COVER STORY • Exploring Future Relations in East Asia • 5O

ut-of-the-Box Consultancy:a Premium Enterprise forCross-Asia Cultural Exchange

By Man-Jung Mignonne ChanAuthor
Man-Jung Mignonne ChanJapan SPOTLIGHT Introduction
Dr. Man-Jung Mignonne Chan is a distinguished long-time member of JEF’s Asia-Pacific Forum (established in2003). She has been an invaluable associate and contributor of a wide range of articles to Japan SPOTLIGHT. Aneminent political economist and policy advisor in Taiwan, she recently added another qualification to her resume asan entrepreneur. Her story related below as the owner of a start-up company presents us with a different facet of Asian
regional cooperation from the those on which discussions usually focus.

Background of the Founder

Essence for International Endeavors

I have a cross-country post-graduate education in Taiwan and theUnited States. My professional career over the past four decades
includes:• advanced academic research & teaching in international political
economy & global business environment;• senior advisor in the government at the top level and member ofparliament; and• top executive positions in regional organizations [including
APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation), ABAC (APEC
Business Advisory Council), PECC (Pacific EconomicCooperation Council), and PBEC (Pacific Basin EconomicCouncil)].
I set up the Out-of-the-Box Consultancy (OTBC) in Taipei in 2014,
and then in Hong Kong in 2017.

The body-mind-soul component of humans determines our valuesystems, methods of problem-solving, and interpersonal as wellinternational relations. The priority of looking into our inner core
precedes the very self-assuming “best practice”, which often derives
from either a self-imposed altruistic mission or an arrogant selfdefined one-and-only supremacy. Many plural and multilateralschemes are repeating the enthusiasm-then-disillusion on-and-off
cycles of invention-then-dismantlement. Cross-cultural exchange
could nurture cross-fertilization of value systems, and thereby
consolidate our common grounds for problem-solving.

Photo 1: Author

Corporate Goals & ValueOTBC aims to help shape inter-Asia cultural exchange in thecontext of geo-political and geo-economic changing dynamics.
OTBC’s core value is confidence-building and win-win-for-all
prosperity. OTBC aspires:• to put the core value into practice so as to transcend our limited
confines;• to initiate innovative ideas;• to embrace optimal solutions; and• to reach higher ground in human endeavors.
This is particularly of relevance when populism and protectionism
are on the rise in the West. Asian values, embedded in civilizations atleast 5,000 years old, encompass a rich cultural heritage which defines
the relationship among Heaven, Earth, and the people (Photo 1).
24 Japan SPOTLIGHT • January / February 2019

Dr. Chan as a keynote speaker at the inauguration of the Deh-HongInnovation Forum in China on Aug. 16, 2016

https://www.jef.or.jp/journal/

COVER STORY 5

Photo 2: Author

Dr. Chan, former director-general of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, and Pascal
Lamy, former director-general of the World Trade Organization, at a Smart Cities Forum inTaipei on March 28, 2018

Approaches to Problem-Solving
I believe that human civilization needs greater harmonization
among its various systematic structures, that we need more
integration between the human and the natural environments, andthat we need to develop greater empathy between human hearts. The
multilateral establishments of social, economic, political, and humansecurity are embedded in consensus-building and conflict resolution.
Only if we transcend our endowed or man-made confines can weforge any long-lasting consensus on problem resolution. Based on
this desire for mutual enlightenment, OTBC aspires to work on not
merely technical skill-training but also on potential synergies forcross-cultural learning and self-discovery to generate the wisdom forproblem-solving (Photo 2).

Corporate Projects & Activities
Cultures encompass our daily life of food, clothing, shelter,transportation, education, and entertainment. In an age of scientificbreakthroughs and digital economy, where science elevates living
standards on the one hand but risks detrimental destruction tonatural and human environments on the other, OTBC aspires to help
find technical solutions in supply chain connectivity — such as foodsecurity for bodily nourishment, natural and environmentally friendly
fabrics for clothing, smart cities for better living, for sound andPhoto 3: Author

Dalawan in Miao-Li, Taiwan: an “Edu-Retreat” haven for the body-mind-soulrejuvenation

efficient traffic management, for innovative e-learning and big-datacloud-computing, and healthy and rewarding self-discovery andmind-elevation. Mutual learning of the best in each civilization within
Asia would contribute to ways to resolve bottlenecks and conflicts inthe path of human and national development (Photo 3).

In Search of Like-Minded Partnerships
OTBC has helped in various businesses, including organic agrobusiness, the health industry, smart city projects, the electronic andsemi-conductor industries, airline business, negotiation training, andcultural innovation. OTBC is currently designing some body-mindsoul “Edu-Retreat” projects for top business and government
decision makers, and for family reunions, etc., particularly in theharmonious ambience of Heaven-Earth-being and integrated
approach to body-mind-soul. Only if we human beings are in theright state of body-mind-soul can our endeavors to make structuralchanges — personal, familial, national, international, and global —be sustained in our lifetime and decades ahead. OTBC welcomes likeminded partners to collaborate for the good cause of cultural
exchange and human endeavors.

Dr. Man-Jung Mignonne Chan is Chair & CEO of Out-of-the-Box Consultancy
Pte. Ltd.

Japan SPOTLIGHT • January / February 201925