Book Review: Unraveling the myth of 'Asia's new emperors'

Southeast Asia has a population of more than half a billion, yet its economy is dominated by about 40 families, most of overseas Chinese descent. Their conglomerates span sectors as diverse as real estate, telecommunications, hotels, industrial goods, computers and sugar plantations. New Asian Emperors: The Business Strategies of the Overseas Chinese unravels the myth behind the astounding success of these "new Asian emperors". This book offers groundbreaking insights into the strategic decision-making of the overseas Chinese business families of Southeast Asia. The authors based their conclusions on in-depth interviews spanning a decade with the often elusive overseas Chinese CEOs including Li Ka-shing, Stan Shih, Victor Fung, Stephen Riady and Sukanto Tanoto, as well as strategic information that their companies use.

In the midst of today's global economic crisis, New Asian Emperors takes a fresh look at the role and management practices of the overseas Chinese as they continue to create some of Asia's wealthiest and most successful companies. The journey begins by analyzing how the present-day management techniques and practices of the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia have been shaped by their history, culture and philosophy through the ages. By tracing the evolution of their strategies, the book facilitates understanding between business cultures by explaining the origins of overseas Chinese business in a direct and accessible manner.

Almost ten years ago, the authors called the Southeast Asian region an informational blackhole, something which The Economist labeled as "important research" in 2001. Today, this informational void remains, and the "new Asian emperors" continue to exploit it. Contrasting with the traditional strategic processes taught in Western business schools and used by Western management, the authors reveal the vastly different characteristics of the overseas Chinese management practices that have enabled them to operate so successfully within the informational blackhole. The book delineates the relative competitive advantages of the two schools of strategic management and discusses the implications for successfully cooperating and competing with the overseas Chinese of Southeast Asia.

New Asian Emperors is an authoritative and important book for any business that seeks to gain a holistic understanding of the role that cultural roots play in the dominance of the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia, and is a vital roadmap for any business that wants to succeed in Asia.

Book: New Asian Emperors: The Business Strategies of the Overseas Chinese

By Usha C.V. Haley, George T. Haley & Tan Chin Tiong

Price: $19.95; Pages: 272

ISBN: 978-0470-82334-7

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (Asia) Pte Ltd

(China Daily 06/01/2009 page5)