Culture & History

Women Entrepreneurship in China: Past, Present, and Future

China’s female entrepreneurs face a legacy of liberalizing economic policies and of traditional social conventions as they shape their role in present and future Chinese society.

By the SIMO University of St.Gallen (HSG)

Apr. 4 – As with most Asian cultures, the role of women has been historically underestimated, and China is no exception. If you look at the country before the 20th century, you will probably bump into traditional ladies, who have their feet tightly bound, who are taking care of the kids at home, and who only show up to serve a cup of tea.

Women in China attained equal rights at a very late stage. For thousands of years they had endured gender discrimination plus hardly any economic power. Women were regarded as accessories of their male ‘guardians’, namely their father and husband before and after marriage respectively, and of their son after their husband had died, known as ‘the three obediences’. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Culture & History, Featured | Tagged China, Entrepreneurship, Woman | Leave a comment

Time to Understand Time in China

Op-ed Commentary: Dr. David A. Owen

Mar. 20 – In the West, especially the United States (U.S.), time is often conceived as a tangible asset that can be used effectively or effectively wasted. Time is inflexible, impersonal, and even has defined limits; the common expression don’t waste my time seems to capture the essence quite nicely.

In the workplace, schedules and appointments tend to be extremely rigid. This likely explains why time keepers and digital appointment calendars are so popular. Phrases such as I don’t have enough time, where does the time go and I’m late are commonly heard throughout the work environments.

Therefore, time should not be wasted under any circumstances. Managing time in an efficient manner is the goal! Continue reading →

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Crackdown on Buddha Tattoos in Asia

Mar. 18 – Asian countries with strong Buddhist beliefs are starting to crackdown on the recent craze of sporting Buddha tattoos, a phenomenon that has gained popularity in Thailand amongst Westerners but which has been offending the locals.

Recently, in Sri Lanka, a female tourist displaying a tattoo of the Buddha on her back was arrested for “disrespect”, and was only released after paying a fine and insisting that she had not meant to offend anyone with her tattoo.

Furthermore, just this past weekend, a British tourist with a similar image of Buddha on his arm was refused entry into the country, who also apparently spoke negatively towards an immigration official about the religion.

“If [the tourist] expressed such views after entering the country, it would have been a threat to his own safety,” said an official. Continue reading →

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The Language of Success in China

Op-ed Commentary: Dr. David A. Owen

Mar. 5 – How diverse is China? At first glance from afar, it would seem not that diverse. After all, neighboring countries like Japan, North Korea and South Korea seem to be rather homogeneous. However, a closer look internally tells us a different story: China is, in fact, quite diverse.

As a matter of fact, China may actually be one of the most diverse countries on the planet. While the Han majority is just over 90 percent of the total population, China has 55 minority groups—that is, well over 110 million people—with distinct cultural norms and language.

Actually, the percentage of the minority population is highly underestimated as the Han majority is defined by assimilation through the adoption of Han surnames and customs, not ethnicity. This results in major surveys capturing ethnic minorities in the Han majority category. Assimilation programs and flawed survey methodologies that fail to capture ethnicity truly complicate efforts to gain an accurate account of diversity in China.

Diversity is therefore a rather complex issue in China. Continue reading →

Posted in Culture & History | Tagged China, Diversity, Language | 1 Comment

Understanding the Norm of Reciprocity: Avoiding Imminent Failure in China

Op-ed Commentary: Dr. David A. Owen

Feb. 28 – How important is the norm of reciprocity in China? The simple answer is extremely important.

The norm of reciprocity—the act of reciprocating a favorable act or returning a benefit for a benefit—is a social norm. In China, the norm of reciprocity—known as guanxi (关系)—is quite pervasive, with roots grounded deep in collectivism.

Collective societies such as China tend to place a higher value on relationships and relationship-building, harmony and a sense of duty. This is quite different from individualist societies, such as the United States (U.S.), that tend to place a higher value on individual rights and privacy, as well as other traits such as individual heroism. The end result is that the norm of reciprocity is more ingrained in the very fabric of Chinese society, which is not necessarily the case in the U.S. Continue reading →

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ASEAN-India Car Rally Underway

Event celebrates 20 years of partnerships between India and ASEAN

Dec. 4 – A unique car rally is currently underway, taking in eight of ASEAN’s ten member states and journeying from its starting point in Indonesia, making its way through Assam and finishing in Delhi. The rally celebrates 20 years of partnerships between India and ASEAN and has been designed to highlight the proximity of the Southeast Asian region with India.

Sponsored by Mahindra & Mahindra, India’s largest manufacturer of SUVs and off-road vehicles, some 124 participants set off from Yogjakarta and are taking in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar before heading across the border west to India. The teams reached Phuket on Sunday. Continue reading →

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Asia Briefing Relocates from China to India

Nov. 24 – A number of Asia Briefing’s China-based staff temporarily relocated from Shanghai to Delhi recently on a 10-day assignment to develop a better understanding of the Indian market and improve communications with Dezan Shira & Associates’ India offices. Asia Briefing, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Dezan Shira practice, publishes foreign investment titles for China, India, Vietnam, Russia and Mongolia, and has other Asian expansion plans in place, keeping in line with the continuing growth of the firm. Continue reading →

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2point6billion.com provides news, commentary and analysis on business, culture and politics throughout China and India. The stories are contributed by the business experts at Dezan Shira & Associates, who have offices throughout south east Asia.