Cultural Issues in International Business

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
This paper has examined how organizational behavior and practices can vary across countries. Many of these variances stem, in part, from cultural differences. Managers who seek to conduct business in the global economy have to understand these differences and be aware of their implications for effective performance abroad. The most salient dimensions of culture that can affect the conduct of business overseas were identified and discussed.
These cover a broad spectrum of values and behaviors, including the way in which people perceive, reason and process information. As Fons Trompenaars, a leading European consultant to multinationals on cross-cultural issues, stated: "Increasingly, international managers realize that they can gain competitive advantage by understanding cultural differences. Technologies can be copied quickly. Intercultural competence cannot be copied - it must be learned." In short, while knowledge of cultural awareness cannot compensate for deficiencies in product and technology in gaining market entry, in its absence, however, the best products and technology may yet fail to meet with acceptance in markets around the world.
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