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Presents the principles of thirty six Chinese classical strategies which includes strategies for attack, strength, confrontation, confusion, gaining ground and desperate situations. Applies these to strategic planning and marketing rather than the traditional use on battlefields. Uses anecdotal evidence to give examples and suggests that they are relevant to many other business areas.

Man has been seeking an ideal existence for a very long time. In this existence, justice, love, and peace are no longer words, but actual experiences. How ever, with the American preemptive invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq and the subsequent prisoner abuse, such an existence seems to be farther and farther away from reality. The purpose of this work is to stop this dangerous trend by promoting justice, love, and peace through a change of the paradigm that is inconsistent with justice, love, and peace. The strong paradigm that created the strong nation like the U.S. and the strong man like George W. Bush have been the culprit, rather than the contributor, of the above three universal ideals. Thus, rather than justice, love, and peace, the strong paradigm resulted in in justice, hatred, and violence. In order to remove these three and related evils, what the world needs in the beginning of the third millenium is the weak paradigm. Through the acceptance of the latter paradigm, the golden mean or middle paradigm can be formulated, which is a synergy of the weak and the strong paradigm. In order to understand properly the meaning of these paradigms, however, some digression appears necessary.

Outlines Hong Kong’s financial system during the pre‐unification era. Looks at recent issues, regulatory changes and its development as an international financial centre. Considers banking, the stock market, the bond & futures market, the gold market, regulatory bodies and monetary and currency policies. Contrasts these with the pre‐unification system in China. Outlines the way that these two systems propose to exist together, looking at the potential benefits and problems this may bring.

Studies the characteristics, control and performance of joint ventures producing a model based on four cases. Explains the theory of complementary strategic objectives, and the need for delineating specific transaction costs and management controls under differing cultures. Interviews managers of four Sino‐American Joint Ventures in manufacturing for several years. Finds that the US partner controlled the technology, the Chinese partner wanted to reduce imports and import management and product skills. Focuses on raw material sourcing as a cause of conflict, as well as slow learning and high transaction costs from a poorly controlled system. Points out the keenness for incentive payments among Chinese workers and the reluctance by Chinese managers to have their performance evaluated.

Defines national culture, summarizing and comparing various models of national culture, including single and multiple dimension models, historical‐social models in high and low context and monochronic and polychronic cultures. Discusses their relevance to the study and practice of local and international management, and tabulates the main features of each model.

Considers TQM from a cultural perspective using the influence of Confucian work dynamism and Chinese cultural beliefs on Hong Kong companies. Asks if these cultural beliefs conflict with modern quality management philosophy and presents the findings of research covering Chinese literature, experts in Chinese philosophy and Hong Kong TQM experts. Outlines research methods and concludes that there are relevant principles which can be used when implementing TQM.

Reports on a survey of 980 Chinese, 964 Venezuelan and 1,878 US managers, professionals and business students, to examine cross‐national differences in individualism‐collectivism, masculinity‐femininity, uncertainty avoidance, power distance, and paternalism. Provides a brief overview of each country’s national characteristics. Describes the methodology used and analyses the data using multivariate analysis of variance. Records the findings for each of the categories measured – cultural values differ across the three nations but nothing startling or new is revealed. Advises that multinationals need to understand cross‐cultural values if they are to succeed in a global business environment.