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The article explores the significance of drinking in East Asian corporate culture, highlighting how it serves as a social lubricant that enables more direct communication and fosters trust in environments that value indirect communication and hierarchy. It also discusses the dark side of this practice, including the potential for sexual harassment and its impact on gender dynamics within the workplace.
Main Points
Significance of drinking in East Asian corporate culture
East Asian corporate culture highly values group drinking as it is seen to promote social cohesion, trust, and direct communication within an environment that typically prioritizes indirect communication and conflict avoidance.
Risks associated with corporate drinking
The practice of corporate drinking, while fostering closer business relationships and trust, also harbors potential for increased sexual harassment and assault, highlighting the complex implications of this cultural norm.
Potential gender bias due to corporate drinking culture
There is a hypothesis that the emphasis on drinking within corporate cultures might contribute to gender bias in hiring and promotions, due to stereotypical views of men as better drinking companions.
Insights
Alcohol reduces inhibitions, promoting social bonding and information sharing.
This promotes social bonding and information-sharing. As argued in Edward Slingerland’s book “Drunk”, it benefits businesses! But this exact same cognitive shift also elevates risks of sexual abuse.
Corporate drinking can lead to sexual harassment.
Women who drink may also be blamed for assault. In Japan, Shiori Itō went out for dinner with a man who offered to help her get a job. He drugged and raped her.
Drinking is seen as valuable for building trust and rapport within East Asian firms.
A Chinese businessman recently explained the importance of corporate drinking. He spoke entirely in Mandarin, translated via Microsoft Translate: ‘How do you build trust with a new person? You will have a lot of entertainment. Why is entertainment important? If it’s a Chinese state-owned enterprise, this is really important.’
Links
- East Asian businesses often go out drinking. Why is this such an important part of corporate culture, relative to other world regions?
- inhibitions
- social bonding
- Drunk
- The Culture Map
- molested
- Shiori Itō
- “The Culture Map” by Erin Meyer
- “Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization” by Edward Slingerland
Images
URL
https://www.ggd.world/p/why-do-east-asian-firms-value-drinking