The hidden numbers game that rules the world

In business, numbers usually show up in boardrooms as balance sheets, profit margins and quarterly earnings.

- REY ELBO

They tell us whether the organization is winning or losing, thriving or barely keeping the lights on. But numbers aren’t just dry statistics. They carry culture, symbolism and — if you're superstitious — a fair bit of drama.

Numbers are never just numbers. If you step into an elevator anywhere in Japan, don’t be surprised if you can’t find the fourth or ninth floors. Developers replace “4” with “3A” and “9” with “8A,” because in Japanese, number four (shi) sounds like “death” and nine (ku) means “suffering.”

In Metro Manila, I discovered a newly-refurbished hospital with the same superstitious practice. They have no fourth and ninth floor. Not even “3A” or “8A” floors.

Now, a Westerner might smirk: “Really? Skipping floors because of delusion?” Look. Imagine being in a hospital bed and being wheeled into Room Suffering on the ninth Floor. That’s not superstition — that’s a horror movie. Smart businesses, including modern hospitals know perception is everything, and if avoiding certain digits keeps customers calm, then by all means, skip the fourth and ninth floors.

In truth, the Western world is also superstitious. They panic over number 13. Skyscrapers often jump from floor 12 to 14, airlines avoid row 13 and some hotels don’t have room 13 at all. Try convincing a nervous guest that sleeping in “Lucky 13” is safe — you'll need more than a soft pillow.

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