National Palace Museum

Being from America, a relatively new country, it can sometimes be difficult to fully comprehend the cultural and historical richness of nations as ancient as those in East Asia. Today we visited the National Palace Museum, which contains the most well-known exhibits in the country. It is in this expansive and well documented history, heavily rooted in tradition, which originated the value system still present in East Asia’s social and professional worlds.

 Rigidness of protocol and procedure are often times present in the realm of business. This emphasis on order and conscientiousness facilitates efficient and fluid corporations. The financial services firm KPMG, for example, operates in 146 countries and their Taiwanese division seamlessly executes their services to multinational entities.  Without these instilled values their successes would have undoubtedly been disadvantaged. Being competent in East Asian history and culture is necessary to understand, respect, and in turn be competitive in an increasingly Asian dominated global market.

Confucianism

The philosophy of Confucianism emphasizes personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice, and sincerity. In East Asian culture this philosophy has significant influence on business practices. Some manifestations of Confucianism in the realm of business are an aversion to conflict, maintenance of proper demeanor, and the preservation of 'face'.

            Today we visited a Confucius temple in the heart of Taipei, Taiwan. Not only did I appreciate the incredible craftsmanship, but after visiting some companies I began to recognize Confucianism’s impact on the professional world. One of the main teachings is a principle that promotes putting the common good before the individual. One aspect where this principal is evident is in the unparalleled emphasis on being eco-friendly in the corporate world. For example, in Taiwanese McDonald’s there are separate waste containers: ones for liquid waste, food waste, recyclables, and trash.

Hello Taiwan!

I finally arrived in Taipei, Taiwan after a long 22 ½ hour travel day: Detroit to Chicago to Tokyo to Taipei. We took a taxi directly to the hotel, which is surprisingly nice! There were English subtitles on most every sign, billboard, etc. It is definitely more westernized than I anticipated; our first Taiwanese meal was at McDonalds if that is an indicator.  I am excited to explore the city tomorrow, but sleep must come first. Goodnight...