In an information age dominated by electronic communications and commerce, it is important that managers and professionals be alert to people differences. As awareness and skills increase in this regard, then one becomes more empowered in cross‐cultural matters. Competing Globally is just that sort of book which assists readers to master multicultural management and negotiations. Its most unique feature is culture specifics about doing business with US citizens, Arabs Asians, and Europeans. Its pages are full of cross‐cultural tips and mini‐cases to facilitate interaction and cultural synergy with a wide varitey of persons, including Chinese, Indonesians, Koreans, and Thais, as well as the UK citizens, Dutch, French, Germans, Italians, and even Swiss. Throughout its readable and pragmatic contents, numerous intercultural questionnaires are useful for self‐evaluation within an international context.
Competing Globally is a sequel to another best‐selling work by the author which is already in its second edition – Multicultural Management 2000, also by Gulf Publishing. These texts result from the writer’s experience with thousands of diverse managers throughout the world. A cosmopolitan, Dr Farid Elashmawi was born in Egypt, educated and based in the USA, but has worldwide clients.
President of Global Success in San José, California, he began his career with a doctorate in engineering, obtained an MBA degree, becoming renowned as a cross‐cultural trainer and consultant for global corporations (e‐mail: farid@IX.Netcom. com).
Both books reviewed above are part of Gulf’s Managing Cultural Differences Series (Web site: http://www.gpcbooks.com/med/mcd. html). The 12 titles are centered around the parent volume, Managing Cultural Differences by Harris and Moran, which has gone into its fifth edition for year 2000, including an Instructor’s Guide. In addition to this, the above mentioned series’ releases for the tweny‐first century also include Business Beyond the Curtain by Dr Woodrow H. Sears; it deals with cultural imperatives, critical differences and opportunities for working successfully in Central and Eastern Europe. The books may be ordered on the Internet or by e‐mail (ezorder@gulfpub.com) or obtained in Europe from Plymbridge Distributors Ltd (Estover Road, Plymouth PL6 7PZ, UK).
