ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with three of the most successful economic powers and trading nations in the world-China, Japan, and South Korea. A useful way to understand Chinese, Japanese, and Korean business attitudes and practices is through directly comparing how they differ from each other. There are many surface similarities, but these mask intrinsic differences. Katz observed that trust-based business relationships were very important for doing business in Korea, and critically important in China and Japan. In all cases, the expectation is that strong bonds will need to be demonstrated prior to any agreements or deals being closed, and that these bonds will develop into genuine friendship over time. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean counterparts all expect to engage in low-key, quiet, and respectful conversations. They all regard loud voices and emotional over- or undertones as lack of emotional control, a bad sign for a potential business associate or partner.
