East Asian Business Specialist

Published Books by Bob March

Click on titles for comments by international book reviewers. If you wish to purchase any of these books, send an order to Bob March by email. (Note: The Chinese Negotiator, plus several other titles by Dr March, also can be purchased at amazon.com)
Crosscultural Business Communication(available)
The Chinese Negotiator(available)
Business Relationships with the Chinese(not available)
The Japanese Negotiator Reading the Japanese Mind(available in pdf)
The Honourable Customer[called "Honoring The Customer" in North America](available in pdf)
Working for a Japanese Company(not available)

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Crosscultural Business Communication:
This is an English-language text book, published by UIBE Press, Beijing. It is designed for graduate-level business and management students.
This book offers a comprehensive introduction to the subject of Cross-Cultural Business Communication (CCBC) from the viewpoint of China and the Chinese. It looks at the nature of culture, examines some different cultures, asks what is unique and challenging about "crossing" from one culture to another, looks closely at the concept of communication, including formal and informal communication, presentation, conversation and non-verbal skills. Problems commonly arising in cross-cultural business communication include-misunderstandings, mistakes, misinterpretations, mistranslations, misinformation, and misperceptions -- what I call the "Five Bad M's". Learning cross-cultural business communication experientially should be the preferred option for students. It is the way to improve individual skills and increase real-world communication effectiveness with foreigners through trial and error learning, and of personal feedback from the instructor.

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The Chinese Negotiator: How to Succeed in the World's Largest Market
By Robert M March & Su-Hua Wu (Kodansha international, Tokyo. Hardcover. 2006)
Click here for Amazon.com Review & Order Details
Book Reviews
"Authors Robert March, a negotiator and consultant since 1985, and Wu Su-hua, an entrepreneur for 25 years in Taiwan and Australia, provide 280 pages of tips on how to negotiate with teams of stoic chain-smokers who don't say what they're thinking. They tell foreign companies to negotiate according to a 12-step process and to pick a team with refined social graces and a taste for Chinese food. They explain why foreign teams must come to the table as a unified front but with a clear leader and every other member assigned non-conflicting responsibilities to avoid the appearance of uncertainty or risk spilling sensitive details too soon.
"More important, The Chinese Negotiator shares scores of subtle, example-rich insights about Chinese versus non-Chinese psychology in language that brilliantly transcends stereotypes. These lessons could help almost anyone get along in any Sino-foreign environment, whether as a negotiator, a boss or a common employee. The authors point out that overlooking these subtleties during a contract negotiation can quietly offend the Chinese side, which in turn might sign with a competing foreign firm or plot revenge against the offending party."
Asia Times. Online. March 13, 2007

"Anyone serious about success in China now has no excuse for making costly business negotiation mistakes. In this book veteran negotiators share their secrets of success in engaging case studies. Written from the Western Executive's viewpoint, Dr March is both thorough and candid in covering every aspect essential to successful Chinese negotiations. The Chinese Negotiator is now prescribed reading for all our senior consultants in the Asian region."
Calum Coburn, Global Director, The Negotiation Institute, New York, Sydney, and London

" 'The Chinese Negotiator' is an important resource for anyone doing business in China. It is filled with fascinating cases and examples of actual negotiations from which the authors skillfully draw important lessons."
Jeswald W. Salacuse, Henry J. Braker Professor of Law, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, and author of The Global Negotiator: Making, Managing and Mending Deals Around the World in the Twenty-first Century

"This is a fascinating book about how the Chinese negotiate and how foreign businesspeople can better prepare themselves to succeed in China. Anyone seeking to learn to become "Mr. China" will benefit immensely from the vivid case studies, insightful analyses and valuable advice. A significant achievement."
Tony Fang, Associate Professor of International Business, Stockholm University and author of Chinese Business Negotiating Style

