Developing a fengshui-based strategic decision-making model for Malaysia's property industry

In the property industry, stakes are high. The perfect condition of a reasonable time and information for stakeholders to get a sense of confidence to make well-guided decisions is unheard-of. To compound the problem, conscious and subconscious belief-based factors like Fengshui is pervasive in Malaysia's property industry. Although this phenomenon significantly impacts strategic decision (SD) making in the property industry, few mainstream academics would like to indulge too much in an esoteric subject like Fengshui. Whether we choose to ignore this phenomenon or not, Fengshui continues to impact local players and any global players operating or wishing to invest in Malaysia. This study aims to develop a model to address Fengshui-based SD making for Malaysia's property industry. Transcendental phenomenology was adopted to examine the Fengshui-based SD makers' experience without losing its lived, first-person character. Fourteen participants of Malaysia's captains of the property industry formed the purposive sample. The researcher has prior familiarity and prolonged engagement with the subject matter. Therefore, the Modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method was employed, including pre-reflective descriptions from the participants and revelations from the researcher. Criteria of this method also require that the researcher's profile fits the purposive sample, and the research question under investigation is also his passion. Data were simultaneously collected via in-depth interviews, analysed and organised into themes until saturation. The final model informs the business leader if the business opponent he interacts with is an Aliever SD maker, Acquiescer SD maker, or a Believer SD maker. Understanding this enables business leaders to adapt to their environment and act according to the way (Wuwei in Daoist philosophy) the situation naturally encourages. Findings in this study reveal theoretical gaps to explore in pursuing Fengshui-related cognitive biases such as confirmation bias and authority bias. The proposed model will benefit multinational corporations by assisting them in better preparing for foreign assignments on this abstract yet impactful area of study in Malaysia's property industry