Fons Trompenaars

Cross-cultural competence is a skill that has become increasingly essential for the managers in multinational companies. For other business people, this kind of competence may spell the difference between surviving and perishing in the new global economy. This book focuses on the dilemmas of these managers and offers constructive advice on dealing with culture shock and turning it to business advantage. Opposing values can be understood as complementary and reconcilable, say Charles Hampden-Turner and Fons Trompenaars. A manager who concentrates on integrating rather than polarizing values will make much better business decisions. Furthermore, the authors show, wealth is actually created by reconciling values-in-conflict. Based on fourteen years of research involving nearly 50,000 managerial respondents and on the authors' extensive experience in international business, the book compares American cultural values to those of more than forty other nations. It explores six culture-defining dimensions and their reverse images (universalism-particularism, individualism-communitarianism, specificity-diffusion, achieved status-ascribed status, inner direction-outer direction, and sequential time-synchronous time) and discusses them as alternative ways of coping with life's--and business's--exigencies. With humor, cartoons, and an array of business examples, the authors demonstrate how the reconciliation of cultural differences can cause whole organizations to grow healthier, wealthier, and wiser.

Human creativity and innovation are infinitely variable. Opposing values are complementary and reconcilable. Understanding this leads to better decisions and creates wealth. Advance praise for Building Cross-Cultural Competence "Beautifully written and well organized...initiates a new category of cultural studies" —Russell L. Ackoff, Author of Creating the Corporate Future "It's a remarkable combination of intellectual theory and practical advice which must be invaluable to any businessman trying to comprehend the complexity of the global market-place. I've no doubt that it will have an important influence on management thinking"—Anthony Sampson, Author of Mandela and Company Man "Illuminates the darkness around the elusive concept of 'culture' with a rich theoretical texture, and with powerful illustrations...thoroughly engaging"—Warren Bennis, Author of On Becoming a Leader and Organizing Genius "An entertaining and erudite book...with proper understanding of Hampden-Turner's concepts and Trompenaars's rich research findings, many a manager could prevent disastrous decisions."—Arie de Geus, Author Of The Living Company