ABSTRACT
Alexander von Humboldt's investigations in the late 18th and early 19th centuries can be viewed as a predecessor of business anthropology and the culturally relativistic views that characterize the field. One of the most important roles of business anthropology is to temper universal ideas of progress and cultural evolution through the use of qualitative methods that evaluate people on their own terms. Business anthropologists have a vital role in helping decision maker’s deal with these fundamental issues. Decision makers and analysts who come from the developed and Western worlds often assume that modern technology will quickly and inevitably transform the world its own image. The chapter focuses upon indigenous peoples and, in the process, suggested that although the intrusion of Western ways may be pervasive, unique traditions, emotions, and orientations can persist and reassert themselves when least expected. Business anthropologists have a role in helping decision makers to understand the cultural milieu their organizations face.
