This course is a comparative study of business in the Asia Pacific. For much of the past four decades the Asia Pacific has been the most economically dynamic region in the world. The importance of understanding the region for businesses, governments and academics cannot be overstated. The main aims of this course are to encourage and stimulate your interest in the Asia Pacific, to provide you with a firm grounding in the contemporary economic, political, and cultural contexts of the Asia Pacific nations, and to enable you to recognise and appreciate the degree of diversity of the business environments and business practices in the region. In a one-term course it is not possible to delve into the details of business in all the Asia Pacific nations. Instead, taking for granted your basic theoretical knowledge of economics, strategic management and organisational behaviour, you will be introduced to the characteristics of business organisation and management in several countries in the Asia Pacific, locating business practice in the context of political economy, institutional environment, and cultural background. The main emphasis is upon China and Japan but attention will also be devoted to other Asia Pacific economies including Korea and Malaysia.