Managing changes in globalizing business: how to manage cross‐cultural business partners

Asian management systems, led by the so‐called lean production system invented by Toyota and refined by Japanese companies are being transplanted to North America with mixed success. A necessary but not sufficient condition for a successful transplant across vastly different cultures, such as from east to west, is the development over time of a third culture which is compatible with both of the original cultures, but transcends them to produce a unique venture culture. Discusses how business partnerships can begin to build such third cultures.