Much has been written on how to build and grow successful corporations. And yet, traditionally, management gurus often hesitated to explore the role that culture played in corporate success and growth. Recently however, and especially in our straitened economic climate, it has become more acceptable to surmise that culture does indeed play a significant role and to explore alternate, culturally-infused paths to corporate success. Author Lena Tran is right on the money in her new book from Happy About, Compassionate Vietnamese American CEOs. She explores the role of culture, particularly Vietnamese culture, in creating business success. Interviewing several community visionaries--including one billionaire and a couple of millionaires--who worked for major high-tech enterprises, Lena explores the cultural context and values they brought to bear to build happy and successful companies, even in turbulent economic times. Using a rigorous and analytic interview approach, she describes how success can be hinged on core values built upon cultural beliefs, family traditions and time-honored, culturally-contextual leadership practices.
The author's purpose is to nurture an understanding of the deep connections between culture and corporate success, and at the same time tell an interesting and engaging story. In this she succeeds with remarkable ease and clarity. She narrates how each of her interviewees sought to blend their deep-rooted cultural beliefs with western leadership theories and practices of business management. She reveals how, consciously or subliminally, core values linked to cultural beliefs and family traditions shaped leadership practices. Vietnamese culture has always focused on respect for others and self, consideration for employees, 'saving face' for families and a faith in karma and Lena expertly shows how these can serve as cornerstones to create happy, cohesive and successful companies. Compassionate Vietnamese American CEOs, a great read under any circumstances, becomes doubly relevant in today's economic scenario.