invites an explanation of the history or origin of titles or names, providing you with personal information that may be useful. ● Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with nine royal houses. With so many royals, international business visitors are likely to encounter one sooner or later. Titles and means of address vary; ask a native how a particular royal should be addressed. ● Never be overly familiar with a business contact. Most executives you meet should be addressed with a title and their name. If a per- son does not have a professional title (such as Engineer, Doctor, or Teacher), a westerner may use “Mr.” or “Madam/Mrs./Miss” plus the name. However, be aware that you may be omitting other titles that are important both to the person and to your under- standing of that person. e traditional Malay forms of Mr., Mrs., or Miss are: Mr. = Encik (which may be abbreviated as “En”) Mrs. or Madame = Puan Miss (an unmarried woman) = Cik ese are used in front of an individual’s name (e.g., Mr. Ahmadi would be properly addressed as Encik Ahmadi.) Although there is no Malay equivalent for “Ms.,” the current trend is to use Puan for any adult female. ● ere are additional titles that may be used once you become closer to your Malaysian associates. One title which is important in business circles is Tuan, which is conferred when a man is in a respected position of authority. ● When you ask Malaysian associates about their titles and names, explain about yours as well. ey may be equally unsure as to which of your names is your surname. Follow their lead as to the degree of formality. Don’t tell a Malaysian “just call me Tony” when you are calling him Dr. Gupta. ● Each of the three major ethnic groups in Malaysia has dierent naming patterns. For information on the proper titles and forms of address for Muslims, Indians, and Chinese, please see Appendix A. Malaysia 89 90 Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: Asia Cultural Note As part of the “Vision 2020” plan for Malaysia, an economic center for information technology (IT) was built, called the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC). The MSC officially starts at the Petronas Twin Towers (which were the tallest buildings in the world until they were topped by a building in Taipei in 2004) and runs for fifty kilometers. It also includes Putrajaya—a largely commuter-based area for administrative and federal offices, and Cyberjaya, a technology center. Gestures ● Aside from handshakes, there is no public contact between the sexes in Malaysia. Do not kiss or hug a person of the opposite sex in public—even if you are husband and wife. On the other hand, contact between people of the same sex is permitted. Men may hold hands with men or even walk with their arms around each other; this is interpreted as nothing except friendship. ● Among both Muslims and Hindus, the le hand is considered unclean. Eat with your right hand only. Where possible, do not touch anything or anyone with your le hand if you can use your right hand instead. Accept gis and hold cash in the right hand. (Obviously, when both hands are needed, use them both.) ● e foot is also considered unclean. Do not move anything with your feet, and do not touch anything with your feet. ● Do not show the soles of your feet (or shoes). is restriction determines how one sits: You can cross your legs at the knee, but not place one ankle on your knee. However, any form of leg cross- ing is ostentatiously casual in Malaysia; never cross your legs in the presence of Malaysian royalty. ● Do not prop your feet up on anything not intended for feet, such as a desk. ● It is impolite to point at anyone with the forenger. Malays use a forenger only to point at animals. Even pointing with two n- gers is impolite among many Indians. When you must indicate something or someone, use the entire right hand (palm out). You can also point with your right thumb, as long as all four ngers are curled down. (Make sure all your ngers are curled—older Malays would interpret a st with the thumb and little nger extended as an insult.) ● Pounding one st into the palm of the other hand is considered obscene. ● e head is considered the seat of the soul by many Indians and Malays. Never touch someone’s head, not even to pat the hair of a child. ● Among Indians, a side-to-side toss of one’s head indicates agree- ment, although Westerners may interpret it to mean “no.” Watch carefully; the Indian head toss is not quite the same as the Western negative nod (which leads with the jaw). ● As in much of the world, to beckon someone, you hold your hand out, palm downward, and make a scooping motion with the ngers. Beckoning someone with the palm up and wagging one nger, as in the USA, can be construed as an insult. ● Standing tall with your hands on your hips—the “arms akimbo” position—is always interpreted as an angry, aggressive posture. ● e comfortable standing distance between two people in Malay- sia varies with each culture. In general, stand as far apart as you would if you were about to shake hands (about two to three feet). Indians tend to stand a bit further apart (three or three and a half feet). Gifts ● e Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency has strict laws against bribery. Avoid giving gis that could be interpreted as bribes. ● Gis are exchanged between friends. Do not give a gi to anyone before you have established a personal relationship with her or him. Otherwise, the gi may have the appearance of a bribe. ● It is not the custom to unwrap a gi in the presence of the giver. To do so would suggest that the recipient is greedy and impatient. Worse, if the gi is somehow inappropriate or disappointing, both parties