"March and Wu's profound and down-to-earth grasp of how the Chinese negotiate makes this book a must-read. They go to the heart of the challenges facing any businessperson dealing with China, showing through many actual case studies what works and doesn't work. Their work is a comprehensive manual offering best insights on how to cut a successful path through the booming Chinese market. This is truly a 'Michelin guide' to the arts of negotiation in one of the most complex business worlds."
Wenran Jiang, Director, China Institute, University of Alberta, Canada

"Negotiating in Asia is an exciting and at times frustrating experience. It requires a blend of business, cultural, and psychological knowledge which can usually only be gained from years of experience. Robert March's vast experience and wisdom gained in the region makes him the leading exponent of the art of negotiating in Asia. In The Chinese Negotiator March condenses his years of experience in China into easy-to-understand principles and strategies to master the mysteries of dealing with the Chinese, one of the most formidable negotiators in the world."
Robert Seidler, Chairman, Hunter Phillip, Japan and China trade specialist

"With the number of businesspeople going to China for the first time rising each year, The Chinese Negotiator is going to immediately land on many people's want list. It really takes ownership of negotiating, offering a balanced mix of culture and business and a splash of history, with an emphases on ethical behavior, essential for successful, long-term business dealings in China. March and Wu clear away much of the confusion that assaults the first-time businesspeople going into China. If you do business in China this book is a must read before you commence your negotiations."
Paul Rohan, Managing Director, Rohan Group, international trader of Asian foods and beverages

"This is a defining book on how to, and how not to, negotiate with we Chinese. Robert March, presently a professor of international business at Nanjing University, together with businesswoman Su-Hua Wu, show how and why Western success or failure in China so often comes down to knowing how to prepare and respond in ways that communicate across the Chinese divide. Through many real-life examples and sharp analyses, the authors map out the best approaches for the modern businessperson or negotiator."
Wang Hua, diplomat and Director General of Foreign Affairs, Jiangsu Province, China

"The Chinese Negotiator is both comprehensive and enlightening. If you would like to know how to become a good negotiator in the Chinese context, and how to apply the 36 stratagems in business, The Chinese Negotiator gives you invaluable lessons."
Huang Zhenhua, Professor, University of International Business and Economics, China

"BOOK REVIEW in China Britain Business Review March 2008, pages 18-19. The Chinese Negotiator: how to succeed in the world’s largest market.
That negotiation challenges in China for foreigners arise out of cultural differences, miscommunications and lack of preparation is nothing new to readers of the Review, but a close examination of the Chinese mind-set before, during and after negotiations make this book a useful addition to the reading lists of those who intend to navigate through the Chinese negotiations process.
The authors maintain that without equipping ourselves with a thorough understanding of Chinese behavior, motivations and expectations, as well as negotiating tactics informed by the 36 stratagems, we foreigners will be in unfamiliar waters, liable to getting ripped off or returning home with tails between our legs.
Yes, when selling to the Chinese in China, the Chinese hold all the cards and have little patience for foreigners who are arrogant or haven’t done their homework. The usual combination of trust building, patience, displays of genuine warmth and long-term commitment then, is the order of the day, along with an ongoing appreciation of face and guanxi. Engaging local Chinese to help interpret the true meaning of the verbal and non-verbal is also a must. With each chapter summarized in bullet points for easy reference, the reader can get the fast track on issues such as teamwork, trust building and price.
Case studies and examples throughout bring the authors’ observations to life and a 12 step process for negotiating provides a systematic approach to maximizing preparedness for what’s ahead.
But what of the 36 stratagems? Relax, the authors maintain that only four are used most: to murder with a borrowed knife: to await leisurely the exhausted enemy: to catch the bandits, first catch their ringleader: and The Beauty Trap. But to put the whole cultural perspective into proportion, we could do no better than to heed the advice of Peter Benjamin, a successful Australian negotiator quoted in the book: “Do not be distracted by cultural differences. Understand them, learn to work with them, but do not be lead astray by them’. Businessmen then should not take their eyes off the ball. A little knowledge is dangerous, but perhaps the same can be said about too much - GB"

