I laugh until my head almost comes off, when attending meetings with my current Korean main-con, because, sometimes each department head answers to the Client and Architect = "Sorry I do not know, it's other Department responsibility".
QA/QC Dept, Mechanical Dept, Electrical Dept, Design Dept, this Dept that Dept but no cohesiveness in action, with each representative only covers their own butt.
Dept = Department
For them, at least their butt is saved for another day, another meeting next coming week.
But in the long run, Malaysian construction community perceives that, Japan and Korean, no matter how technological advanced they are, behaves more or less the same with the locals, or the foreign Chinese.
So why bother paying high cost to foreign contractors when the butt-saving practices is more or less the same?
I think this culture is being made as a protective shell for the company, but hell, it is bloody annoying.
Malaysians adapt this culture very well, you can see this in government offices.
Malaysia government agencies tends to get entangled in bureaucracy, almost to the point of idiocy.
That's why people are cynical with Government. Bureaucracy, plus the increasing cost of living, increased life's pressure. Inefficiency in whatever reason is deeply hated.
If the staff made mistakes, well it depends, because deep inside everyone knew, the current employment market is panicky, they couldn't afford to lose staff and having to hire new staff, with the re-learning process of the job taken, etc.
But staff is replacable, nevertheless. No staff is more valuable than the company. Company is there to make profits based on project progress, the engineers are there to make it happen.
This is the bloody truth that most younger generation in construction do not perceive.
Most junior engineers, they ain't humble and too proud of themselves.
Being answerable with integrity is getting rarer in Malaysia.
This week, there was this political party Umno Main Assembly 2015, in Malaysia, televised in most TV channels at prime time.
Any long winded speeches that does not solves problem, and doesn't entertain you, what's good in that?
Problem not solved yet long winded talk. Inefficiency in whatever reason is deeply hated, and this political people still wondering why younger generation so cynical of government.
I kinda pissed off even with my fiancee, (if you read this, dear, 0_0 ), just tell your problem in simple summary, then I'll fix it for you.
If you want to tell it as a story-telling so I can understand you more, don't.
Tell a guy a problem with the intention of getting it fixed.
Problem not solved = inefficiency. Inefficiency in whatever reason is deeply hated. Your well-intent story telling are just bureau-critics to our mechanical mind.