would be embarrassed. Expect the recipient to thank you briey, then put the still-wrapped gi aside until you have le. ● Because pork and alcohol are prohibited to observing Muslims, do not give them as gis to Malays. Other foods make good gis, Malaysia 91 92 Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: Asia although meat products must be halal (the Muslim equivalent of kosher). e prohibition against pork and alcohol also precludes pigskin products and perfumes containing alcohol. ● Muslim Malays consider dogs unclean. Do not give toy dogs or gis with pictures of dogs. ● Remember that personal gis from a man to a woman can be misinterpreted as romantic oerings. ● Don’t wrap gis to ethnic Malays in white paper; white is associ- ated with funerals. ● e Chinese traditionally decline a gi three times before accept- ing; this prevents them from appearing greedy. Continue to insist; once they accept the gi, say that you are pleased that they have done so. ● Gis of food are always appreciated by Chinese, but avoid bring- ing food gis with you to a dinner or party (unless it has been agreed upon beforehand). To bring food may imply that your host cannot provide enough. Instead, send food as a thank-you gi aerward. Candy or fruit baskets are good choices. ● For further information on Chinese gi-giving practices, see pages 14–15. ● Among Indians, the frangipani ower (used by Hawaiians to make leis) is used only for funeral wreaths. ● If you give money to an Indian, make sure it is an odd number (just the opposite of Chinese tradition). Usually this is done by adding a single dollar; for example, give $11 instead of $10. ● Observant Hindus do not eat beef or use products made from cattle. is eliminates most leather products as gis. Dress ● Just north of the Equator, Malaysia is hot and humid all year long. Most of the lowlands have a daytime temperature range of 75 to 95°F and humidity between 60 and 70 percent. ● Lower temperatures occur only in the mountainous areas, where businesspeople rarely venture (except for tourism). Mountain temperatures can actually dip below freezing at night. ● e monsoon season runs from September through December, but sudden showers occur all year long. Many people carry an umbrella every day. ● As a foreigner, you should dress conservatively until you are sure what degree of formality is expected. Men should wear a suit jacket and tie. ● Because of the heat and humidity, business dress in Malaysia is sometimes casual. Standard formal oce wear for men is dark pants and a light-colored long-sleeved shirt and tie, without a jacket. Businessmen may also wear a short-sleeved shirt with no tie. ● Businesswomen wear light-colored long-sleeved blouses and skirts, or business suits. ● Many Malaysian men wear an open-necked batik shirt to work. is is also popular for casual wear. Jeans are acceptable for casual wear, but shorts should be avoided. ● In deference to Muslim and Hindu sensibilities, women should always wear garments that cover at least their upper arms. Skirts should be knee-length or longer. Cultural Note The use of electronic gadgets has become ubiquitous in Asia. Cell phones alone have changed cultural norms. One unfortunate example is that of a Malaysian football player who terminated his engagement via a text message the morning of the wedding! The bride then had to face 1,000 guests alone at their traditional Malaysian wedding feast. The incident appalled the player’s Kedah State Football Association—and all his teammates, who had been invited to the wedding. Because he tarnished the game’s image, the player’s contract was terminated. Malaysia 93 94 Philippines Republic of the Philippines Local short form: Pilipinas Local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas Cultural Note Culturally, Filipinos are unique. Although the majority are of Malay stock, most have Hispanic surnames, are Roman Catholic (this is the only Christian nation in Asia), and speak some English. This makes the Philippines the fourth-largest English-speaking country in the world, after the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and India. ● 3 WHAT’S YOUR CULTURAL IQ? 1. e Philippine archipelago is comprised of 7,107 islands. Which of these is not a large Philippine island? a. Java b. Luzon c. Mindanao ANSWER: a. Java is an island, but it is part of Indonesia. 2. TRUE or FALSE? Boogong and Balut are indigenous Philippine languages. ANSWER: FALSE. They are traditional delicacies. A rite of passage that will endear you to Filipinos consists of eating one of the few local dishes that foreigners are squeamish about. These include the foul-smelling shrimp paste called bogoong, or the boiled embryonic duck egg called balut. 3. Which of the following women have not served as president of the Philippines? a. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo b. Imelda Marcos c. Corazon Aquino ANSWER: b. Imelda Marcos was the wife of former president Ferdinand E. Marcos. ● 3 TIPS ON DOING BUSINESS IN THE PHILIPPINES ● Titles are important to Filipinos—so important that many employees are rewarded with impressive-sounding titles (and little else). Address an executive by his or her title and surname, but do not expect to be able to tell much about a person’s importance from the title. ● Filipinos are extremely familiar with Western business practices, but that does not mean they follow them precisely. Do not expect Filipino executives to make decisions independently of their associates and upper management. ey respect authority in their organizations and will want to obtain the approval of senior man- agement before deciding on a contract. An extensive government bureaucracy slows down action even further. Be patient. ● Kinship