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Business Relationships with the Chinese
By Robert M March ( Sydney, Australia: IMDC Australia Pty. Ltd. 2003)
Book Reviews
"Professor March's book, 'Business Relationships with the Chinese', traces the development of contemporary Chinese-Western business relationships from their beginnings, through to the growth of trust, and beyond, even to the development of family-like connections: whether as customers/suppliers, or in joint ventures, strategic alliances, etc. Within each stage of relationship development, the book looks in particular at business communication and negotiation with the Chinese, not as isolated activities, but as parts of the business relationship. It is a new kind of picture, built upon a wealth of case studies that reflect the special characteristics of each development stage. The final outcome is to clarify what makes for business professionalism in dealings with the Chinese. A useful and original book."
Dr. Soo May Cheng, Professor of International Management, University of Macau, China.

"Professor March studies and analyzes Chinese customs, culture, and our typical characteristics, in depth, and provides pertinent and practical advice on how to establish good business relations with Chinese business organizations and managers. It analyzes in detail successive stages of negotiating with the Chinese, and shows how such problems should be solved. On the other hand, it will also be very useful for Chinese business people. They can learn about and understand Western culture, values and attitudes toward business, because it introduces what Westerners see and think about China and the Chinese market. This is a 'must have' book for Western companies and individuals aiming to enter the China market."
Mr. Li Qiangxin, Chairman, Silver Branch, CCCMC (China Chamber of Commerce of Metals Minerals & Chemicals Importers & Exporters) ;and, Member, Board Directors, Shanghai Gold Exchange

" 'Business Relationships with the Chinese' is an impressive piece of work. It is based on real business experiences with the Chinese, case studies that enable it to achieve two things. One is an abundance of genuine, coherent insights that carry important messages. The other is that they are the real experiences of Western managers. They give the book its powerful validity. It is impressive because its excellent insights are accessible to the professional and lay reader, without diminishing the analytical rigour of the work."
Professor Vic Wright, Director, Graduate School of Business Administration, University of New England, Australia

'This is a book for devouring and dipping. Although I have done business in China for many years this book serves to remind me of the importance of strategy and to explain what is going on after negotiation sessions that have left me puzzled. Set within the history and contemporary society of China Dr March does a great job in describing the PRC business landscape in a professional and captivating manner. The case studies, in particular, bring it all to life. A terrific book and a 'must read' for anyone contemplating or undertaking business in China.'
Professor Stan Glaser, Research Professor, Graduate School of Management, University of Western Sydney. Co-author, "Business to Business Negotiation", Butterworth-Heinemann, 1991.

" 'Business Relationships with the Chinese' is the outcome of Dr. Bob March’s long and profound research into and understanding of oriental culture. His deep analysis of the business relationship into four stages is extremely helpful for businessmen coming from western countries to establish relationships with their Chinese counterparts. It will also serve as a most helpful course book for university students of business, in China and in the West."
Professor Huang Zhenhua, advisor and formerly Vice President, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China; and Economic and Commercial Consul at the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago, 1999-2002.

