Individualism remains a novelty within the ranks of corporate Asia. Confucian traditions such as paternalism, protocol and relationship-based business arrangements continue to hold sway. The family makes the decisions . . . But as the economic environment becomes more volatile, speed and innovation, not sweetheart deals and stability, are gaining importance. Work is more collaborative, you seek consensus.
People pull together and it's fun.
At VirtualTek, a thriving South Korean maker of business communications software, employees ride skateboards in the hallways and bring their pets to work. Older staff members with their neatly organized work patterns and sophisticated business etiquette find the behavior unsettling, says Virtualtek cofounder Suh Ji Hyun. They should get used to it within new Asian corporations, lifetime employment is not guaranteed to anyone deferentially following the rules. I don't like to be bound by meaningless customs. Frustration felt by younger Asians toward restrictive business and social cultures is a frequent topic of bull sessions among the under-40 set.