Megatrends Asia: Eight Asian Megatrends That Are Reshaping Our World [Hardcover]

John Naisbitt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 18, 1996

Reveals explosive changes currently taking place in Asia while considering how these changes will affect the rest of the world, predicting a major shift in international economic forces. 175,000 first printing. Tour.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bestselling prognosticator Naisbitt (Megatrends 2000) predicts that the West?and even Japan?will be left behind as the countries of Southeast Asia, led by China and a collaborative network of "overseas Chinese" entrepreneurs in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore increasingly gain economic power. The global axis of power and influence has already shifted from West to East, in his assessment, and the principal trends underlying Asia's rapid modernization include a shift from central government control to free-market economies, the emergence of female entrepreneurs, mass migration to cities and a resurgent individualistic spirit that rejects welfarism. Naisbitt, who has been based in Malaysia for more than a year, peppers this upbeat and optimistic, if shallow, report with sweeping predictions and snap analyses that seem to hit and miss their targets in equal measure. 125,000 first printing; $100,000 ad/promo; first serial to Working Woman.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This latest work by mega-best-selling author Naisbitt identifies eight Asian megatrends that are reshaping our world. The number eight, considered lucky in Asia, is significant here. Coming political, economic, and cultural changes will soon render Asia the dominant region of the world, and Naisbitt offers advice that will help the reader profit by the changes. The work looks at the region as a whole. In general, things Western are falling out of favor, as key places return to Chinese rule. However, Western problems such as divorce and crime are on the increase. The magnitude and far-reaching effects of the modernization of Asia are emphasized here; Naisbitt even asserts that the changes in modernization are without question the most important events taking place in the world today. Japan has just begun an economic decline that will increase rapidly in the coming years. The book does not linger long on any topic but gives readers snippets of information before moving on. A chart contrasts Asian and American values, shedding light on the respective cultures. Not surprisingly, Americans are said to value individual rights over an orderly society, which may explain the situation in which we currently find ourselves. Extensive notes are provided. Recommended for all public and academic libraries. (Index not seen.)-Lisa K. Miller, Paradise Valley Community Coll. Lib., Phoenix
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First Printing edition (January 18, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684815427
• ISBN-13: 978-0684815428
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,015,795 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent examples, but poor review of negative topics., April 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Megatrends Asia (Paperback)

In Megatrends Asia, Naisbitt does an excellent job in presenting the next eight major shifts taking place in Asia. His use of precise examples and interviews clarifies the points he is trying to express. For example, he sites specific countries and their new infrastructure projects. He presents specific statistics, like with Asian credit and the number of credit cards being issued. Acer Group is mentioned as an example of the rise in Asian brand names.

However, I do not believe Naisbitt give adequate defense to the negative issues surrounding these shifts and their impact on the region. He briefly mentions pollution, environment, human rights, but he does not put much emphasis on them. Overall, I think Naisbitt presented a positive and fairly accurate prediction of the future. But he (we) should not ignore the inevitable negatives surrounding these shift in Asia.END

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Simplistic but still readable, October 5, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Singapore, Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Megatrends Asia: Eight Asian Megatrends That Are Reshaping Our World (Hardcover)

Naisbitt has done it again, this time turning his attention to Asia. His earlier book, Megatrends, attempts to set the agenda for international business in the next century. Now he aspires to do the same thing for Asia-watchers, or claim to be so. Not a critical enough piece of work though, and Naisbitt, despite his many interesting observations of the 'megatrends' influencing Asia in the so-called pacific Century, still fails to convince why Asia will lead the world economy and why it's so important to understand this continent.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not entirely convincing Asian futurology, February 18, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Megatrends Asia: Eight Asian Megatrends That Are Reshaping Our World (Hardcover)

This is a book that endeavours to predict the future and like all works of the genre it must stand or fall by the quality of its predictions. Naisbitt is recognized as one of the world's top political and economic forecasters, with a number of best selling 'futurology' books to his name. The problem with this particular book is not that the predictions are inaccurate, but rather that most of them are either common sense or are already taking place.

The book is divided into eight chapters, each describing one of the, "Asian megatrends that are reshaping the world." The last of these megatrends is simply "From West to East." Naisbitt says that, "Asia was once the centre of the world, and now the centre is returning to Asia." He even goes as far as to predict that, "we are moving towards the Asianization of the world."

Naisbitt makes use of an array of facts and figures to support each of the eight trends. Mostly this is done successfully, but occasionally the facts seem open to other, more intuitive interpretations, and the conclusions he draws sometimes appear strained. For example, he says, "demands in the Indian art market are so great that artists sell their works as fast as they are finished." The impression he is trying to create of a booming art market is clear, but do all Indian artists really sell all their work as soon as it is finished? Are their no unsold pieces to be found anywhere in the country? What are the prices of these highly desirable and much sought after works of art? Sometimes the way the arguments are presented raises more questions than it answers. Despite this the reader is left in little doubt that the overall evidence supporting each 'megatrend' is compelling, and the evidence has continued to mount since the publication of the book.

In his The Cynic's Word Book, Ambrose Bierce defines the future as, "that period of time in which our affairs prosper, our friends are true, and our happiness is assured." If Naisbitt's vision of the future is correct then Asia's affairs will prosperous, its friends will be true, and its happiness will indeed be assured.