Publications – Asia

Termination Issues in Asia Webcast CD

By Ames Gross
Price: $350 February 2009
Broadcast by Pacific Bridge, Inc.

Letting an employee go is never an easy task for HR Managers. Cultural, practical, and legal issues make termination even more difficult for Western companies in Asia. Many companies are not familiar with local labor laws or customs in Asia and find themselves at odds with employees and local labor unions when terminating contracts.

Each Asian country has different regulations regarding termination and severance pay and enforcement varies between countries. Labor unions are also at different stages of development across the region. While unionization is extremely strong in Korea, it has only begun to become more common in China during the past few years.

Countries covered include: China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and India.

Managing Asian Cultural Diversity Webcast CD

By Ames Gross
Price: $350 October 2008
Broadcast by Pacific Bridge, Inc.

“East is East and West is West,” said Rudyard Kipling. However, managing Asian cultural diversity is a lot more complex for Western management teams. Each country has its own culture, history, ideology, language and philosophy: a strategy in Taiwan may not work in China, and vice versa. Understanding the local mentality, beliefs, and even linguistic traits can make a world of difference in managing Asian employees effectively. This 90 minute session will include a 60 minute presentation, followed by 30 minutes of Q&A.

Stock Options in Asia

By Ames Gross and John Minot
May 2008

In today’s Asian business environment, growth is fast and skills are in high demand. In order to meet continued staffing challenges, it is crucial to design innovative compensation packages that satisfy and attract employees. Over the past decade, stock options have become one important component of such packages in Asia. This article provides an overview of trends and regulations on employee stock options in four major Asian markets: Japan, China, India, and Singapore.

HR and Recruiting Issues in Asia Webcast CD

By Ames Gross
Price: $350 February 2008
Broadcast by Pacific Bridge, Inc.

Human resources and recruiting issues are changing rapidly throughout Asia. What are the most recent changes to labor regulations in countries like China, Japan, and Korea? How do you find the right executives for your company? This 90 minute session will include the 60 minute presentation, followed by 30 minutes for Q&A.

Asia Human Resources Update - 2008

By Ames Gross and John Minot
January 2008
Published on HR.com

Even as the Asia-Pacific region continues to expand economically, the area is seeing important changes. The “Asian tigers” of South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore are close to being fully developed economies. Other countries like Indonesia and the Philippines are still growing, but face a long-term challenge in the economic rise of China. While Western companies confront these issues, they must also tackle varying human resources opportunities and changes across the region. This article discusses notable Asian HR developments that occurred in 2007 outside of Japan, China, and India.

Asian Cultural Diversity in Human Resource Management

By Ames Gross
August 2007
Published in Talent Management Online

Managing cultural diversity is an important aspect of any office environment. This is particularly true for Western companies operating in Asia. A mixture of foreign and local employees is often ideal, but can also be challenging to manage. Each Asian country has its own history, ideology, culture and language. Strategies employed in one country may not work well in another. It is crucial to understand the local mentality and beliefs in order to manage Asian employees effectively.

HR and Recruiting Issues in Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore

By Ames Gross
June 2007
Published on HR.com

This article discusses recent HR and recruiting trends in these four "East Asian Tigers," providing valuable information to help companies successfully manage HR in these four countries. Topics include common HR practices, compensation and benefits trends, hiring considerations, and retention strategies.

HR and Recruiting Issues in Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore Webcast CD

By Ames Gross
Price: $350 May 2007
Broadcast by Pacific Bridge, Inc.

These four "East Asian Tigers" underwent rapid industrialization from the 1960s to 1990s. Today, they are fully modernized, yet HR and recruiting trends continue to shift with changes in employment law and economic conditions. This webcast provides an in-depth examination of the latest trends and provides valuable information to help you successfully manage HR in these four countries. This is a 90 minute, live web seminar which will include a 60 minute presentation, followed by 30 minutes for Q&A.

