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Paul A Laudicina performs an analysis of globalizing trends in business.  He draws an understandable picture of the international character of the world economy and moves us form "multinational" to global in understanding the current business patterns of the 200s.  The state of culture and economy worldwide is analyzed.

This analysis, however, is invitingly written in narrative style, with quick-moving stories of specific situations and events.  This book is not a compendium of facts, statistics and demographics.  But as you are reading this engaging volume, you are getting all that as well.

The ethnic and linguistic characteristic of world migration and market changes are well laid out here.  I especially liked Chapter 3, dealing with the effects of ethnic worldview and culture on expectations and preferences.  He provides his usual pertinent and insightful examples to show how products and advertising for them must meet cultural values and worldview norms, names, shapes and sizes carry moral values or social implications.

Laudicina analyzes 5 "drivers" of the global business environment.  In the final chapter, he combines these to make projections of various scenarios that could arise out of the factors in our current global situation.

Laudicina is addressing the business community.  But his incisive analyses and practical; suggestions will be helpful to anyone engaged in cross-cultural communication.  It is too easy to overlook the importance of worldview differences in any international setting.  Even in diplomatic circles, the common focus is on social aspects, not the decision-making aspects.

Laudicina raises our awareness here of the deep-level processes of decision-making that make cross-cultural communication so precarious.  Anyone dealing with people of other cultures in some manner that intends to lead to a cultural change, such as business management structures, marketing and purchasing patterns, new products or anything affecting lifestyle changes, must be aware of how the target culture makes decisions.

Cross-cultural religious workers and aid agencies will gain much from the scenarios Laudicina develops in this book.  Likewise, international aid and medical workers can gain helpful insights.

This is an entertaining as well as academically sound volume.

See related reviews and articles on this site:
Dealing with Worldview in Business
Diffusion Theory:  A Definitive Introduction
Globalization 101
Self and the World, Knowing Reality
The Thrilling Challenge of Business and Merger

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OBJ

First reading notes written 19 May 2007
Expanded 29 June 2007
Finalized and posted on Amazon and Thoughts and Resources 4 September 2007
Last edited 30 January 2012

Orville Boyd Jenkins, EdD, PhD
Copyright © 2007 Orville Boyd Jenkins
Permission granted for free download and transmission for personal or educational use.  Other rights reserved.

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