Deciding to Export
Differences Between Asia Pacific & Canada
While Asia Pacific markets are quite diverse in history and culture, there are several ways in which their business and cultural practices differ from those of Canada:
Asia Pacific markets are relationship-based whereas Canadians are more efficiency oriented.
Tip: You will need to invest time to develop personal relationships with potential agents, partners, and/or customers before you can do business. This means that it usually takes longer and more visits to the market in order to develop initial business than it would in another Canadian market.
Asia Pacific markets are more formal than are Canadians.
Tip: You will need to be sure to:
- Wear proper business attire.
- Be prompt to any appointments or meetings.
- Use honorifics when greeting or corresponding with others.
- Shake hands (or bow) at the beginning and the end of meetings.
- Ensure that representatives of your firm have the proper seniority.
- Use first names only after being invited to do so.
Asia Pacific markets place more importance on overt conflict avoidance and saving face than do Canadians.
Tip: It is very helpful to work with an intermediary who can help you avoid awkward confrontations, interpret to you what is really being meant, and act as an informal go-between to facilitate negotiations.
Asia Pacific markets place more importance on family and group membership than do Canadians.
Tip: You will need to develop a relationship (perhaps through your partner or agent) that makes you “like family” in order to really be successful. Be prepared for assumptions that hiring preference will be given to family members and remember that family relations can provide leverage to ensure that business interests are advanced.