Book description
Asia was probably the biggest economic sensation of the post-war
decades. The breathtaking success of Japan was followed by a remarkable
rise of "four tigers", then ASEAN founder states and then
China. The Asian miracle became a commonly accepted definition of this
success. In the late 1970s and especially 80s it became clear that the
balance of power in the world had changed. Politicians, businessmen,
scholars began to talk about "the new Asia Pacific age" and
Asian economic model, different from and, maybe, even superior to
Western capitalism. However, in 1997-98 the Asian economic crisis came
and made the region a sick man. Six years before that Japan, the
regional powerhouse entered more than a decade-long period of
stagnation. The miracle was over. However, the crisis was overcome
within a surprisingly short period of time. Naturally, the question
arises: What now? What is going on in the region after the miracle and
after the crisis? What is today's face of Asian capitalism and how
should we view its performance?
Readers interested in regional developments will find a lot of
literature about miracle decades and crisis years. However, few analysts
have addressed the challenging questions addressed in this book.
The authors vividly show that Asian capitalism is undergoing a radical
structural transformation. These changes are directly affecting its key
institutions: governments, companies, labor relations, etc. As a result
Asian economic systems are becoming much closer to the Western-style,
especially Anglo-Saxon capitalism, though the region retains some
important specific features, especially regarding business culture.
This book is a must for business people worldwide, for all those who
study the region in colleges and business schools, for people engaged in
various international activities and, finally, for all those who want
learn more about our world at the dawn of the new century. Ivan Tselichtchev
is professor at the Niigata University of Management in Japan since
1994. He graduated from Moscow University in 1979 and joined Russia's
leading think tank, the Institute of World Economy and International
Relations. He got his Ph. D. in 1983 and became Senior Researcher in
1984. Tselichtchev is the author of four books and co-author of many
others. He has written more than 200 articles on the Asian, Japanese,
Russian and international economy as well as on international politics,
in English, Japanese and Russian. In 2005, the Committee of the Cabinet
Office of the Government of Japan named Tselichtchev Seikatsu Tatsujin
(A Master of Life) which means a person with outstanding achievements
and lifestyle.
Philippe Debroux
is a Belgian national and for over 30 years resident in Japan. He holds
an MBA from INSEAD and a Ph. D. from Brussels University. He began his
career in a Japanese company before entering academic life in the
mid-1980s. He has since developed a successful career as a professor of
business in Japan, Vietnam, Belgium and France while continuing in-depth
field research focused on developments in human resource management,
innovation and entrepreneurship in Japan and other Asian countries. His
substantial experience in both business life and academic research give
his work a particular cachet. Effectively combining theory and practice,
his books and articles make a valuable contribution to our understanding
of Asia.
