Culture Clash 2

Book excerpt: Few are prepared for managing across cultures, and the costs of cultural blind spots can spin out of control—from lawsuits to lost opportunities. Forged in the fire of clashing cultures and living on four continents, Dr. Zweifel developed a fool-proof methodology for managing successfully across borders. And post-9/11, the Arab Spring and the BRICS emerging markets, e-commerce and social networks have made this updated and expanded edition of Culture Clash indispensible. Culture Clash 2 is not another Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands. Such protocol-laden works on whether to bring wine to a dinner in Singapore or how many times to kiss in France might have their uses, but non-compliance with local etiquette has rarely been a deal-breaker. What has derailed international business is the inability of managers to see the world from their counterpart's point of view, read between the lines, and decode the mind-set of the other side.