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

[Jonathan E. D. Richmond]

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!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>

-----
Jonathan Richmond
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