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The Japanese Negotiator: Subtlety and Strategy Beyond Western Logic
By Robert M March(Kodansha International, Tokyo.)
Click here for Amazon.com Review & Order Details
As Japanese companies increasingly internationalize, businessmen everywhere are becoming more involved in and challenged by negotiations with the Japanese. When it comes to dealing with the Japanese, however, the Westerner often finds himself puzzled and confused, confronting people from a business culture far different from their own. The ensuing misunderstandings and misconceptions may jeopardize the entire negotiation process.
This book sets out to prevent just the sort of confusion on the part of Western negotiations by examining all the background business and cultural factors that influence negotiation. The author first looks at how the Japanese negotiate among themselves, revealing the social background and hidden dynamics of Japanese behaviors and reactions. Several case studies are presented on successful negotiations concluded between Japanese and Westerners, together with the reasons for this success. Then follow case studies of a more acrimonious nature, conflict-ridden and deadlocked, and analyses of the reasons for the failure of the negotiations. The third part of the book answers such questions as what tactics and strategies are common in Japanese negotiations with Westerners, supplemented by an overall assessment of the Japanese strengths and weaknesses as negotiators. The final chapter sets out invaluable guidelines for smoother and more effective negotiations with the Japanese.
Practical and analytical in approach, this book provides a solid preparation in avoiding the cultural traps that all too frequently are a feature of international business dealings. It is also an important text in its own right on the contemporary business psychology and culture of the Japanese, breaking new ground through the use of comprehensive case studies.
Book Reviews
An Essential Guide to Negotiating the Japanese Business World
By William Feuillan
The Japan Times, March 25, 1989
If the news is not yet out, it should be. From the torrent of books by Western observers on Japanese methods of business - not to mention the newspaper and magazine articles, The Japanese Negotiator stands out. It is not only succinct, it is decidedly useful. There are two reasons for this.
First, instead of attempting yet another overall treatment of Japan's corporate world or business etiquette like the many already available, Robert March concentrates exclusively on the essentials of negotiating with the Japanese. Second, he uses the tried and proven case-study method, but does so with a minimum of technical jargon so that his book is as practical for the beginner as for the experienced business person. That is said in full awareness of the popular wisdom in some circles today that books don't help - you need to become your own expert from the trauma of first-hand experience.
March, an Australian management consultant, has a background of 15 years’ residence in Japan and returns here often. The experience of teaching international business at Tokyo's Aoyama Gakuin University also must have contributed to his ability for clear, concise cross-cultural communication. Here are two examples:
"There may be times when negotiations go so smoothly that have to conclude that they must, after all, be culture-free. Treasure the thought, for it altogether too easy in Japan to find that one has inadvertently said or done the wrong thing and made an enemy or lost a friend or client - for the Japanese are a proud and particular and exclusive-minded people." (From the introduction.)
And, "When you ask questions, always wait for the answer (Japanese usually take longer to answer because they are translating backward and forward in their minds). Never assume that your question was misunderstood, or ask another question without getting an answer to the first. To do so is profoundly confusing to everyone. However, you can assume that your question may not be clear." (From the final chapter.)
In between there are valuable short treatments of topics that range from the largely unfamiliar - in particular how the Japanese negotiate among themselves and with whom the authority lies in Japanese teams that negotiate with foreigners, up to subjects that have been covered elsewhere but bear repetition with new insights, such as the historical and cultural reasons why most Japanese regard contracts and other written agreements differently than Westerners.
Another of the book's strengths lies in the fact that its 10 case studies are more related to the real world than many of those sprung by academics on students and seminar attendees. At the same time, they help clarify the deeper meaning of the book's subtitle. March brings more than the human understanding and fairness to his analyses of both sides in Japanese-foreign business negotiations, undoubtedly a result of his extensive personal experience.
This is the guidebook that a beginner at negotiating sessions should have. If possible, it should be studied thoroughly before the first meeting. If the talks have already begun, it is still not too late - and "The Japanese Negotiator" could make a decisive difference in the outcome.

What Other International Reviewers Say About "The Japanese Negotiator"

"This book is highly recommended. March succeeds admirably in (analyzing the Japanese) negotiation patterns and (finding) ways to make negotiations more productive... also a valuable reference source for Westerners studying the Japanese economy, Japanese management."
Professor Tadashi Fujita, Japanese Journal of Trade and Industry, Dec. 1988.

"A hands-on treatment by an experienced management consultant ... certainly knows the world of Japanese business. His advice and suggestions are sensible and realistic, fair and frank. Anyone involved with the Japanese would be well advised to read the book carefully."
Reviewer in Tokyo Journal, Nov. 1988.

"Robert March's book could be called a ‘cultural interpreter’ for Japan...."
Shinsaku Sogo, Executive Director, JETRO, Tokyo.

