ABSTRACT
With the increasing number of business organizations establishing a global presence, and the growing diversity of workplace demographics, many modern businesses require a high degree of cultural awareness in their employees. This includes the ability to work and interact with people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Such interaction can be difficult for individuals and their organizations, because cultural barriers often cause misunderstandings and conflicts that detract from efficient and effective interactions (Gelfand, Nishii, Holcombe, Dyer, Ohbuchi, & Fukuno, 2001; Lievens, Harris, Van Keer, & Bisqueret, 2003; Takeuchi, Yun, & Tesluk, 2002). Interest in how organizations compete effectively when operating in a global context, and why some individuals deal more effectively than others with cultural diversity, have therefore gained increasing importance.
