Any Westerner dealing with companies in Asia will have noticed that Asians more often than not have adopted a Western style first name. It’s a gesture which signals a willingness to engage in the Western culture, and for the Westerner, this makes the Asian person much more accessible.
The significance of this small gesture becomes clear if one tries to imagine a Westerner taking an Asian name and using it on a regular basis. To most Westerners, this would be almost unthinkable.
It’s an example of an attitude, which one might summarize as a willingness to let go – to move beyond the way you’ve been doing things.
Asian companies generally seem prepared to change – even quite radically. If they see an opportunity or if they recognize that they would compete better by adjusting their product or business model, they will be less hesitant to do so, compared to a typical Western companies, which often prides itself on having a unique and strong identity.
It’s a generalization, of course, but Asian companies seem more willing to adapt and design products that please the changing demands of the market and more willing to change the way the company operates in order to fit into partnerships, even by entering into completely new lines of business.
These softer factors are harder to prove and describe accurately – and there is an obvious risk of misunderstanding the cultures.
Nevertheless, the attitude of “letting go” is arguably one of the most important differences in the way creating new business in Asia and the West.