We live in a turbulent and contradictory world, where there are few certainties and change is constant. In addition, over time we increasingly come to realize that much of what we think we see around us can, in reality, be something entirely different. We require greater perceptual accuracy just as the horizons become increasingly cloudy. Business cycles are becoming more dynamic and unpredictable, and companies, institutions, and employees come and go with increasingly regularity. Much of this uncertainty is the result of economic forces that are beyond the control of individuals and major corporations. Much results from recent waves of technological change that resist pressures for stability or predictability. And much results from individual and corporate failures to understand the realities on the ground when they pit themselves against local institutions, competitors, and cultures. Knowledge is definitely power when it comes to global business and, as our knowledge base becomes more uncertain, companies and their managers seek help wherever they can find it. It is the thesis of this book that a major part of this knowledge base for managers rests on developing a fundamental, yet flexible, understanding of how business management works in different regions of the world. More specifically, our aim is to develop information and learning models that global managers can build upon to pursue their careers and corporate missions.

As managers increasingly find themselves working across borders, their list of cultural lessons – do's and don'ts, must's and must not's – continues to grow.