“’Still a long way to go’ was the only way an Asian businessman could describe Australian understanding of Asian cultures when he received the Connect Malaysia and Cultural Synergies announcement for the upcoming Understanding Malaysian Culture for SMEs workshop,” said Connect Malaysia Principal Consultant, Mr Joe Perri.
Commenting further, Mr Perri said, “Unfortunately, cultural blunders, mistakes and a lack of appreciation for Asian culture beyond a superficial level continue to be the norm. The first and hardest hurdle is to think outside the ‘Aussie cultural bubble’ and realize the importance of time and frequency that is required in the process to establish and build relationships”.
Malaysia has been a top ten trading partner for Australia over many years, with the country’s pro-business economy acting as beacon attracting many entrepreneurs to venture north. The Malaysia Australia Free Trade Agreement (MAFTA) that came into effect January 2013 is another incentive making the Malaysian marketplace attractive for SMEs.
“Unfortunately, lack of understanding of local language, culture, customs and many other factors continue to scuttle prospects for success in Malaysia at the first P2P encounter for the hopeful Australian businessman,” continued Mr Perri.
This need and desire to assist Australian SMEs was the motivation that brought Cultural Synergies and Connect Malaysia together to develop the Understanding Malaysian Culture for SMEs workshop to be held at the office of MATRADE, Malaysia’s external trade agency located at 432 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.
The workshop program has been developed and will be presented by Malaysian-born Dr Tom Verghese, an internationally renowned expert, consultant author and main platform/workshop presenter on cross-cultural awareness and Cultural Intelligence (CQ).
“Although a destination with many commercial opportunities and potential, Malaysia can also be a challenging experience. Failure to understand and adapt to Malaysian cultural rules and business practices will invariably result in frustration and misunderstanding,” said Dr Verghese.
“The Understanding Malaysian Culture for SMEs workshop on Saturday May 6 will focus on providing practical information and advice on the various aspects of living and working in Malaysia, as well as conveying an understanding of the underlying elements that shape Malaysian culture inside and outside the workplace.
The workshop program will comprise three core areas – Communication, Etiquette, and Organisational Hierarchy, and how to avoid misunderstandings with prospective business contacts and clients.
Cultural differences in business etiquette is where things can really go off the rails,” emphasised Dr Verghese.
“Organisational hierarchy and attitudes towards management roles are a reflection of the country’s societal values or level of social equality. Hierarchy in the workplace defines roles and responsibilities across the organisation and means that those in senior management positions command respect and expect a certain level of formality and deference from junior team members,” explained Dr Verghese.
In contrast, Australian companies emphasise social equality and tend to have comparatively flat organisational structures that include relatively informal communication and an emphasis on cooperation across the business.
So when bringing together operational teams with diverse attitudes and expectations of organisational hierarchy, it can be easy to see why these cultural differences can present a challenge.
Effective communication is therefore essential for success when doing business overseas, but it is particularly critical when messages can be ‘lost in translation’. Hence, it is imperative that it is done so correctly.
Dr Verghese concluded, “While navigating cross-cultural communication can be a challenge, approaching cultural differences in Malaysia with sensitivity, openness, curiosity and respect are the all-important building blocks.”
Mr Perri reiterated, “The purpose of the Understanding Malaysian Culture for SMEs workshop is to provide an introduction to the challenges and opportunities of working in Malaysia and preparing SMEs for doing business in the country.
We also plan to follow the workshop with a roundtable late July / early August at which the attendees will hear from business owners operating in Malaysia, who will provide actual insights into their experiences on the ground in Malaysia.”
Following on from the roundtable event will be a familiarisation program to Malaysia in October, with Cultural Synergies and Connect Malaysia facilitating meetings and introductions for interested SMEs.
NOTE: The Understanding Malaysian Culture for SMEs workshop will be held on Saturday May 6. For enquiries and registration please contact Cultural Synergies by email at [email protected] or telephone 03 9909 7456
Issued jointly by: Connect Malaysia & Cultural Synergies www.connectmalaysia.com.au / www.culturalsynergies.com
Services
Stakeholder mapping, analysis, engagement and communication needs to be detailed to avoid business losses or even worse, a crisis. How can you do this effectively to prevent failure? ...
Data-driven business decisions have never been as crucial, especially in this era. MGBF leverages off, technology, experience and market presence to aid businesses in making accurate decisions. ...
MGBF provides comprehensive strategic advice and results-focused solutions to solve clients' problems in business-government relations so they can focus on their core business. ...
A critical business challenge is meeting the right decision-makers and potential buyers through the best channel and platform. How will you improve your business competency? ...
Upcoming Events
In this episode of 'A Working Lunch with Nordin', MGBF's Nordin Abdullah and regional commentator Eddin Khoo will discuss the biggest threats and opportunities for businesses as we look to manage change in the South China Sea.
This MGBF Roundtable will feature thought leaders form Japan, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia dealing with the critical issues of manipulation of public listed companies and government and their financial impacts.
