Book Review: Chinese Business Etiquette by Scott Seligman

Book Review: Chinese Business Etiquette by Scott Seligman

No doubt, there are differences between US/Western and Chinese culture, one would have to be completely blind to ignore it. The question is how to overcome it, how to play the game, how to understand reasons for different behavior.

Scott D. Seligman, using his 2 decades of experience in China, is quite insightful while definitely not boring. His vivid style, full of examples guides you through a crash course in dealing with your Chinese counterparts.

Can you "lose face"?

Surprisingly, it's not just about business, it's also a fascinating book that uncovers different kinds of human motivation. Money doesn't have to be the primary engine, there is also an inner pride, position in society or - face. 'Face' that you can lose or gain.

Imagine a typical situation, in which you disagree with your business partner. Scott's guidebook suggests using indirect methods, such as assigned negotiators, instead of confronting others directly. It helps the manager or the most responsible person on the other side to save face.
That phenomenon is illustrated on a rather extreme case from a personal life.
A girl, who wanted to break up with her US boyfriend preferred to deliver that message via her close friend, to save face of her fiancée in direct confrontation.
I bet he would have been more happy to hear it from her, but that's not the Chinese way.

Are U LinkedIn?

In the light of booming Web2.0 technologies, it's interesting to read about Chinese society that's based so much on an informal network. The system of multi-directional relationships reminds me of a corporate culture, largely extended though. There is also a dark side of that, like in old socialist Czechoslovakia, you really need to have these connections even to do little things.

Recommend Book Index: 5 from 5 stars

Admittedly, I can't compare the book with the reality, since I have very little experience in that area. Sin-Yaw and a couple of people from his team that I work with might not be the best sample of a typical Chinese person, but I found the book very helpful even in these little interactions.
I can surely recommend it to all people that  like to understand different culture. Readable almost as a thriller, but you can also dive into a chapter that most interests you, if you don't have enough time.

Posted at 07:39PM Jan 17, 2008 by Pavel Suk in Books  |  Comments[2]