Organizations are no longer constrained by national borders. The world has become a global village. In the process, the manager’s job has changed. Effective managers anticipate and adapt their approaches to global issues. You are increasingly likely to find yourself transferred to your employer’s operating division or subsidiary in another country. To be effective, you will need to understand everything you can about your new location’s culture and workforce.

To work effectively with people from different cultures, you need to understand how their culture and background have shaped them and how to adapt your management style to fit any differences. To be effective, managers need to know the cultural norms of the workforce in each country where they do business. For instance, a large percentage of the workforce enjoys long holidays in some countries. Managers also need to be cognizant of differences in regulations for competitors in that country; understanding the laws can often lead to success.