ABSTRACT
The twenty-first century has been predicted to be "the Century of Asia" or the "Pacific Century" in the same way that the twentieth was the American Century, and the nineteenth was the British Century. South and Southeast Asia require careful consideration for those intending to do business there. The regions contain countries where it is relatively easy to do business, but also countries where business conditions are very challenging. It is relatively easy to do business in Singapore because it is relatively easy to start a business, investors are well protected by law, and products or services are easily exported without bureaucratic "red tape". National character is a term describing enduring personality differences found when comparing populations in different national states. Hinduism, the religion of the majority of Indians, believes that birth is destiny. It perpetuates the caste system, separating the social classes by occupations, so that privileges or disadvantages are transmitted by inheritance.
