The ethical difference in Asia

Hi again everyone,

In reference to my last post on event's co-ordination, we all know that our ethical behavior and ethical norms are essential for a PR Practioner anywhere around the world. When i was co-ordinating the event and several other projects, i was subjected to a few ethical queries that i was sure would not be seen as ethical or normal in Australia.

For example, in order to sign contracts and gain business deals i sometimes had to wine and dine some of the industry professionals in order to even get them to read my proposals. I found it quite difficult to understand at first because i thought i was bribing them to read my documents. Slowly i learnt that in order to get them to be interested, going out for lunch, dinner or after hours drinks were the most suitable time to discuss proposals; not because they want a free meal but because it was less stressful and it allowed a more comfortable atmosphere to discuss each others wants, needs and benefits out of the deal.

It was quite a learning curve for me and it took some time for me to actually gain a hold of the communication level my supervisor was on; essential the way we converse about a proposal is so different and it was not just about knowing when to be polite, aggresive or kind but to know when to be persuasive in the friendliest manner was the hardest for me to adjust to.

Overall, communication skills are so important in asia that there is a whole other language when it comes to making deals. I definitely learnt a lot when i followed my supervisor around and had the chance to try this myself as well.


Thanks again!

Jun