Is the preponderance of female executives due to the industry, the openness of Taiwanese society, or mere coincidence? For the first time, women are taking the top position as country head or general manager in nearly all of the operations of Western pharmaceutical companies in Taiwan. Women also tend to excel more broadly in those…
Younger Taiwanese have a very different approach to work than previous generations. Companies are looking for the best ways to adapt. Since the start of Taiwan’s manufacturing age half a century ago, the same ethos has permeated most companies’ corporate culture. Decision-making is concentrated at the top, absolute loyalty is expected from employees, and overtime…
Labor strife has been a rarity in Taiwan. Most unions have been organized within individual companies rather than across industries, limiting their power. And for years under the martial-law provisions that ended in 1987, strikes were prohibited altogether. Based on recent developments in the aviation industry, that labor tranquility can no longer be taken for…
More expatriate professionals are coming, but they are often confronted with red tape and a conservative corporate culture. California native Ryan Terribilini moved to Taipei over a year ago to set up his own fintech firm after he received a Taiwan Entrepreneur Visa, designed to streamline the process for foreigners starting businesses on the island….
Since starting operations in March 2017 after repeated delays, the Taoyuan Airport MRT line has quickly become popular among airline passengers. Riders have commended the service as convenient, safe, and punctual. Last year, the airport MRT carried an average of 63,000 passengers daily, 12.5% more than the 56,000 in 2017. The train served 34% of…
After a decade of discussion and planning, construction began last October on an MRT system for the northern Taiwan city of Taoyuan, starting with a 27.8-kilometer Green Line. At the groundbreaking ceremony, Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan hailed the event as reflecting the city’s “coming of age.” The first portion of the Green Line will be…
The Taoyuan Airport is already crowded well beyond the designed capacity. If the crowded conditions at Taipei Taoyuan Airport annoy you, get used to it. The situation will likely only get worse between now and late 2023 when the airport’s third terminal is supposed to be ready for service. Repeated delays have plagued the project….
Construction continues on several extensions to Taipei’s mass rapid transit system. Residents of Danhai New Township by the mouth of the Tamsui River in New Taipei City got a Christmas present last year. On December 24, the first section of the Danhai Light Rail system went into service after four years of construction. The line…
With their heavy exposure to China, Taiwanese tech firms are feeling the bite of the U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. For years, China bears warned Taiwanese tech firms about their dependence on the Chinese market. A deep recession in China or a cross-Strait relations crisis could spell trouble for companies overly reliant on Chinese manufacturing…
Adroit marketing and retailing have helped China’s top handset makers boost sales in Taiwan, but concerns about data security are mounting. Among smartphone brands, Taiwanese consumers have long favored Apple, which holds a little over one-quarter of the market. Samsung follows with almost 19%, according to data from German research firm GFK Global. Subsidies from…
