Doing Business in the ASEAN Countries

Southeast Asia is home to the ten ASEAN nations of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Collectively they comprise a huge market of over half a billion people, with a total land area of 4.5 million square kilometers, a combined domestic product in excess of US$1.1 trillion and total trade of over US$1.4 trillion. It is the most dynamic and fastest growing region in the world but also has some of the world's most distinctive cultures and business systems. It offers tremendous opportunities for investors and businesses. But to succeed you need to be familiar with the unique business environment including political and business systems, cultural idiosyncrasies, management practices, social structures, legal frameworks, government priorities, potential competition, establishing relationships and selecting partners, and dealing with corruption and other ethical pitfalls. The book will apply a framework to understand each country along these dimensions. This book is a practical and comprehensive guide to succeeding in ASEAN countries. It allows for a deeper understanding of the business environment of these diverse economies. You will be better able to evaluate the risk factors and make meaningful decisions.

Dr. Balbir B. Bhasin is the associate professor of international business at the John F. Welch College of Business, Sacred Heart University in Connecticut and Luxembourg. He holds the Master of International Management (MIM) degree (with Distinctions) from the prestigious Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona, and a PhD in international business from the University of South Australia in Adelaide. Balbir Bhasin grew up in Singapore and has lived and worked in most of the Southeast Asian countries. He is multi-cultured and multi-lingual and has been both in the public and the private sectors there. He currently advises companies eager to benefit from the opportunities in emerging Asia.