The human experiment gets more interesting all the time. The ways of foreigners are becoming our ways and our ways are becoming the ways of foreigners to an extent never seen before. The migration of earthlings is bringing us face-to-face with more culturally different people than ever before. Alongside the trends of adaptation and integration, there exists the equally strong phenomenon of cultures holding their own while interacting with others. For the authors, this fusion, clashing, and coevolution of cultures is fascinating and important. The future of work and the workplace will be changed by it, as will all aspects of society.

As a chemical engineer, Dr. Lionel Laroche worked for Procter & Gamble for a number of years and then with Xerox. Lionel worked on numerous international projects with engineers and scientists from all over the world. Even though they were all competent technical professionals who spoke English fairly well, the projects often fell short of their objectives. Lionel found that in both companies, the same kinds of cross-cultural challenges often derailed the work. His personal interest in cross-cultural issues led him to work full time assisting organizations and individuals to function successfully across cultures. A cornerstone of Lionel s current work is helping to prepare recent immigrants to adjust to the business culture realities of North America in order to find jobs that make use of their experience, education, and expertise. In this way, they can integrate more successfully in North American organizations. The flip side is helping organizations...