Kiasu

Kiasu ( Chinese  驚 輸 , Pe̍h-ōe-jī kiaⁿ-su ) is a word from the Hokkien that describes a certain behavior - the "fear of losing". The concept of Kiasu refers to the desire to always be the best, always come first and never lose. The word is so widely used that it has entered the English vocabulary. Singapore is considered his home country.

Effects

Kiasu has both positive and negative effects. Some say it maintains the high standard, while others claim it leads to a merciless society.

One can attribute the following behavior to Kiasu:

• When people at the buffet stack their plates overflowing for fear of not getting anything.
• In Singapore's metro , when people rush onto the train before anyone has left the train.
• Only change lanes at the last moment and without blinking - and those who don't let them in.
• Close the elevator door so no one else can come in.
• Not sharing knowledge to keep an advantage.
• Supermarkets empty out at the slightest indication that delivery bottlenecks could arise before others do

In addition, the compulsion to profit makes people avoid risks. This is reflected in the low number of start-ups in Singapore.

Public campaign

The local government tries to get rid of the image of Singapore as "Kiasuland", around 1993 with the "If we could only see ourselves sometimes" campaign.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from May 15, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 253 kB) Kiasu Tendency and Tactics: A Study of their Impact on Task Performance, p. 109. Accessed October 13, 2012. 
2. ↑ http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/kiasu
3. ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from February 19, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 3.0 MB) FSU Jena / Department of Intercultural Business Communication - Case study for Kiasu. Accessed October 21, 2012. 
4. ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from September 5, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 192 kB) Doing Business in Singapore | Singapore Social and Business Culture. Accessed October 21, 2012. 
5. ↑ [1] (PDF; 1.2 MB) Aura and creativity? Singapore's Dilemma in Moving to a Knowledge Society Page 21. Accessed October 21, 2012.
6. ↑ [2] (PDF; 381 kB) Knowledge-based development in Singapore and Malaysia, page 12. Accessed on October 21, 2012.
7. ↑ [3] (PDF; 122 kB) A preliminary study of kiasu behavior - is it unique to Singapore? Accessed October 21, 2012.