"This book will prove most helpful to Westerners interested in doing business with Japan ... displays a thorough understanding of the nuances of Japanese business ... witty and insightful...."
Professor Ryuzo Sato, Director, The Center for Japan-US Business Studies, NYU.

"March ... has done an extraordinary job of weaving the threads of Japanese culture into a negotiating garment that will ... repay the time and effort needed to absorb the lessons ... an excellent book."
Mark J Estren in High Technology Business, May 1989.

"What makes the naive and inexperienced Japanese such excellent negotiators? March (answers) this by taking Japanese culture as the explanation for their excellence ... (and) ends up answering several other questions as well, illuminating the roots and dynamics of Japanese life."
Prabhu Guptars, The Time, London, June 8, 1989.

"A first for any company dealing with the Japanese ... an essential book, with abundant practical advice."
ATM Book Club, Oct. 1988.

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Reading the Japanese Mind: The Realities Behind Their Thoughts and Actions
By Robert M March (Kodansha International, Tokyo. Hard cover.)
Click here for Amazon.com Review & Order Details
Book Reviews
At first glance, Reading the Japanese Mind seems like it might be another superficial how-to book for the businessman bound for a negotiating session in Tokyo, full of good advice on how to present your business card or to avoid wearing shoes on the tatami. A close reading quickly shows that the author, a psychologist and former professor of business management at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo, has written a sophisticated work of cultural anthropology. It almost lives up to its book-jacket hype as being the most comprehensive depiction of the Japanese psyche since Ruth Benedict’s classic, The Chrysanthemum and the Sword. Unlike Benedict, March does not dwell on mutual obligations as being the single key to understanding the Japanese mind. Rather he discusses a variety of customs, body language and modes of thinking that govern the way that Japanese interact with each other and foreigners. He also analyzes the social and political significance of the most bizarre episode of recent Japanese history, the Aum Shinrikyo cult's indiscriminate nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system a year ago. For all its professionalism, the book is written with the layman in mind. That means it is still useful to read as you head off to that business conference.
Asiaweek, April 19, 1996

