Behaviour in the workplace
Traditional Vietnamese organisations operate strict hierarchies. Individuals have defined roles and report to an immediate superior who will direct his or her work. Information is on a strictly ‘need-to-know’ basis – if a senior manager is away from work, only his superiors will know where the person has gone and is going to return. Deference to superiors is essential at all times – in a meeting, for example, the most superior person present will hold the floor and give permission to inferiors to speak. Disagreeing with a superior’s view would be a serious breach of etiquette. Much time is taken up with social ceremonies – tea drinking and circuitous discussions take precedence over work output