is everything in the Philippines. You will be accepted more rapidly if you can explain your relationship to someone the Filipinos already know. Even if the relationship is distant (i.e., you are the friend of the brother of someone they know), it will help establish you as a related, connected person. ● Groups of Filipinos do not arrange themselves in neat lines. Instead, they form a pushing, shoving crowd, with each person out for him- or herself. e only times that Filipinos have queued in neat lines was under the gun of armed soldiers (such as during the Japanese occupation army in World War II). ● ere is a rather short-term orientation, so break down your proj- ects into manageable sections. Deeply involved, long-term plans can be viewed as onerous and unrealistic. ● 3 COUNTRY BACKGROUND Demographics Approximately 90 million Filipinos (2006 estimate) live on about 2,000 islands in the Philippines. e population of Manila, the capital Philippines 95 96 Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: Asia and largest city, has surpassed ten million. Around 90 percent of Fili- pinos are Christians, and approximately 5 percent are Muslims. History e Philippine Islands were inhabited before recorded human history. To this day, one can nd human cultures living there at every level of technology. Many Filipinos live in modern, bustling Pacic Rim cities, while others live in isolated tropical jungles. is cultural diversity began in the tenth century .., when the Chinese began to trade with Filipinos. Eventually, some Chinese stayed in the Philip- pines. Although ethnic Chinese represent a small percent of the Phil- ippine population, they control about half of the nation’s commerce and banking. While many prominent Filipinos have Chinese ances- try, there is considerable hostility toward the Chinese dominance of business. Arab traders introduced Islam to the Philippines in the fourteenth century. Concentrated in the southern islands, these Muslims ercely resisted both Spanish and American authority. eir refusal to yield to colonial overlords is a source of pride to many Filipinos, Muslim and Christian alike. e Portuguese navigator Magellan led a Spanish eet to the Phil- ippines in 1521 and named the islands aer King Philip II of Spain. Spaniards subsequently ruled for 350 years and brought Catholicism to the islands, as well as the Latino attitudes and traditions that are now a major part of the Filipino makeup. Filipino nationalism also manifested itself under Spanish domination; for example, Filipino- born clergy agitated for equality with the Spanish clergy in the nineteenth century. e Spanish language and culture never became totally dominant in the Philippines, perhaps because Spain did not rule directly. e Philippines were overseen indirectly, via Mexico. Aer the Spanish-American War, the Philippines were ceded to the United States of America in 1898. Already ghting against their Spanish overlords, Filipinos had no desire to be ruled by another colonial power. e Philippine insurrection against the United States lasted over twelve years and cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of Filipinos. But aer the war, the USA brought infrastructure development to the country. It was in the U.S.-built public schools that English became a predominant language. Under U.S. control, the nation became the Commonwealth of the Philippines in 1935. In 1941, the Japanese conquest of the Philippines demonstrated to Filipinos that the USA was not unbeatable. e Philippines were liberated in 1945 by Allied troops, both U.S. and Filipino. Full inde- pendence for the Philippines came on July 4, 1946. Type of Government e Republic of the Philippines has been an independent nation since 1946. Many Filipinos see their history as a struggle against for- eign domination, rst by Spain, then by the USA. e Republic of the Philippines is a unitary republic patterned aer the United States of America. e president of the Philippines is both head of state and head of the government. ere are two legisla- tive houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. e rst Philippine Constitution dates back to 1935. Aer the Philippines became an independent republic, U.S. military bases were a source of contention, a constant reminder of colonial domina- tion. Furthermore, the USA exerted tremendous inuence, as when it helped to keep the corrupt dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos in power for twenty-one years! e end of the Cold War reduced the importance of the two major U.S. bases in the Philippines, Clark Air Force Base and Subic Bay Naval Base. While the U.S. and Philippine governments were negotiating over the future of the bases, Mount Pinatubo erupted in June 1991. Buried under volcanic ash, Clark Air Force Base was rendered unusable. A new deal was negotiated to allow Subic Bay Naval Base to remain open. President Corazon Aquino agreed, but the Philippine Senate rejected it. e Philippine people themselves were split over the issue; had it been put to a refer- endum, the majority might have voted to allow U.S. forces to remain at Subic Bay Naval Base. In 1992 Corazon Aquino’s defense minister, Fidel Ramos, was elected president. He had a stable six-year term. Following President Ramos, a former movie star was elected in 1998—Joseph Estrada. His term in oce was cut short because he was charged with taking Philippines 97 . hostility toward the Chinese dominance of business. Arab traders introduced Islam to the Philippines in the fourteenth century. Concentrated in the southern. TIPS ON DOING BUSINESS IN THE PHILIPPINES ● Titles are important to Filipinos—so important that many employees are rewarded with impressive-sounding titles