Pinyin romanization for street and place names. is means that the
same Chinese word may be transcribed various ways into English.
For further data on the languages of Taiwan, see Ethnologue at
www.ethnologue.com.
Cultural Note
The Chinese phrase that describes so much of Taiwanese life is re nau, which means “hot and
raucous.” This describes not just Taiwan’s lively nightlife, but the aggressive nature of daytime
Taiwan as well. The streets and the noise are overwhelming; everyone has something to do and is
in a hurry. It is this energy that developed Taiwan into a major industrial power in half a century.
The Taiwanese View
e religious distribution is over 90 percent Buddhist, Confucian,
and Taoist; 4.5 percent Christian; and 2.5 percent other religions.
A Taiwanese citizen does not have to wonder about the mean-
ing of life. e Mandarin term shengyi translates as “meaning of life.”
It also means “business.” ere could be no greater work ethic than
this: the purpose of life in Taiwan is to work hard, be successful in
business, and accumulate wealth for one’s family.
Confucian ethics form the backbone of Taiwan society. Confu-
cianism is not a religion in the Western sense, but it does provide
guides for living. Unlike the People’s Republic of China (where the
Communists preached loyalty to one’s work group), in Taiwan the
family remains the central unit of society.
Taiwan has no ocial religion, reecting the ability of the Tai-
wanese to simultaneously follow more than one religion. Aside from
Confucianism and traditional folk beliefs, Taiwanese are likely to be
Buddhist, Taoist, or Christian. (To make matters more complicated,
many Taiwanese follow Taoist philosophy while ignoring the Taoist
priesthood.)
Cultural Note
Business travelers to Taiwan should refer to the People’s Republic of China as “mainland China”
and to Beijing as “Peking” or “Beiping,” which means “northern peace” rather than “northern

may be biased by faith in the ideologies of nationalism. Recently,
younger Taiwanese are moving toward the use of more and more
facts to justify their decisions.
Value Systems: The Basis for Behavior
Confucianism has a great inuence on Chinese society. It gener-
ates a rigid ethical and moral system that governs all relationships.
e following three sections identify the Value Systems in the pre-
dominant culture—their methods of dividing right from wrong,
good from evil, and so forth.
Locus of Decision-Making
Decisions are made by consensus of the group, which defers to
those who have the most ethos—usually the oldest members. It is
the individual’s duty not to bring shame on any unit of which he or
she is a member—family, group, or organization. Individuals must
also be very careful not to cause someone else to lose face. us,
Taiwanese may speak with vague politeness rather than saying “no.”
ere is a strong authoritative structure that demands impartiality
and obedience.
Sources of Anxiety Reduction
e family is the most important unit of social organization, and
life is an organization of obligations to relationships. e Taiwanese
are highly ethnocentric with a natural feeling of superiority and con-
dence in their political system. is gives them a feeling of national
and personal security. One must work for harmony in the group,
so emotional restraint is prized and aggressive behavior is frowned
upon.
Issues of Equality/Inequality
ere is a strong feeling of interdependence among members of
the family, group, or organization. Businesses are very competitive
and put heavy emphasis on entry-level skills and one’s ability to get

●
Taiwanese write the day rst, then the month, and then the year
(e.g., December 3, 2010, is written 3.12.10 or 3/12/10).
●
For a list of ocial holidays in Taiwan, visit www.kissboworshake
hands.com.
●
Local time is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (G.M.T.
+ 8) or thirteen hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time (E.S.T.
+ 13).
Cultural Note
Modesty is very important in Taiwan. Do not enter an office until you are invited, and do not
seat yourself until you are asked to do so. If you receive a compliment, politely refute it and
expect others to do the same. This should not stop you from complimenting another person,
however, because compliments are always appreciated.
Negotiating
●
e basis of a business relationship in Taiwan is respect and trust.
Take time to establish a rapport with your counterpart. Initially,
you will have to overcome the Taiwanese distrust of Westerners.
Meet face-to-face as oen as possible, and keep in touch aer
your trip is over.
●
Taiwan is relatively similar to other East Asian countries. e
Chinese in Taiwan are capitalists with the same motivations for
doing business as the Japanese. However, while Taiwan may seem
very westernized, the heart of the culture is still very traditional.
●
Business will tend to take place at a slower pace than in North
America or Europe. Be patient with delays. Oen, this is a tactic to

●
Consider sending your proposals in advance of your visit for your
host to preview. At a presentation, recap the major points at the
beginning and at the end. Look for cues that your counterpart did
not understand you. Do not expect him or her to tell you when this
happens, because this will be embarrassing. Break up the infor-
mation into small segments with pauses for question-and-answer
periods. Be patient with extensive questioning. Address the chief
negotiator occasionally, even if he does not speak English.
●
Avoid using your hands when speaking. Chinese rarely use their
hands while speaking and become distracted by a speaker who
does.
●
Business is competitive in Taiwan. Be prepared to discuss all parts
of your proposal in detail. Bargaining is also a way of life, so be
prepared to make concessions.
●
Be sure to have products patented or registered in Taiwan to pro-
tect yourself against imitation.
Taiwan

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