A series of networking sessions with various business associations and trade organisations exploring high-value opportunities for business leaders and entrepreneurs looking to build the relationships that matter.
This integrated event will include a forum, dedicated business matching, site visits, a gala dinner and a round of golf. Aptly themed, the focus will be on regional food security issues and trends in the context of the supply chain, agriculture technology and trade regulations and policies.
MGBF In The News
Planet QEOS and China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) are interested in investing RM10 billion to co-develop advanced Megawatt peak (MWp) agrovoltaic in Baram, to further boost Sarawak’s green energy initiative and food security. Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg was briefed on Friday by both the […]
Last week SPM results came out, 373,974 aspirants who have been waiting patiently over the last few months would now know their fate. Some 10,109 have received all A’s, the golden standard of academic success and the ticket to those looking to study the “more advanced” subjects in university. Proudly, […]
The classic knee-jerk reaction is to say, fire the coach, change the leadership of associations, and reduce the funding till they start performing better. This kind of negative reinforcement may work for kindergarten children, but we are dealing with high-performance adults – individuals much further along in their psychological and […]
Since its earliest tea plantations in 1929, Cameron Highlands has grown to become a key player in the agricultural landscape of Malaysia, producing 40 per cent of all vegetables grown. Despite Malaysia shifting its economic focus away from agriculture, the industry remains imperative for food security and the livelihoods of […]
Although at first glance the travel industry and the agricultural sector appear to have nothing in common, they actually share more than meets the eye. The economic benefits of tourism to the agricultural sector can be multiplied several times over. “Tourism brings the end consumers closer to the source, which […]
The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) recently held a high-level roundtable themed ‘Designing the Future of the Digital Economy’, attended by industry leaders and business associations. The guest of honour was Yang Berhormat Syerleena Abdul Rashid, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bukit Bendera in Penang. The MP’s Special Session […]
The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) will be hosting a roundtable on ‘Designing the Future of the Digital Economy’ on 23 February 2023. It is the culmination of the first three MGBF Exclusive Roundtable Series titled ‘The Evolving Threat Matrix in the Digital Economy’ held throughout 2022. According to the […]
The Founding Chairman of the Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF), Nordin Abdullah, today spoke on Bernama TV’s leading English talk show, The Brief, hosted by Jessy Chahal, on the topic of a stable political reality and what that means for the Malaysian economy. Nordin said, “The first thing that it […]
More than 1,100 years ago, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi was developing the mathematical formulas that we know today as algorithms which now have become so intertwined with the business fortunes of global media giants and the very fabric of geopolitics. A series of recent high level international reports have revealed […]
KSK Land has been recognised by the Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) for its role in attracting high net-worth individuals to Malaysia post-pandemic. The first challenge in investor attraction is “selling” the country. In the context of Asia, Malaysia is competing with some very established investment destinations. The second […]
Malaysia, in particular Kuala Lumpur, continues to position itself as a regional centre to do business, educate a family and enjoy a global lifestyle. One company, KSK Land, has taken the lead in positioning itself and the city of Kuala Lumpur as a property investment destination for the global citizen […]
The upcoming budget represents an opportunity to build resilience in the critical sectors that will form the backbone of the country’s future-facing economic ambitions. This however needs to be achieved in the context of managing the community sectors most impacted by COVID-19 over the past two years. The Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) […]
Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) has moved to support the creative economy as the overall economy moves into a recovery phase following the COVID19 pandemic. As a step in the direction of normalcy, the MGBF has agreed to host the art exhibition “I Know You’re Somewhere So Far” by one […]
Congratulations to Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for taking up the mantle of the ninth prime minister of Malaysia. There is nothing normal about the situation; it could not have been scripted but it has kept the spectrum of media, mainstream and social, gripped. The first order of business for […]
In a stirring speech to the nation, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. stamped his brand of leadership on the presidency, in his first act as the 46th president of the United State of America, it signaled several shifts. Perhaps the weather was foreboding with snow falling before the ceremony that […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 6 July 2022 – As the global economy continues to deal with unprecedented levels of disruption caused by the pandemic and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the convergence of energy security and food security issues has become a front-of-mind issue faced by policy makers and consumers alike. […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 23 June 2022 — Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) ties up with scoutAsia to ensure that businesses are equipped with deeper regional insights. The past two years has seen a massive shift in the way businesses are conducted with digitisation, digitalisation and automation continuously being adopted to improve […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 25 May 2022 – The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF)’s exclusive roundtable on ‘Security Concerns in Critical Value Chains’ was held in a hybrid setting yesterday at the Eastin Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The guest of honour was Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Rafidah Aziz, former minister of […]
We live in the age of crisis. At the heart of any crisis is the threat of rapid change. Change too deep or too wide that the current coping mechanisms for an individual, corporation or government are unable to remain resilient. An unwelcome paradigm shift, like the proverbial spider, that […]
