ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the (business) cultures of many countries in the world. Generalization is inevitable in an overview of this sort. When you yourself do business with these cultures, you will recognize the generalizations. And just as with any generalization, the picture presented can always be countered with examples that do not correspond to that general image. A country culture is merely a generalization, and certainly in business practice, organizational cultures and personal preferences are extremely important factors too. In addition, the world is opening up and specific country cultures may be less pronounced in business interactions between two global companies. Whatever the case, the information in this chapter will not be sufficient for a proper preparation of complex intercultural business deals. Anyone wishing to do business with a specific culture should consult literature on that particular culture, or organize workshops with country experts in preparation for his tasks. Nevertheless, the concise descriptions in this chapter will be useful to understand the manifestation of cultural differences in a business context.
