Going global is a reality of today's business environment. The tools provided by the Internet and e-commerce have created new technology to communicate faster than ever imagined, but speed is not enough to compete globally. It is your cultural competency that will give you a competitive edge in the global market.

In this book, we have examined and interacted with various Eastern and Western cultures. Prior to traveling abroad or coming in contact with someone from another culture, you might be unaware of your own cultural assumptions. In today's business world, this is a dangerous oversight because of the increasing number of joint ventures and the diversity of each company's workforce. It is necessary to discover your core cultural values. For some people, these cultural assumptions become painfully clear during an important business meeting or discussing a possible sale of your product to a foreign corporation. This book has given you the opportunity to look at your own cultural values and compare those to cultures from all over the world.

This cultural awareness is a necessity in business, as seen in the various tables, charts, examples, quizzes, and stories. You have discovered your own personal values and how different or similar they are to other cultural values you come in contact with. Each person you meet will have their own unique values that have been rewarded by their family, community, business, and nation. It is now your job to create a synergy between your own cultural assumptions, what you have...