmity between existing groups by seeking the help of the third party. Another strategy involves making one's enemy work while they wait for leisure. The technique is frequently employed with people who are at a weak position. It means buying time while the stronger enemy waits for retaliation. This will ensure that the weaker entity delay, rest, and possibly wait for any case of a change in fortune. Such a strategy has been greatly used by the Chinese especially when they are negotiating. The Chinese are desperate to get certain things such as capital and technology from the western countries. The Chinese people, therefore, do not carry out these negotiations when they are in a foreign land but instead wait until they are at their home to gain a sense of leverage. Finally, another strategy involves gaining an advantage over an opponent by giving them trust so that they can let their guard down. Such a skill is used in economic warfare. It reminds people to be aware and careful of smiling faces and friendly displays at the negotiation table.
Concerning the virtues of the Asian people, The Japanese are a polite people who experience great difficulty in saying no. They are however not easily agreeable and can sometimes be difficult to work with. Any form of misunderstanding in a business negotiation can prove to be costly when dealing with Japanese. They believe in racial purity, unlike the Americans who believe in diversity. They attribute genetic purity to their ability to conglomerate all aspects of their society. To the non-Japanese residing in Japan, there is a strong racial prejudice directed towards them. Considering their society, they are referred to as ‘The Ant People' because each member has a particular role to undertake.
Friendship with the Chinese follows the two-edged sword principle. The relationship must be fulfilling and rewarding. The Americans believe that the first step in doing business with a Chinese is to create a mutual friendship. To a Chinese, the word friendship is used in a business setting in the case where trust is not guaranteed. They use it to a great effect when dealing with westerners. The sense of seniority is also different in Asia and the western countries. The boss in the western countries is the person that is in charge and China, who favours can be acquired from. On the other hand, the highest ranking person is not necessarily the person in charge. Concerning the hurdles that are encountered in carrying out business between the east and the west, language barrier stands out. American companies are trying to do business with China experience language issues because they cannot speak the local language. Some interpreters that are used also do not demonstrate a proper understanding of the languages. Other than language barrier, conceptual barrier between the Asians and the westerners forms a major problem. This involves the formation of different ideas from the same piece of statement as a result of different understanding and perceptions. It is also vital to understand that the Asians use culture as a weapon against intrusion. They tend to hide behind the constructs of culture if it serves to their advantage. They understand well that the westerners are not comfortable with the Asian culture and some get intimidated by it.
The Chinese society has been stratified into the class system. The social hierarchy has the merchant occupying the lowest position in the system. Also, still on their community, the Chinese have a general feeling that there are notable differences between the northern and the southern Chinese. The Chinese people have a philosophical culture, and they spend large amounts of time discussing their shortcomings as individuals and as a country. They also acknowledge the fact that the western culture is responsible for weakening their societal institutions. They are also firm believers of fate and destiny. They are peace loving people and are good in enduring hardship. However, they have been accused of being selfishness owing to their teachings on cultivation of the self in line with the requirements of Tao. Also, Chinese people lack unity. The leaders have for a long time called for unity, but none of the individuals in business or government has been able to heed the call. Communication is also a problem among the Chinese as most of them believe that unnecessary conversation is a great cause of trouble. They believe in patients who have enabled them to carry their daily endeavors well.
Japanese have for a long time occupied Koreans. The modern Korea is facing various problems chief among them being corruption. To perform business in Korea, one has to bribe their way through. The country has also faced major social and political instabilities that have hindered the economic growth of the country. Most of the population is urbanized, and the government is making major strides to prevent immigration in the country.
