A business system can be defined as an organized, yet complex, combination of things that form a unified whole. Having thoroughly explored the major business systems across Asia, it is evident that the internal structure and practices of each of these economies have similarities and differences. From education and employment practices to finances and ownership, however crucial their differences may seem, every major business system in Asia shares practices with another. Although the industrialized nations of the West are known for advanced levels and systems of education, this concept is not commonly found in Asian countries. Literacy rates in Japan are at an all-time high, while in India the numbers are much lower, with adult literacy rates at 61%. As for richer Asian economies such as Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, the Philippines and China, the rates are spread across the 90th percentile, as the capacity to achieve full literacy has not yet been achieved. The opportunity to learn to read and write is not a guaranteed concept in Asian countries, and is not as strongly enforced as it is in Western civilizations. In fact, when it comes to educational attainment, studies show a variety of numbers across Asian countries ranging from 0.45 in India to 0.883 in Japan. Regarding the acquisition of skills for employment, in most Asian economies the acquisition of professional skills is often left to private initiative. On-the-job training (OJT) refers to a form of training in a normal work environment. OJT has been found to be notoriously a Japanese concept, yet it is still present in Korean and Southeast Asian business practices. In various Asian countries it is often found that private employers tempt... middle of paper... the party or the state. As in many other categories, Japan is an exception because its business groups, also known as keiretsu, do not have a single owner. Family ownership has proven to be dominant in most Asian economies. In socialist economies there is also an imperative aspect of state ownership, and only in Japan and Korea are the largest companies predominantly public. Along with ownership models, management control of businesses is usually in the hands of families or the state. In conclusion, the institutional structures of business systems across Asia share similarities and can also be distinguished through their differences. Through this broad view and comparison of Asia's major business systems, we are able to see parallel practices in terms of employment, education, finances, workplace and other crucial business aspects..