Religion and the Shaping of East Asian Management Styles: A Conceptual Examination.

The West has been fascinated with East Asia for hundreds of years, but only over the past few decades has the region come under close cultural scrutiny as Western corporations made significant inroads into the region and realized the extent of East-West differences. This paper explores East Asia's cultural heritage and probes the religious roots that have influenced regional lifestyles for over 2000 years. Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist principles are examined and conceptual links established with East Asian lifestyles and management behaviors, many of which conflict with prevailing globalization trends towards societal efficiency and competitiveness. Some east-to-west transfers of managerial ideas demonstrate the potency of East Asian philosophies and suggest that East-West amalgams are contributing to optimal business solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]