Building Cross-Cultural Competence

CHARLES HAMPDEN-TURNER graduated from Cambridge and received his MBA and DBA from Harvard Business School. In the USA, he received a Guggenheim Fellowship and and Rockefeller Humanities Fellowship. He is the author of eighteen books and widely recognised as one of today's key business thinkers. FONS TROMPENAARS is an internationally acclaimed authority on cultural diversity. He was recently identified by Human Resources magazine as one of the world's five top management gurus to watch out for in the new millennium. He is author of Riding the Waves of Culture, Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business and 21 Leaders for the 21st Century.

"An important book.. illuminates the darkness around the elusive concept of 'culture' with a rich theoretical texture, and with powerful illustrations. On top of that it is written with wit and brio thoroughly engaging." -- WARREN BENNIS"It's a remarkable combination of intellectual theory and practical advice... and it shows a human perspective and insight which must be relevant to any company or chief executive. I've no doubt it will have an important influence on management thinking." - ANTHONY SAMPSON"...You will gain fascinating insights into literature , philosophy, economics, ancient and modern history and obscure Japanese films. It is not like a management book at all. I recommend it." (Daily Telegraph, 7th December 2000)"There are lots of fascinating stories about how we differ, and we are encouraged to respect all forms of diversity. The book will give people working internationally a deeper level of understanding of the issues, pitfalls and potential ways to reconcile cultural differences at work." (People Management, 7th December 2000)"This book really does have some excellent material in it and there is much to be gained from reading it." (European Business Forum, January 2001)"The authors write beautifully and this work is one of the most clearly and elegantly written management books in many years...." (Journal of General Management, Vol. 26/3, Spring 2001)"I have read many books on the topic. Few have been as brilliant, creative or useful. Building Cross-Cultural Competence is in a league of its own." (CISV Interspectives (A journal on Transcultural Education) Vol.18, 2001)"...essential reading for all concerned with the challenges of global intercultural management..." (Long Range Planning, Vol.34 2001)"Beautifully written and well organized- It initiates a new category of cultural studies." - RUSSELL L. ACKOFF"A fascinating work, Highly recommended for those seeking to understand, and to benefit from, a deeper understanding of cultural adversity and change in a complex world." -- MARK HAYNES DANIELL

• Introduction. Universalism-Particularism: The Dilemma. Reconciling Universalism and Particularism: Stories and Cases. Individualism-Communitarianism: The Dilemma. Reconciling Individualism and Communitarianism: Stories and Cases. Specificity-Diffuseness: The Dilemma. Reconciling Specificity and Diffuseness: Stories and Cases. Achieved-Ascribed Status: The Dilemma. Reconciling Achieved with Ascribed Status: Stories and Cases. Inner Direction versus Outer Direction: The Dilemma. Reconciling Inner and Outer Direction: Stories and Cases. Sequential and Synchronous Time: The Dilemma. Reconciling Sequential and Synchronous Time: Stories and Cases. Appendix 1 -Dilemma Theory and Its Origins. Appendix 2 -Exercises in Reconciliation. Appendix 3 -Measuring Transcultural Competence: Old and New. Questionnaries. Appendix 4 -The Space Between Dimensions. Bibliography. Filmography. Index.