| As a college student in the late 1990s, professors, | | | | Although some global business leaders have a |
| parents, and even summertime employers were | | | | natural inclination for international business, others |
| encouraging me and my peers to prepare for the | | | | had a crash course in working with foreign |
| global economy. "The world is changing," they | | | | cultures. Many were transferred to a foreign |
| warned, to which I thought, "Hasn't the economy | | | | office of their company and experienced severe |
| always been global?" | | | | culture shock until they found their footing in the |
| International business is nothing new. Since the | | | | global sphere. Direct immersion into foreign |
| beginning of civilization, tribes and later territories | | | | cultures will become more common as more |
| and countries have traded and engaged in | | | | companies expand into and permeate foreign |
| business interactions, linking their economies | | | | markets. |
| together. The difference may be the method of | | | | Culture shock is most prevalent in businesspeople |
| interaction. Instead of physically forcing a country | | | | operating in cultures dramatically different from |
| or company into a business relationship, a more | | | | their own. Many contrast the risk-taking, |
| cooperative attitude is promoted. Stress is placed | | | | independence driven American business style with |
| upon executives and employees working within a | | | | the cooperative Asian business style. Not taking |
| culture instead of forcing the natives into | | | | into account the idiosyncrasies of the host culture |
| submission. | | | | can lead to misunderstandings between the |
| As borders continue to fade in the face of the | | | | corporation and their local associates. However, in |
| emerging new global economy, businesses are | | | | most situations, listening and observational skills |
| recruiting and promoting executives with | | | | are essential to surmounting any cultural hurdles |
| experience outside of the company's home | | | | one may face. |
| country. Multinational corporations have been | | | | The experiences with foreign cultures that |
| involved in global business for decades and have | | | | managers and executives accrued while they |
| made a conscious effort to diversify their | | | | were working up the ranks offer them a unique |
| executive teams in recent decades. They seek an | | | | perspective in international business later on when |
| executive team with extensive experience in | | | | they are in positions of authority. Many division |
| leadership positions in countries all over the world | | | | presidents of large multinational corporations have |
| including China, India, the Middle East, and Latin | | | | held managerial positions in foreign countries. The |
| America. Companies including IBM have recruited | | | | division presidents of global pharmaceutical |
| senior level executives with experience in the Asia | | | | corporation Bristol-Myers Squibb have extensive |
| Pacific region including China and Japan. Global | | | | global experience, often beyond the region in |
| business continues to increase in complexity; | | | | which they are located. |
| recruiting executives and managers with | | | | Companies seeking to position themselves as a |
| international experience may become imperative | | | | competitive global company in the international |
| to a company's success. | | | | business climate must hire executives with |
| Corporations continue to expand their operations | | | | extensive global business experience. Business |
| into emerging markets in hopes of establishing a | | | | leaders well-versed in cross-cultural interaction |
| presence while the region develops economically. | | | | have the tools to create strong business |
| As Wal-Mart builds a stronger presence in the | | | | relationships and meet any cultural challenges that |
| global market, they have begun to recruit | | | | come their way. |
| executives and managers with experience | | | | Many companies interested in finding such |
| working outside of the United States. Many key | | | | managers and executives need look no further |
| executives have experience working in the Asia | | | | than the employees in their foreign offices. |
| Pacific region and various parts of Central and | | | | Businesses seeking to expand their global |
| South America. | | | | positioning should look for current and potential |
| THE SUCCESSFUL GLOBAL EXECUTIVE | | | | executives and managers who have spent a |
| Successful global executives have experience | | | | significant amount of time in the target region, |
| working within foreign cultures. Though they may | | | | have an in-depth knowledge of the culture, and/or |
| not have in-depth knowledge of every culture, | | | | are fluent in the language. |
| people with international experience often have | | | | The economic woes of the last few years have |
| the ability to observe and act within the confines | | | | renewed an interest in international business |
| of the culture with which they are working. They | | | | among current students and working professionals |
| are fluent in the language and can effectively | | | | in pursuit of an MBA. As a result, more potential |
| communicate with people of other cultures to the | | | | managers and executives are entering or |
| point where they can network and motivate | | | | repositioning themselves in the business world with |
| peers and consumers with ease. They are also | | | | valuable international business experience that can |
| able to mimic the business style of the locals, | | | | benefit any company. Through the acquisition of |
| creating lasting business relationships with | | | | qualified, world-wise employees at the junior level, |
| decision-makers and business people in related | | | | businesses will have their pick of experienced |
| industries in the region. | | | | managers and executives within the next decade. |