HR and Recruiting Issues in Asia - 2007 Update

By Ames Gross and Andrew Connor
February 2007
Published on the SHRM Global Forum

This report provides an overview of HR practices, compensation and benefits, employment trends, pension systems and recruiting trends in five important Asian countries: China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore.

Update on HR Issues in Asia

By Ames Gross and Caroline Tran
September 2003
Published in SHRM International Focus, a publication of the Society for Human Resources Management

The business environment in Asia is readily improving, with the need for advanced human resource development across the whole region. The desire to meet international standards has urged Asian governments to reform their labor laws and provide better employee benefits. Subsequently, a desirable business atmosphere has been created for present and future employees. For instance, Japanese companies are working to accommodate working mothers in the workplace with day-care facilities on site, while the Chinese government has introduced a “Green Card” system—providing permanent residency to foreigners—in order to attract overseas Chinese back to China. In addition, Korea is moving to a five-day workweek like other developed nations, rather than maintaining its traditional six-day workweek. This article discusses the main human resource issues in Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

Asia HR Update 2001

By Ames Gross
Winter 2001
Published in SHRM International Focus, a publication of the Society for Human Resources Management

This report highlights the reforms and new trends in human resources, employment, and recruiting in China, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Key topics covered include unemployment issues, education and training, pensions and retirement, and the use of Internet for recruiting in Asia. Human resource managers and recruiters can experience rapid success in the Asian business environment by understanding the dynamic and varying human resource situations in Asia.

Issues for Expatriates and Foreign Workers in Asia

By Ames Gross and Shawna Lepage
September 2001
Published in Corporate Relocation News

Expatriates and foreigners looking to work in Asia may come across a plethora of cultural and business differences. For instance, when doing business in Japan, American managers and Japanese businessmen may have opposite views of time-values and business directness. Besides the business differences, expatriates also have to face visa issues. In Thailand,a foreigner can obtain four different visas, however, the procedure to obtain a long-term business visa requires a great deal of time and effort. Taxes are also another issue that require attention. Local taxes are relatively low for expatriates working in Vietnam, while some employees in Singapore can pay up to 20% of their salary. Lastly, Western standard housing for expatriates can be tricky to find, whether looking for housing in China, or India. This article provides insightful advice for foreigners doing business and relocating abroad to Asia.

Stock Options in Asia

By Ames Gross and Shawna Lepage
July 2001
Published in SHRM Global Perspectives, a publication of the Society for Human Resources Management Global Forum

As more multinational corporations (MNCs) bring their business to Asia and the number of Asian high-tech companies increases, stock option plans have become an essential portion of employee compensation packages. Since stock-option plans are relatively new in the Asian marketplace, there are several issues that companies should consider when choosing stock-options as part of their recruiting package. China’s government restrictions on foreign equity ownership require MNCs to seek alternate ownership plans. In Japan, there can be heavy capital gains taxes imposed on stock option profits. By contrast, Singapore’s government offers tax exemptions to some companies. This article goes over the spreading trend of businesses offering stock-option plans in Asia, and how these plans may change in the future, as the Asian labor market improves.

New Developments in Asian Human Resources

By Ames Gross
Fall 2000
Published in SHRM International Focus, a publication of the Society for Human Resources Management

Following the Asia Financial Crisis, Asian economies are showing signs of economic recovery, and there are greater opportunities for business expansion. The changing economies in Asia are also bringing about massive structural reforms, prompting changes and developments in human resources, employment, and recruitment. For instance, many countries are moving away from seniority-based pay to performance-based pay in countries like Japan and China. Additionally, top MBA programs are being established in India and China to help fulfill the need for top business executives. IT training is another top development goal, with Korea, Vietnam and Malaysia making efforts to greatly expand this sector. Finally, internet usage in Asia is growing at a phenomenal pace, for both employers and job seekers. This article examines human resource developments in Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

Asian Trends in Human Resources: After the Crisis

By Ames Gross and Divya Thadani
Fall 1999
Published in SHRM International Focus, a publication of the Society for Human Resources Management

This report goes over the main recruiting and human resource issues affecting Asia, following the Asia Financial Crisis, with analysis of issues in Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia. Although the crisis affected all the Asian economies differently, human resource matters and recruiting methods have nevertheless experienced similar reforms throughout the entire region. Regulations of wages, a shift to performance-based pay, job-hopping, decreased demand for expatriates, and the increased demand for top executives are just some of the main human resource issues facing Asian nations following the financial crisis. Continued reform efforts in human resources will be made as the region’s economies continue to expand.

