If you don’t make an effort to understand the culture of the people you are looking to trade with, you will probably fail to achieve the level of success you desire. Saying “I am from Australia and didn’t realise that would be considered rude” is a lame excuse, and will be treated as such. “I didn’t understand” can be translated as “I didn’t bother to do my research”.

If Asia is Asia, then basically once you have researched one country you have mastered them all, right? Wrong! Asia is a region, not a country. There are so many variances from one country to another that need to be understood — I couldn’t hope to possibly cover them all in this column.

The following are important issues to consider as social conduct rules. They can alter significantly and are often foreign to our upbringing.

* Appropriate strength of a handshake can vary.

* To bow or not to bow?

* Do you initiate a handshake to women?

* What name do you use in an introduction or meeting?

* When should you exchange business cards?

* What should be written on the card?

* Do you understand what can be considered as obscene gestures?

* Appropriate business attire?

* Is gift giving appropriate?

* Are certain colours offensive?

I am not implying that doing business in Asian region means that you need to become an expert on regional customs, but it is important to make a genuine effort to understand local people and their culture.

Following are key extracts taken from the web on appropriate business conduct in Singapore. I don’t know about other executives, but without doing this research, I would be 99 per cent sure to offend in some small way:

* Do not touch anyone on the head — not even a child — as the head is considered sacred;

* Never signal or point at someone with your forefinger;

* Do not pound your fist on an open palm; it is an obscene gesture in Singapore;

* The foot is considered the lowest part of the body, and is thought of as being unclean;

* Never point your foot or the sole of your shoe at anyone;

A common question asked of executives when talking with a new contact is, “What do you know about my business?”. If you don’t know the answer, you go nowhere. If you know about the technical aspects of their business, but demonstrate limited knowledge of their social conduct rules, the result could well be the same.

While Macau is mostly known as “the Vegas of the orient”, and an increasing number of tourists flock in droves to its gaudy and ostentatious casinos, it’s important to remember that the city also has a special “culinary attraction”: That is the unique Macanese cuisine which developed during hundreds of years of Portuguese colonialism, and combines the classics of Portuguese cooking, with Chinese influences. Those are the best restaurants in Macau, where you can enjoy fabulous Macanese and Portuguese food.

* A Lorcha, near A-Ma Temple and Macau Maritime Museum, is one of Macau’s most notable culinary icons, serving what is described by many as the “best Portuguese food outside Portugal”… With nice and simple Portuguese decor, and friendly staff, this relatively small restaurant renders a somewhat homey ambience and, most importantly, some outstandingly delicious Portuguese-Macanese food, both seafood and meat… Among the signature dishes you can find names like Chourico assado (char-grilled Portuguese chorizo), Bacalhau com natas (bacalhau with potato in cream sauce) and Pan-fried clams with garlic, just to name a few… Don’t be afraid to order something new, there is very little chance for you to go wrong.
* Restaurante Fernando (or Fernando’s as it is more commonly known) is another one of Macau’s gastronomic emblems. Nestled on Coloane Island’s Hac sa Beach, one of Macau’s greenest and most peaceful corners, Fernando features a rustic-homey ambience that contributes a lot to the lovely dining experience, with simple bamboo furniture and an exquisite alfresco dining area, covered with shrubs… Portuguese style BBQs (both meat and seafood) are Fernando’s main draw, and so is the freshly baked Portuguese bread, but frankly speaking, everything on the menu is good! Next to the restaurant, there is a nice outdoor bar where you can have a drink before or after dinner… And here is a small tip: Try to avoid weekends, as Fernando’s don’t accept early bookings and the restaurant can get jam packed…
* For a sumptuous and atmospheric dinner that revives the charm of colonial Macau, very few restaurants can compete with Clube Militar. Occupying a neo-classical 1870s building that once housed a club for colonial army officers, right next to the legendary Lisboa, Clube Militar features an uber-elegant decor, with polished wood floor and crisp-white tablecloths… Portuguese classics dominate the menu and during lunch they serve a buffet, so you can try different things…
* Fat Siu Lau: Tucked on picturesque Rua de Felicidade, just a short stroll from Senado square, this is possibly Macau’s oldest existing restaurant, with an impressive record of more than 100 years… Homey and unpretentious Macanese cuisine is what this restaurant is all about, and their good-old favorites, like Roasted Pigeon and African Chicken attract customers from far and wide…
* Amagao: Serving what some gourmands consider to be the best Portuguese-Macanese food in Macau, this lilliput-size “private-kitchen” is probably one of Taipa Island’s best kept secrets… Tucked in a small lane, just a minute walk from Taipa Village’s main street, Rua Cunha, it is open only for dinner and you must book well in advance if you want to get a table… Moreover, you have to discuss your dinner with the chef-owner, as he buys the fresh ingredients especially for you… Chicken specialties are the main thing here, particularly the Galinha à Portuguesa (Portuguese style chicken), but everything else is just as good…