Inter cultural cooperation and its importance for survival. People of other countries, of another generation, social class, job or organization, often think and act in ways that puzzle us. To these people, of course, we are the ones who behave in a surprising manner. What separates them from us is the culture in which we grew up. 'Culture' in this sense is not the same as 'civilization'; it encompasses much more. Deeply-rooted and, therefore, often unconscious values lead us to consider as normal what others think abnormal, as polite what to others is rude, and as rational what others find irrational. Organizational cultures are a different phenomenon; they do not follow the same dimensions, are more manageable, and in fact offer an opportunity to bridge national cultures. Following twenty-five years of research into multinational companies, Geert Hofstede and Bob Garrett reveal the circumstances in which organizational cultures can be managed effectively, and outline ways of learning intercultural communication which are essential more essential than ever.

An understanding of other cultures is essential if we are to develop a more stable world and at the same time create national wealth -- Brian Burrows * Futures Information Associates *

Geert Hofstede is Professor of International Management at the University of Limburg at Maastricht, the Netherlands, where he founded the Institute for Research on Intercultural Cooperation (IRIC).