Chapter Case #1
1. Australia and New Zealand have a very different culture from pretty much every other country in Asia, especially when it comes to how business is done. Even though Indonesia has many business opportunities that other countries could take part in, such as, agribusiness, the automotive industry, business and financial services, construction and infrastructure, information and communication technology, e-commerce, education and training; environmental products and services, food and beverages, fresh produce, health and medical provision, mining and mineral services, oil and petroleum drilling, transport and storage, science and technology the countries still all conduct business in very different ways. Sensitivity to the needs of employees is a management technique that is seldom stressed in most Western business vultures where efficiency, productivity, and effectiveness take priority. In Asia there is a greater need to produce a long-term relationship to produce a profit than there is in Australia or New Zealand. Australian and New Zealanders are more set on completing a task rather than creating relationships, but other Asians place more value on harmony, understanding, and mutual respect. Sometimes this emphasis is more valuable than productivity and job performance. Also, other Asian countries believe that Westerners should make an effort to adjust to the culture, taboos, and their language.
2. The Indonesian archipelago is unique to Asia in the respects that it is a country of more than 17,000 islands and the world’s largest Muslim nation. It is very unique in terms of extent and diversity. For example some of Indonesia is covered in fertile volcanic soil while the rest of the country is rich in mineral resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Some of the country experience annual floods while the rest of the region suffer regularly from droughts that lead to famine.
3. Indonesian managers place more