Introduction: doing business in ASEAN Markets: what is so different?

Many scholars and practitioners have anointed the 21st century as the “Asian Century”. It is now obvious that an economic shift from the West to the East is underway, having both major economic and socio-political implications China and India are often featured as drivers of this Asian economic renaissance. China and India are the two remaining BRIC countries that still grow at a considerable speed. China is projected to have a growth rate of about 6.5 % over the next several years (lower than the double digit growth it experienced at the turn of the century) and India may pick up some steam and hit 7 % for the next years. However, less well-known and less analyzed is the equally remarkable story of the rise of the ASEAN market, which may generate interesting prospects for many multinational companies (MNC) and global investors in the coming years.