Fish Can't See Water: How National Culture Can Make or Break Your Corporate Strategy

PREFACE

It is no longer a secret that the biggest obstacle to successful globalization is the inability of most companies to understand the world view and aspirations of partners and competitors. Their culture is opaque, seems irrational. So does ours to them. But we are normal, surely? Looking at their behaviour, we perceive abnormalities. But the reverse seems true, too. Surely we can see ourselves? Clearly. Or can we? Can fish see water? Can we see our own cultural environment?

Where national traits are concerned, we are all experts and victims. Culture hides much more than it reveals and, strangely enough, what it hides, it hides most effectively from its own participants.

The two authors of this book come from very different backgrounds, consequently see things in a diverse manner. In writing this book, the authors learned a lot from each other. We have tried to share our flashes of enlightenment with you, our readers.

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RDL

KH