In the wake of Asia's 1997 financial crisis, a number of books appeared, purporting to explain why Asia failed. Now in the early 21st Century, it seems that the tide has turned and once again Asia offers scope not just for economic activity, but also for new research on its recent vicissitudes. Contrary to functionalist perspective dealing with the practical concerns of multinational corporations, we offer a 'critical' perspective which explores 'tensions' in social processes caused by a triad of forces-micro-corporate, macro-societal and actor-related. Specifically, we seek to reinterpret realities on the ground in terms of social and historical contexts, and to understand them as part of the social process evolving in that particular geographical area. We aim to return key issues to the critical evaluation of academics and interested parties - issues such as power relations, the social voices often neglected in discussions of business and management, and the meaning and implications of management and business as social process acting within and across social contexts.