Developments in Asian Human Resources

By Ames Gross
Fall 1999
Published in SHRM International Focus

With information regarding Asia’s economic stability after the Asian Financial Crisis and emerging human resource trends, this article draws attention to the positive effects created in the employment sector as a result of the crisis. Key topics include changes in wages, performance rewards, expatriate demand, unemployment, compensation packages, insurance, training, among various other human resource modifications. Countries mentioned include Japan, China, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, and the Southeast Asia region.

Staffing Your Asian Operation with Asian Returnees: The Pros and Cons

By Ames Gross and Tim McDonald
Spring 1998
Published in International IR Journal

A human resource manager for a large U.S. company received a phone call in his office one morning from a candidate for a financial management position. She informed him that she wished to decline their offer for a job in Shanghai, as the company had not satisfactorily addressed a number of her concerns.

The company had found this candidate after a rather lengthy search. She was a Chinese citizen living in America who was well qualified for the job. She was earning $33,000 dollars while living in Cincinnati. So the U.S. company offered her the same base salary with an extra $5,000 annual housing allowance for her to relocate to China. The offer seemed reasonable enough, but she still had questions for the company.

The candidate had asked the company to supply her with some information on the housing situation in Shanghai; specifically, where she could live and how much it would cost. The company did not do this. Given the rapidly rising cost of Western style housing in Shanghai, she was unsure of what accommodations she could get for about $400 a month. Additionally, the company failed to provide the candidate with information on her means of transportation to the factory — which was 45 minutes by car from central Shanghai. After six years in the United States, the prospect of traveling to work by bike (the usual method of transport in Shanghai) seemed out of the question. The candidate was also in the process of applying for permanent residency status in the U.S. While the company agreed to sponsor her for residency, it failed to clarify its exact game plan to keep the green card process moving forward. Because the company did not address these concerns, she responded by declining the offer.

Compensating, Hiring and Retaining Employees in Southeast Asia

By Ames Gross and Tim McDonald
February 1998
Published in ACA News

In Southeast Asia, staffing challenges are driving many organizations to examine hiring and pay policies. Key to organizations’ success in the region is meeting demand for employees and retaining trained workers.

Human Resource Issues in Southeast Asia

By Ames Gross
Fall 1997
Published in International HR Journal.

Despite the collapse of the Thai Baht in the summer of 1997 and subsequent reverberations in the Asian region, Southeast Asia will remain one of the highest growth areas in the world well into the 21st century. While future annual growth rates are expected to slow from approximately 6-10% (the historical growth rates of the past 15 years) to the 5-7% range, this figure represents almost double the growth rate evident in many industrialized countries.

Human Resources Issues in the “Tigers” of Asia

By Ames Gross
Spring 1997
Published in International HR Journal.

The four "tigers" of Asia -- Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan -- offer attractive opportunities for western business interests and have demonstrated dramatic growth in recent years, due to their strong economies.

Recruiting in Asia

By Ames Gross
Winter 1997
Published in Benefits & Compensation International

It is time for the world to recognize East Asia as the economic superpower of the future. Thirty years ago, the economies of East Asia accounted for only 4% of the world’s total output. Today, they account for 25% of the gross world product. From 1985 to 1994, the average gross domestic product growth rate in East Asian countries was an impressive 8.2%; the average for industrialized nations was only 3%. Moreover, the World Bank estimates that over the next ten years, Asian economies will grow twice as fast as those in any other region in the world. By the year 2020, economists predict that seven of the world’s ten largest economies will be located in Asia.

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