Asia Cross-Cultural Business Communications and Protocols

“Asia Cross-Cultural Business Mastery: Navigate Australia’s A$120bil Green Economy Opportunity.”

Learn the unwritten rules that make-or-break deals across ASEAN markets from Vietnam boardrooms to China negotiations. Master relationship protocols, and subtle nuances of seating plans and gift giving meanings –  and communication hierarchies that transform outsiders into trusted partners. The Australian government has committed A$2b across Southeast Asia, paving the way for Australian companies to take advantage of business opportunities.

Included is an Exclusive Q&A Panel Discussion with returning Australian expats. Learn from their years of working across Asian markets navigating cross-cultural business challenges, and also tips of being interviewed by Asia media.

This course is a practical communications framework for newbies in understanding the Asia region geographically, historically, economically, politically, culturally – and importantly, the media landscape. We have created content that focuses on avoiding costly missteps, accelerating trust, and protecting credibility in high-stakes sustainability markets – for environmental founders, scientists, investors, and project leaders operating in or exploring Asia opportunities – including collaborating with Asian colleagues in Australia, or Australian colleagues in Asia, on a project basis in your office.

We touch on the meaning of “Culture” and the importance of the ‘6 dimensions of national cultures framework’ used to understand the differences in culture across countries: Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism/Collectivism, Masculinity/Femininity, Long/Short Term Orientation, and Indulgence/Restraint. (Hofstede & Minkov, 2010).

Cultural dimensions are widely used to understand etiquette and protocols to facilitate communication across cultures in areas ranging from business to diplomacy, and even social friendships.

Markets covered: China, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, India, Thailand

Content:

1. Overview: History, Politics, Economy, Culture, & 6 Dimensions Culture Framework
2. Why Asia Communications Fail (and How to Prevent It)
3. Core Principles of Asian Business Communication
4. First Contact; Professional Entry
5. Meeting Dynamics Across Key Markets
6. Government Environmental Context Matters
7. Negotiation & the Meaning of “Yes”
8. Presentations, Pitches & Technical Briefings
9. Written Communications that Travel Safely- Media
10. Crisis & Reputation Management in Asia
11. Digital & Platform Awareness
12. High-Cost Mistakes to Avoid

STRATEGIC TAKEAWAYS:

• Cultural intelligence is a risk-management skill, not etiquette
• Environmental professionals face higher scrutiny and higher opportunity
• Long-term trust consistently outperforms speed

OUTCOMES:
Understand business protocols and communicate with authority, restraint, and strategic awareness across Asia – so that your climate, energy, and sustainability work can scale without unnecessary friction that you are aware of .. and those you’re not.

You’ll learn to become a confident speaker without faux-pas at an Asia industry conference, panel discussion, and media interviews, and negotiating business meetings and investment pitches with nuanced mastery and ease.

TRAINER:

Ani Allbutt:

Now based in Melbourne after 20 years based and working in Japan, Hong Kong, and China, Ani has led and delivered integrated marketing communications and strategic business development strategy for clients to achieve media clippings, events and new business across 10+ fast-paced Australia and Asia-Pacific markets from China to India, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Dubai & USA. As founder of ANI-Integrated Marketing Communications PR (ANI-IMC PR est. Hong Kong, 2010), Ani has successfully launched 3 expansion/start-up companies in China, to include 2 international marketing communications agencies for launches of luxury brands and 5 star international hotels and resorts;  a prestigious international private business club, and the client-facing expansion for an international architectural practice. Ani is the founder of the digital publication of FutureNow Green News Aust-Asia-Pacific, and CLIMAX©MEDIA communications training academy.

What makes Ani’s training different:

Ani has immersed her career in each Asian culture with nuances that are unspoken and learnt through osmosis and tacit repetition of action-based learning – from reinforcing skills, knowledge, behaviours, and practice through observation, business meetings and negotiations, from on-the-ground experience of successes and failures and  “know-how”.