Usha C. V. Haley

Crafted culture: governmental sculpting of modern Singapore and effects on business environments

The Singaporean government has enjoyed an astounding record of success based on its ability to attract MNCs and corresponding capital. Government‐led development has involved crafting a culture that will adapt to MNCs’ needs and to fast‐changing global environments in a restructured economy. The socially re‐engineered Singaporean culture appears hierarchical, disciplined, authoritarian and a showcase for technocratic management. Yet, further crafting of the Singaporean culture along the top‐down, technocratic model seems to result in a diminishing ability to produce creative, innovative and productive workers for the knowledge economy and the MNCs that dominate it. The authors sketch the ideological bases for Singapore’s crafted culture and explore Singapore’s distinctive characteristics as well as governmental policies that have molded this culture. They proceed to highlight specific governmental policies that are designing Singapore for the restructured, globalizing and fast‐changing knowledge economy; and discuss the competing model offered by Taiwan. Finally, the authors propose some implications for civic society and cultural change in Singapore.

When the tourists flew in: strategic implications of foreign direct investment in Vietnam’s tourism industry

Emphasizes that tourism forms the largest industry in the world and the Vietnamese Government has targeted it for strategic foreign direct investment (FDI). Notes although researchers and policy makers comprehend particular aspects of tourism, they often misperceive how the variables interact within economic and political systems. Elaborates on experiences in similar and related Asian markets that indicate policies necessary to develop a sustainable, socially and ecologically‐desirable tourism industry through appropriate balancing of key stakeholders’ goals. First defines sustainable development in the context of tourism and indicates its relevance for Vietnam. Next, analyses some economic and social costs and benefits associated with tourism; also interprets recent governmental policies’ influences. Finally, provides policy recommendations for the future of sustainable and economically‐viable national tourism development in Vietnam.

The logic of Chinese business strategy: East versus West: part II

Purpose – Despite close to two decades of foreign direct investment (FDI) in China, and the countrys enormous market potential, most US and European multinational corporations (multinationals) have never made a profit in that country. The distribution of profits among multinationals also seems highly skewed. The latest survey on profitability showed that five US companies accounted for one‐third of equity profits among US‐based multinationals in China. This research presented in two parts proposes explanations for why multinationals fail in China and strategic solutions for profitable operations.Design/methodology/approach – Through in‐depth interviews with 29 CEOs and directors of major, profitable US and European multinationals, Overseas Chinese companies and PRC Chinese companies, this paper proposes a model of strategic convergence for successful operations in China. The first part discusses cultural and cognitive differences between Westerners and Chinese that affect the strategies they choose. The ...

Boxing with shadows: competing effectively with the Overseas Chinese and Overseas Indian business networks in the Asian arena

Asserts that foreign multinational corporations (MNCs) investing in or expanding business operations in China, South and Southeast Asia often find themselves sparring with local business groups. Draws on research and experiences with firms in the region in order to enhance understandings of competitive dealings with two business networks that dominate the Southeast Asian economies ‐ the Overseas Chinese and the Overseas Indians, collectively referred to as “the Networks”. Measures the sparring rings in Asia through the historical conditions that contributed to the Networks’ fighting stances and to Asian business environments. Proceeds to place the two Asian competitors under the spotlight by highlighting cultural differences between the Networks. Predicts the Networks’ movements by elaborating on their unique management and strategic decision‐making styles and discusses, finally, the implications of the Networks’ business practices for MNCs’ strategies and organizational restructuring in the Asian arena.

Virtual Singapores: shaping international competitive environments through business‐government partnerships

This article deals with Virtual Singapores, or Singapore’s efforts to clone itself through industrial parks in Asia’s developing countries. Through these cloned enclaves, tiny Singapore aims to control change and restructuring in Asian economic environments, and thereby its own destiny. The first section elaborates on Singapore’s regionalisation drive and Virtual Singapores. The ensuing section identifies the strategic goals for internationalizing Singapore Incorporated, the alliance of stakeholders that guides governmental policy in Singapore. The final section discusses the implications of the Virtual Singapores for competitive environments, as well as for organizational and structural changes in the Asia Pacific.

Managing for strategic success in emerging markets

Purpose – To develop a strategic model for effective management that incorporates aspects of strategic decision‐making from both industrialized and emerging markets.Design/methodology/approach – To interview senior managers (many at CEO level) of successful companies operating in emerging markets. We assume the senior managers best understand strategy formulation and implementation.Findings – A strategic model for both information rich and information void business environments.Research limitations/implications – We did not use a random sample, but rather a convenience sample of CEOs and senior managers of companies operating in emerging markets. This sample limits the study’s generalizability.Practical implications – Successful managers argued that best practices developed for information‐rich Western markets were not effective in information‐void emerging markets.Originality/value – The paper has value for managers moving from industrialized economies to emerging economies and vice‐versa, and to academi...