There is a lot of insight in the description of all the individual, small- and medium-scale Chinese businesses in the region, and the article is well worth reading for this reason.
However, extrapolating these observations alone is not enough to explain the emergence of a relatively closely-knit elite of powerful business moguls who have a finger in every pie and can apparently do no wrong in their respective geographic areas of operation, while seemingly being unable to capitalize on the same business acumen to successfully expand beyond the region, a question the article also brings up:
> Consider a question that I’ve been interested in for the past 10 years: what separates the Robert Kuoks, the Mochtar Riadys, the Ng Teng Fongs and the Yeoh Tiong Lays from the rest of the traditional Chinese businessmen who have graced both sides of the Malaccan Straits?
To anyone interested in some good answers to the above question, along with an extensive background discussion, I heartily recommend the book "Asian Godfathers: Money and Power in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia" by Joe Studwell, a well-researched study of the topic that is also captivating to read:
However, extrapolating these observations alone is not enough to explain the emergence of a relatively closely-knit elite of powerful business moguls who have a finger in every pie and can apparently do no wrong in their respective geographic areas of operation, while seemingly being unable to capitalize on the same business acumen to successfully expand beyond the region, a question the article also brings up:
> Consider a question that I’ve been interested in for the past 10 years: what separates the Robert Kuoks, the Mochtar Riadys, the Ng Teng Fongs and the Yeoh Tiong Lays from the rest of the traditional Chinese businessmen who have graced both sides of the Malaccan Straits?
To anyone interested in some good answers to the above question, along with an extensive background discussion, I heartily recommend the book "Asian Godfathers: Money and Power in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia" by Joe Studwell, a well-researched study of the topic that is also captivating to read:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802143911