[sustran] Re: Regional focus for sustran-discuss: Asia or the globalSouth?

[Brendan Finn]

Zvi, Jonathon, 

I agree with the points you both make, although these are applicable more in the Asian culture and rather less in the American culture. 

In addition, I would suggest another aspect - employer and client confidentiality. Those in the best position to highlight new issues and to explain decision-taking, apparent paradoxes, or to illustrate points by specific examples can often only do so by sharing information that is not in the public domain. In many cases this would mean breaking confidences of our organisation, employer, client or network. Perhaps this is just another aspect of fear of punishment or fear of loss of face. However, I think for many it is just contrary to our training, where we temper opportunities to make ourselves look knowledgeable (at least in our own eyes!) against what we consider to be our responsibilities. 

It is ironic that on matters about which we know least we can be free, contentious and indulge in hyperbole; whereas on the matters we know most we are cautious, inhibited and often silent. 

That said, I agree with Paul and others that the Sustran community should be more participative, and that we would all get more out of it by contribution, dialogue and respectful debate than when we are just silent readers.  

With best wishes, 


Brendan.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Brendan Finn          e-mail : etts at indigo.ie          tel : +353.87.2530286

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jonathan E. D. Richmond" <richmond at alum.mit.edu>
To: "Zvi Leve" <zvi at inro.ca>
Cc: "Paul Barter" <paulbarter at nus.edu.sg>; <Sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org>
Sent: Saturday, June 06, 2009 5:21 PM
Subject: [sustran] Re: Regional focus for sustran-discuss: Asia or the globalSouth?


> 
> 
> Even with face to face contact, junior employees will often not express 
> opinions in front of their bosses.
> 
> And punishments, ranging from humiliation to loss of promotion and status 
> are very real.
> 
> In Thailand, for example, the situation is best understood in terms of the 
> concept of "greng jai," the requirement to make your boss look good -- 
> part of which involves demonstrating that you are inferior to your boss 
> and have little of value to contribute compared to him or her. 
> Having good ideas or being creqtive can be seen as an insult to 
> your boss. Jonathan!
> 
> 
> 
> On Sat, 6 Jun 2009, Zvi Leve wrote:
> 
>> I do not think that it is exactly "fear of punishment" that inhibits
>> people from certain cultures from participating in such 'public'
>> exchanges - it is more a "fear of losing face". That is, they are worried
>> about how they will be perceived by others.... When interacting with
>> people directly it is easier to understand the social cues, so more
>> people would be inclined to actively participate.
>> 
>> Not sure what can be done about this. If one desires, it is not difficult
>> to hide one's true identity from the forum (generic email address, no
>> full name, etc.), but this does not seem to make much of a difference.
>> 
>> Anyway....
>> 
>> Zvi
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 2009/6/6 Jonathan E. D. Richmond <richmond at alum.mit.edu>
>> 
>>
>>       I do not think the issue is fear of lack of knowledge but
>>       fear of punishment.
>>
>>       In many Asian countries there is a taboo about expressing
>>       opinions, an activity often felt to be reserved for
>>       politicians and the most senior officers --Jonathan!
>> 
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