Management and Diversity – How a Successful Implementation of Interculturality Works at Decision-Maker Level

Companies and organizations become more and more diverse. Due to foreign employees or partner companies abroad – the interconnectedness of the global economy increases. How can intercultural chances be seized? How can managers benefit from the diversity of their employees and partners? How can cultural diversity be used as a resource to generate synergy and complementarity? Here, Prof. Christoph Barmeyer and Prof. Peter Franklin make a valuable contribution. In their book „Intercultural Management – A Case-Based Approach to Achieving Complementarity and Synergy” they deal with issues concerning international management.

Meeting Intercultural Challenges and Seizing Chances

Diversity brings both advantages and difficulties. Special expertise is necessary to unit employees and partners from different cultures in order to find solutions and take opportunities. The publication of Barmeyer and Franklin covers a wide range of intercultural management topics. Articles from leading academics and practitioners illustrate challenges of the international management. A collection of authentic international case studies include countries worldwide, also East European and Asian economies. This helps the reader to explore the theory in the context of real-life situations.

 “Smart Spacing” – The Appropriate Room for Commercial Success

Framework conditions are frequently neglected in Germany. However, “Where does the meeting take place” and “When are we meeting” often have a different value in other cultures. In contrast to rather one-dimensional dos and don’ts this is a deciding factor in the business world. The chapter “Smart Spacing – The Impact of Locations on Cross-Cultural Trust and Decision-Making”, contributed by ICUnet.AG, examines the cultural dimension room. The case study shows German managers on an international business trip. Thereby it demonstrates how diverse business meeting can be in Mexico, Japan or Russia. Relationships are easier established in a trust-building room– a deciding factor for a successful business relation.

A copy of the book can be ordered here.