Inside Knowledge

MICHAEL BACKMAN is an author, business analyst and columnist who specializes in Asian corporate practice. He has a reputation for hard-hitting, independent and highly detailed Asian business analysis. Singapore's Prime Minister cited him in his 1998 National Day Address as an expert on overseas Chinese and he has been described in the Australian Financial Review as "the brilliant writer on regional business strategies". He is the author of the international bestseller, Asian Eclipse: Exposing the Dark Side of Business in Asia that was named by The Economist as one of the sixteen finest general non-fiction books published for the year. He writes a regular Asian business column for the The Age newspaper in Melbourne, and has authored numerous articles for The Times of London, International Herald Tribune, Asian Wall Street Journal and Far Eastern Economic Review. He has lived and worked in Asia.

• Knowledge from the Streets: FAQs on Asia China's Export Revolution Backoffice Outsourcing to East Asia: Alternatives to India The Role of Women in Business in China and East Asia The Singapore Story: The Struggle for Transparency Malaysian Business & Politics: the Shadow of Anwar Ibrahim Asia's Casino and Gambling Industry Personal and Surnames in Asia: Credit Checks and Other Business Implications Distressed Debt in Asia & Distressed Debt Markets Arms Manufacturing and Dealing in Asia Starbucks & its Competitors in Asia Who Really Owns Bangkok's Sex Industry? The International Trade in Rough and Polished Diamonds: the Asian Connection India's Wealthy Parsi Community Travel Warnings, Terrorism & Tourism A Pragmatic Look at Running a Five Star Hotel in Asia Australians in Asian Business: Guns for Hire Bollywood and Beyond: Asia's Movie Industry Birds Nests and the Extraordinary Market for Other Asian Delicacies Asia's Burgeoning Art & Antique Industry Trans-national Crime in Asia: The Drugs, The Smuggling, the Intellectual Property Abuse Kazakhstan and the Other Stans: More than Just Oil and Corruption? Flowerhorn Fish, Hunghuauli & Zi Beads: Small Crazes, Big Money Forcing Transparency: How Do You Find Out What's Going on in Asia?

'The brilliant young writer on regional business strategies.' - Rowan Callick, Australian Financial Review '[Michael Backman] really understands why business evolved the way it did in Asia.' - The Economist 'Michael Backman, an expert on the overseas Chinese...' - former Prime Minister of Singapore, Goh Chok Tong 'Renowned author Michael Backman...Apt and cogent.' - Then Malaysian Transport Minister and MCA President, Ling Liong Sik '[Michael Backman] raises extraordinarily important questions about the national interest...' - Senator Susan Knowles