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21^st century Asia has become an innovative study, work and business environment with a unique context and various challenges. Without a grasp of this context, it is easy to fall into a trap of misunderstanding, says Maret Nukke, lecturer of Japanese studies at the TU School of Humanities.

People often encounter situations in Asia, where previous studies or experiences are of no use. The main reason for problems is the assumption that people have similar habits and follow the same unwritten rules as we do in our everyday environment.

When a tourist may find the varying norms of everyday courtesies amusing and exciting, the practitioner working in Asia must know for sure when a “yes” is an agreement, and when it just means that your partner is listening to you. Knowledge of the thought patterns and behaviour of the people of this large continent will prove invaluable when interpreting such situations.

The Japanese sociologist Eshun Hamaguchi coined the term “contextual Japanese”, which meant the way the locals adapt their behaviour according to the changes in the context. The context is set by the place and time, the age and hierarchical status of the partner, their religious or world views, as well as common traditions.

Thus learning a few phrases or reading a few behaviour tips from a travel blog is not enough when looking for success in Asia, as actual situations always tend to be different than described elsewhere.

Defining contexts correctly and analysing them adequately is very difficult for someone from a different cultural background. To a tourist or student, the mistakes they made will stay with them as uncomfortable memories. To an entrepreneur looking for long-term contracts the misunderstanding of context and the decisions made upon the wrong impression can mean losing all business relations.

The abilities of interpreting contexts and generalising according to typical situations is what researchers of humanities and social sciences focusing on Asia try to develop. Their research results and field experience offer knowledge that help businesspeople develop sustainable relations with Asian partners and avoid getting lost in translation.

The Asian Studies Bachelor and Master’s programmes at Tallinn University offer broad-based knowledge about Asia. See all the Asian courses offered at Tallinn University .