Are Cambodians "quitters"?
Are Cambodians "quitters"?
At the risk of causing offense, I have a serious question here.
It is my impression that a greater than expected number of Cambodians I work with and know socially are what I would call "quitters."
Meaning that they express interest in doing something, or they volunteer to take on a project, but they will "quit" after about a day if they don't have immediate success.
Imagine a nine year old who sees a guitar in a store window and begs his parents for months to buy him the guitar. The parents buy him the guitar and then he gets home and plays with it for an hour and puts it in the closet. Then if they ask him why he stopped playing, he says "Oooh, learning chords is too hard."
Cambodians have a tendency to behave like this I think. Am I wrong?
I could give more personal examples but don't wish to out myself or my employer.
It is my impression that a greater than expected number of Cambodians I work with and know socially are what I would call "quitters."
Meaning that they express interest in doing something, or they volunteer to take on a project, but they will "quit" after about a day if they don't have immediate success.
Imagine a nine year old who sees a guitar in a store window and begs his parents for months to buy him the guitar. The parents buy him the guitar and then he gets home and plays with it for an hour and puts it in the closet. Then if they ask him why he stopped playing, he says "Oooh, learning chords is too hard."
Cambodians have a tendency to behave like this I think. Am I wrong?
I could give more personal examples but don't wish to out myself or my employer.
It’s hardly a unique Cambodian trait. It’s prevalent around the world, particularly in this social media environment where people gave the attention span of a goldfish, and expect maximum return for minimum effort.
- Lucky Lucan
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In a historical context, considering the numerous invasions and wars and destruction in the past they can hardly be called quitters. I have found on the odd occasion when I have had to employ people to do construction work that they will, even if well compensated, disappear on a whim. For other areas I haven't noticed any problem, locals can be as professional as anyone if they are well motivated.
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Romantic Cambodia is dead and gone. It's with McKinley in the grave.
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- I have some social problems
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I actually find the locals are mostly very hard working,and are used to working in very hard conditions,i spent almost 20 years in a management role in Aussie mines and am used to hard working employees,working long hours and with a culture of getting the job done,but i was pleased to find when i first came here some 18 years ago the locals are in some ways even harder working,i did find there priorities a bit different,but not so much in a bad way but certainly different,a lot of it here IMO comes down to training and supervision,as in Australia we assume most workers will be skilled and may think along the same lines as me,but here is a bit different,but once they have a clear picture of what is required and the necessary tools,the locals do a fine job. the main thing is you need to show them the way,that takes more time,but they are fast learners and work in well with each other.
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SEA girls are the most fickle employees i have ever come across. when coming across one that i like to deal with i often give small presents in the hope of aiding the longitivity, but it doesnt work for long, they just disappear over night and the next one appears who may or may not be a real bitch
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- MerkinMaker
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Was this task something that they decided to do all by themselves, or was it something that they were nudged into doing for their betterment? (possibly by their "enlightened" barang acquaintance)
If it was the latter, then there is your answer. I find Cambodians to be quite determined when they are exercising free will, very much less so when they are being corralled.
If it was the latter, then there is your answer. I find Cambodians to be quite determined when they are exercising free will, very much less so when they are being corralled.
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- MerkinMaker
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Also there is a tendency (and I'm not saying that this is the case here) for foreigners to come here and start telling everyone how everything "should" be done, and that they know because they come from a place where things "work".
Years ago Khmer's actually used to lap this up, but I think they've now come to the point (especially in business settings) of barang oracle fatigue and realised that it's horses for courses, and the way things are done here are adapted to perform well on this course.
This has been proven many times now where serious Khmer businesses have beaten their western competitors in the open market.
Years ago Khmer's actually used to lap this up, but I think they've now come to the point (especially in business settings) of barang oracle fatigue and realised that it's horses for courses, and the way things are done here are adapted to perform well on this course.
This has been proven many times now where serious Khmer businesses have beaten their western competitors in the open market.
- Felgerkarb
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The business environment here always runs on the momentum of injected capital, not self generated capital.starkmonster wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:04 amAlso there is a tendency (and I'm not saying that this is the case here) for foreigners to come here and start telling everyone how everything "should" be done, and that they know because they come from a place where things "work".
Years ago Khmer's actually used to lap this up, but I think they've now come to the point (especially in business settings) of barang oracle fatigue and realised that it's horses for courses, and the way things are done here are adapted to perform well on this course.
This has been proven many times now where serious Khmer businesses have beaten their western competitors in the open market.
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Why are the gods such vicious cunts?
Where is the god of tits and wine?
Why are the gods such vicious cunts?
Where is the god of tits and wine?
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- OneTrickPony
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Are you seriously suggesting that Cambodia has an open market?starkmonster wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:04 amAlso there is a tendency (and I'm not saying that this is the case here) for foreigners to come here and start telling everyone how everything "should" be done, and that they know because they come from a place where things "work".
Years ago Khmer's actually used to lap this up, but I think they've now come to the point (especially in business settings) of barang oracle fatigue and realised that it's horses for courses, and the way things are done here are adapted to perform well on this course.
This has been proven many times now where serious Khmer businesses have beaten their western competitors in the open market.
If so, could you please give one of two examples. Cheers
Up the workers!
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- MerkinMaker
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Go look out of your window. Does that look like a tightly regulated marketplace to you?
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I can think of quite a few occasions where our staff have gone way over and above to finish orders on a deadline, sometimes staying up throughout the night in order to complete work on time.
I now find things work better when I stay out of the way. Certainly less stressful for all of us.
I now find things work better when I stay out of the way. Certainly less stressful for all of us.
TheGrimReaper wrote: ↑Mon Sep 02, 2019 1:45 pmSlavedog, you do not belong on this forum as you talk too much sense.
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- I have some social problems
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Certainly found this out also,when i first started working in the mines,i found it hard to encourage workers to go that extra mile to help finish a job,before we all went home,this was in Australia,but here i never had to ask,as long as they had the clear understanding,that the job had to be finished,asap..there are so many examples that i can give in having to complete a difficult job,in difficult conditions,and on time,or certainly before we could call it a day and they came through as true troopers, at times i have had to make sure we did not go over board in the hours we work,as they will certainly keep going without complaint,if you allow this,i also agree its best if i stay away as much as possible from the actual work,we have our daily morning meetings with the key staff,and a quick after work meeting daily,normally over a few beers after work if possible:)and this works well for us,i have my faults in being a control freak so best i am not involved in the actual work,just planning the next stageslavedog wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:35 amI can think of quite a few occasions where our staff have gone way over and above to finish orders on a deadline, sometimes staying up throughout the night in order to complete work on time.
I now find things work better when I stay out of the way. Certainly less stressful for all of us.
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- OneTrickPony
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Apart from currently being in Vietnam, I guess what I see is a lot of tiny unregulated small businesses making not much more than a day to day living.starkmonster wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:13 amGo look out of your window. Does that look like a tightly regulated marketplace to you?
The bigs bucks are surely controlled markets, or a better description might be monopolies. Everything from wholesale food supplies to timber. That's why I was interested in some examples.
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Up the workers!
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