Chapter 3

When in Rome, Shall I Do as the Romans Do?

Every cross-cultural situation and experience is different and needs to be treated individually. Cross-cultural experiences can be entertaining and scary, they may call for a fast and assertive reaction, or they can be solved simply by waiting and relaxing. Successful international managers have numerous challenging business experiences overseas. All of them are overshadowed by the questions, “What is the best reaction in this case?” or “Shall I do as the locals do or shall I keep my own standards?” In some cases (such as quality assurance in foreign countries) it is more profitable to retain the original processes and not to depart from the home standards. It may be more advisable to abandon ...

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