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PRACTICE IN PURSUIT OF BUSINESS.
APRIL 28, 1996 -
THE STAR
THE Malaysian corporate scene is about to be seized by another
"fad." But this time around, it borders on the making of a new
religion. It comes complete with rituals and symbols,
including gurus.
Fads and gurus are not new to managers. Upon joining the
corporate world, one is immediately fed a steady diet of
recipes of success. These represent the best of management
cuisines from the West.- the TQM, Process Reengineering, Seven
Habits and Search for Excellence.
You can also take your pick from the treasury of Eastern sages
such as Confucius and Sun Tzu. Even Attila the Hun has not
been forgotten.
I was given a glimpse of this new religion when shown some
apartments for rent. In the first instance, there is no 14th
floor but only a 13A. Similarly, the 24th floor has become
23A. I was told that this was deliberately done toward off the
maleffects of number 4.
Yet another example may strength en the belief that there is
something more in the practice than meets the eye. In this
case, prospective buyers to a new tower block of condos are
greeted by a fountain that gushes out fortune-bringing water
to the owners.
Beside the covered porch, a curtain of water is allowed to
cascade down into the swimming pool. Again, a reflection of
the belief held by the developer of the property to the
benefits feng shui or the science of matching matching wind
and water.
The proponents of this philosophy are also making good money
from their books and consultations. Two such talks held the
Carnival Day of drew respectable crowds.
The followers corporate feng shui in nationalities, religion
and creed. Whatever their earlier open to the advice of a
master established geomancer.
Weel-known business figures in the country are reputed a feng
shui Expert on their payroll. Others are belived to plan the
minutest detail of their businesses only with the advice of a
feng shui guru whose paraphernalia may include the traditional
pendulum, crystal triangles, cubes and mirrors.
Then there are the yellow pieces of paper carrying the
portraits of the three figures symbolising Luck, Prosperity
and Longevity. These are usually burned for good luck and to
ward off ill-health and misfortune.
Feng shui is known to influence the way some corporate figures
live their lives. One such person has car number plates with
the number 8 among them or digits that total 8. Others have
closed off doors and exits and built new ones to give the chi
an unimpeded flow .
Even the positioning of the bed and table are realigned.
Knowledge corners are being mapped out around the house to
allow the occupant to maximise space.
I have a friend who is a feng shui master. Walking into his
office is an enlightening experience indeed. He has a crystal
ball, a compass, a few crystal pyramids, copper plates, stones
of all sizes and shapes, and the odd l Ching.
He had gone through rigorous studies to initiate himself into
this vocation. He went to special meditation classes to
sharpen his nerves and control his psychology. He provides
advice on the right name for a business, its location,
auspicious dates and times, and also a proper logo. His
clients have asked him for tips on name-changes and
signatures.
Another friend specialises in number analysis. This is a
technique made popular by Cheiro and Linda Goodman. It works
by the addition of numbers that have been assigned to the
letters of the alphabet. From the combined total, a person's
fortune can be read, good and bad dates told and names could
be changed to bring good luck.
Yet another friend has perfected the art of business astrology
for the benefit of his clients. Against the various planets,
this practitioner has drawn up a business-astrological chart
akin to the 12 different houses of the original astrology
chart.
This form of astrology is relatively new in our part of the
world where there are more followers in the traditional
astro-palmistry variety.
Your business prospects, as they say, is in the cards. And
card-reading is another unobtrusive but powerful way to find
out what the future holds.
There are a few good card-resders in the country. They can
supposedly predict with some certainty whether a business deal
will succeed or a meeting will ever take place.
In the course of the consultation, the person can gain
knowledge of related activities and people who will be
involved in a particular project. This is about the most
accessible of the "fad."
Among the Muslims, apart from the indigenous bomoh, there is a
habit to retain a religious person or ustaz as a spiritual
guide. These wise seers are consulted on every important and
significant event.
Together with corporate success, religious mentoring has
become the in-thing among prominent Muslim entrepreneurs.
Since Muslims are not encouraged to show their such devotion
in public, these corporate leaders have outwardly manifested
their strong religious ardour by performing acts of
philanthropy and public good.
There is agreement that this fad of going after the spiritual
and religious experience will pick up as more and more people
start to believe and put their faith in them.
Already other elements have crept into the lexicon of this new
following. Gemology experts have become noticeable faces at
gatherings of businessmen and corporate leaders. They offer
advice regarding precious and semi-precious stones.
Essentially, it involves choosing a correct stone to wear. The
gemologist will offer advice on the proper size shape as well
as intrinsic qualities of the various stones. They can be
diamonds and sapphires or the common coral and crystals. Many
have come to believe that combined with astrology, the science
of gemology can be of big help to business.
Generally, among Asians at least, people would not stop at
anything so long as the business is going to benefit
handsomely. There is, therefore, a big scope for this new
religion, or more a fad, to take root in Malaysia. If
anything, it is a sure indication that the Age of Uncertainty
and Unreason has come to stay.
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