June - July 2013 - Association of Dutch Businessmen

Events
level of transparency in who is bidding for what and who
is partnering with whom provides a quick way of reference
checking. Looking at the experience Philips has had with
the government, Mr Erazo is positive. “I was impressed by
their very hard work and good intentions, although the
outcomes are still pending.”
As a final comment on culture and business etiquette,
Mr. van der Bruggen points out that business people in
Myanmar have a strong emotional bias for decision-making
in negotiations, which means they can get upset and
insulted relatively quickly. The right framing and wording to
avoid misunderstandings may require some practice.
Q&A
Although the bar was already open, there were quite a few
interesting questions from the audience. Here is a short
selection:
Q: What are the opportunities for SMEs?
A: Significant funds are required to get started in Myanmar,
as costs are high. If you can’t sit it out for several years,
don’t go in. The Embassy provides support for Dutch
business people through the website, organized visits and
through their office, which is opening in Myanmar.
Q: As mentioned by the panel, everybody wants to get in
at this time, at any price. Are we experiencing a Myanmar
bubble?
A: There is definitely a Myanmar wave. But even if things
go wrong, people still need oil, food, roads etc. There are
so many basic needs to be met that we do not have to
worry about the market.
Conclusion
If you want to do business in Myanmar, it is important to
talk to the right government officials in the appropriate
way. Now is definitely the time to go in, but not without a
healthy amount of caution as well as resources.
Could Myanmar be the next Asian tiger?
Bronze sponsors:
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