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The Honourable Customer: Marketing and Selling to the Japanese
By Robert M March (Melbourne: Longman Professional, 1991. Hard cover.)
Click here for Amazon.com Review & Order Details
Book Reviews
By Professor Michael Czinkota, Georgetown University
With today's increasing economic linkages between nations, Japan is seen as both opportunity and threat. The opportunity consists of the large number of Japanese customers with sizable disposable incomes, whereas the threat refers to the lack of success by foreign firms in penetrating Japan's markets and the considerable marketing triumphs of Japanese firms abroad.
As a result, Japanese marketing practices have triggered many heated policy debates, often characterized by narrow perspectives and partisan delineations of "facts". In this highly charged environment, it is refreshing to find information based on long-term observation and solid business experience. Robert March's book provides such information.
"The Honourable Customer" starts with a quick overview of the historic "economic miracles" achieved by Japan. Without dwelling on how the necessary adjustments to such environmental changes as high oil prices or the strengthening of the yen were made, March highlights the successes that have been accomplished. Success is defined narrowly in terms of increases in macroeconomic statistics such as trade surplus, sales volume, or number of product introductions. Little is said about the soft dimensions of economic progress such as quality of life, standard of living, and societal transformations. Yet, this approach keeps the reader focused on business transactions, which is the key intent of the book.
March then addresses briefly the public debate about access to the Japanese market. He states quite firmly that Japan's market is now open and readily accessible to foreign firms. His argument is underscored by an excellent summary of the extraordinary import support measures offered by the Japanese government. Though one could question the need for such measures in an open market, these supports represent important assistance for the marketer of today.
Having disposed of the historic and policy dimensions, March zeros in on the realities of the business world in Japan. He presents a very interesting section on Japan's market as a new product laboratory, which appears to predict increased market fragmentation and the need for more niche marketing. The market factors that have provided the climate for such corporate strategies are glossed over, but one can speculate that perhaps some of the major financial linkages between firms and corporate groupings, the extensive rebate system, and the generous return privileges may have had an effect.
Next, the author discusses the interaction with the Japanese industrial buyer. Here keen insights into the demands and expectations of the Japanese market are presented. Also addressed is the reluctance of sales personnel to sell. Perhaps one could label this section "personalized market research," as that appears to be the main activity performed by sales representatives.
Particularly insightful is the section on the marketing concept in Japan. The role of marketing and marketers in Japan is contrasted with that of their counterparts in the United States. March then goes on to provide very helpful specific comments for the Western seller in Japan. He explains lessons such as the need for a low-key approach or the requirement for silence in conversation, and enriches his comments on managerial style with a series of in-depth interviews of successful expatriate and Japanese managers. He even provides an interesting model of the Western executive's adjustment to Japan, beginning with fascination and optimism, leading to puzzlement, irritation, and anger, and ending with a sober and realistic understanding of Japanese strengths and weaknesses.
The author next highlights the need for long-term commitment, in terms of both capital investment and resources, and the need for adaptability. If these commitments are made, success with be achieved, as demonstrated with the examples of Coca-Cola, Nestle, Johnson, and Ciba-Geigy. March stresses that established foreign firms in Japan do exceptionally well, with a sales-to-ordinary-profit ratio for foreign non petroleum manufacturers of 6.8% throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
March broadens his focus by going beyond the activities of large multinational corporations to include the concerns of small and medium-sized firms. A key strength here is that he does not just emphasize the successes, but mentions also the failures. Without falling into the trap of Japan bashing, the author conveys his advice pleasantly but nonetheless clearly. He tackles the "hidden" problems head on - the assignment of second-rate personnel to joint ventures, the sometimes faulty, conventional, or uncreative judgments, and rude and condescending treatment one can experience from Japanese buyer's or even partners. These descriptions are reinforced through the use of detailed case examples of specific business activities, which serve the business reader well.
Throughout the book March also offers good insights ... He addresses a variety of perspectives (e.g., price effects, lifestyle changes and product development strategies, and the interaction between different marketing components). His anecdotal evidence includes many gems, which are well worth following up in an organized and systematic way to develop normative concepts and theories.
The Honourable Customer provides valuable insights into Japan's markets and managers, particularly in the consumer products field. It removes some of the blinders from firms new to Japan and highlights what Japanese buyers want. The book is well written and full of good examples and helpful pointers. It is useful reading for the firm dealing with Japanese managers at home, and for the teacher of Japanese marketing, and it supplies food for though to the researcher.
Journal of Marketing, April 1993

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Working For A Japanese Company: Insights Into The Multicultural Workplace
By Robert M March (Kodansha International, Tokyo. 1996.)
Click here for Amazon.com Review & Order Details
A critical examination of the Japanese multinational company from the perspective of its non-Japanese employees in the United States, Japan and abroad. March examines, through the actual experiences of their foreign employees, how the vastly different ideas of the Japanese about good management practice, corporate culture, harmony in the workplace, interpersonal communication, employment conditions, decision-making power for the non-Japanese, and manager-subordinate relationships often lead to many real problems in the workplace, and sometimes escalate into an ultimate polarization between Japanese and non-Japanese personnel.

What International Reviewers Say About "Working For A Japanese Company"

"An excellent guide to what non-Japanese should expect from their Japanese employers, be it in Japan or overseas."
Tokyo Business Today

"The best book yet - the most intimate, the least convoluted - about what it's like for the Japanese."
Tom Chapman, Tokyo Journal

"A well-balanced and insightful look into the kind of world a non-Japanese enters when working for a Japanese conglomerate."
Asahi Evening News

"March's real-life examples, gathered over 13 years spent observing interpersonal dynamics in the multicultural working environment, are amusing, instructive and well-chosen."
Booklist

"Working for a Japanese Company is a useful tool for the increasing numbers probing the question: should I accept that job at 'Mitsubishi Motors' in New Jersey, or not?"
The Canadian