When Charles verbally disagreed and challenged a decision by Bill, his superior, he acted in a way that may have surprised or confused the Indonesians in the meeting. Bill didn t mind this disagreement. He knows that he is the boss and, if need be, can enforce the decision that he thinks is best. However, the deep undercurrent of equality that runs through the American mentality can also be seen in business relationships. Bill likes his employees to voice their opinions and assumes that if they do not say anything, they have no information or opinion to contribute.
Most western managers are able to separate business and personal issues fairly easily.
The difference is that Indonesian business relationships are personal relationships. Employment here is paternal in nature. The boss, or Bapak, is in a personal relationship with his employees and is responsible for the well being of his subordinates just as a father is responsible for the well being of his children. The employees return this paternal protection with loyalty and hard work. When the personal relationship is disturbed, the business relationship must, by definition, be disturbed also.