This is a subject I'm really really really into but I know it can get boring to some so forgive me in advance if this bores the heck out of you. Also it has something to do with my culture, so it most likely will not benefit anybody but it would be interesting to hear other peoples' thoughts. I don't get to discuss this in detail with anyone where I am because people won't understand -_- (cultural differences). I'd blog about it but I'd rather want to hear you guys' thoughts.
I have noticed that in all my years of working (6 years with an American company and now 3.5 years with an Asian company) that some of the major cultural differences between the east and the west (I know I'm generalising here but I don't wanna make this a super long thread) usually (personal experiences only though) have something to do with Christianity.
I'm talking about work ethics first, the Americans I've dealt when I worked with them before are, honest and have a standard that they follow. This, however, I don't see in my current company. Not that I'm complaining, but I can't help making observations. And I'm not being racist! I, am very Asian so I can't be racist towards my own. Most of the managers of my current company are more concerned about what their 'image' is to their boss. I'm not saying that that doesn't exist in the west, but it wasn't obvious to me when I worked with a western company. It seems to be a rather, common, thing here, however. My filipino friends from other companies have noticed the same.
Japan, however, is a different case. I still can't figure them out. They have Christian values but they're very Shinto buddhists. Where did they get the influence?
I'm just thinking out loud here but I think it's because of the lack of Christianity in the east that have caused development delays (at least for most). I'm from the Philippines, currently living in Singapore. I do think I have a wide view of both cultures having worked with them, also Philippines was influenced by the Spanish (for the longest time, ugh), and was later colonised by the Americans, so we're a little more open than the rest of Asia (maybe as much as India? because of their western colonisation, idk, assumptions here).
I have coworkers though, from Myanmar (who recently just became a democratic country) and Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, etc. And they have very very different values (some undesired, and rather professionally primitive) which I attribute to their having no idea of what Christianity is about and having never been exposed to Christian values (factors may include their government while growing up, they were not as open as I hoped they would be).
Anyway, these are just observations and I was thinking of posting this in the Filipinos' section but I wanna hear from the other cultures too. Have you guys made similar observations? No? Cricket cricket?
I have noticed that in all my years of working (6 years with an American company and now 3.5 years with an Asian company) that some of the major cultural differences between the east and the west (I know I'm generalising here but I don't wanna make this a super long thread) usually (personal experiences only though) have something to do with Christianity.
I'm talking about work ethics first, the Americans I've dealt when I worked with them before are, honest and have a standard that they follow. This, however, I don't see in my current company. Not that I'm complaining, but I can't help making observations. And I'm not being racist! I, am very Asian so I can't be racist towards my own. Most of the managers of my current company are more concerned about what their 'image' is to their boss. I'm not saying that that doesn't exist in the west, but it wasn't obvious to me when I worked with a western company. It seems to be a rather, common, thing here, however. My filipino friends from other companies have noticed the same.
Japan, however, is a different case. I still can't figure them out. They have Christian values but they're very Shinto buddhists. Where did they get the influence?
I'm just thinking out loud here but I think it's because of the lack of Christianity in the east that have caused development delays (at least for most). I'm from the Philippines, currently living in Singapore. I do think I have a wide view of both cultures having worked with them, also Philippines was influenced by the Spanish (for the longest time, ugh), and was later colonised by the Americans, so we're a little more open than the rest of Asia (maybe as much as India? because of their western colonisation, idk, assumptions here).
I have coworkers though, from Myanmar (who recently just became a democratic country) and Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, etc. And they have very very different values (some undesired, and rather professionally primitive) which I attribute to their having no idea of what Christianity is about and having never been exposed to Christian values (factors may include their government while growing up, they were not as open as I hoped they would be).
Anyway, these are just observations and I was thinking of posting this in the Filipinos' section but I wanna hear from the other cultures too. Have you guys made similar observations? No? Cricket cricket?