Choice Review

Trompenaars's extensive research and consulting experiences are reflected in this excellent work about cultural differences and how they affect international business. The book examines, compares, and contrasts various global cultures, revealing how their beliefs and values impact business. The author explains why some management approaches such as TQM, employee involvement, and MBO can work well in one place yet fail somewhere else. The 12 chapters and three appendixes provide numerous models that illustrate how different cultures regard and respond to various managerial techniques. Chapters 2 through 8 analyze how cultures differ and show how cultural diversity influences business, especially peoples' relations with others. The final four chapters discuss cultural attitudes towards time and the environment, identify four broad organizational types, and consider how managers can prepare for the process of internationalization. Highly recommended for managers and trainers in multinational organizations; academicians and upper-division and graduate students will also find it useful. J. W. Leonard; Miami University