When Cultures Collide: Leading Across Cultures, 3rd ed.

Citation

Murphy, A. (2006), "When Cultures Collide: Leading Across Cultures, 3rd ed.", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 27 No. 8, pp. 710-720. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730610709336

This third edition claims to be thoroughly updated and expanded. Thirty additional countries are considered including a number of former Soviet countries now in, or in transition to membership of, the EU, as well as Middle Eastern and Asian countries where trade with the Western world is increasing.

The book itself is a large volume with 599 pages and weighing a full kilogram. However, the layout, font size, use of diagrams and white space make the book more accessible than might be expected.

The main purpose of the book is to provide international business managers with frameworks to understand cultural nuances and cultural expectations. It suggests that business managers need to develop culturally aware and culturally sensitive strategies in planning and transacting business internationally. It further develops the Lewis Model outlined in the earlier editions, thought it is not necessary to be aware of the earlier iterations to make good use of this edition. The model categories world business cultures into three broad categories as follows: linear‐active, multi‐active and re‐active. It then offers systems to understand cultural conditioning and to explain how business leadership is similarly culturally constructed. Then the model offers strategies for managers to assess business motivation factors and related behaviours within those cultural constructs.

The book is organised in three parts. Part one has six chapters dealing with broad cultural concepts and associated behaviours. Part two deals with business strategies and sensitivities for team building, motivation and negotiation across cultures. Part three offers descriptions of business cultures and practical strategies for conducting business in 93 countries including their communication patterns, listening habits, meetings behaviours, manners and taboos. Tips are offered on how to empathise across cultures, and how to frame communication strategies in particular cultural contexts.

The credibility of the book to an extent depends on how well the “country” cultures are understood and interpreted from a reader's perspective: if the reader's “culture” is misrepresented than the book is discredited! There is also the risk of using the lens of a Western culture through which to view and understand the “other”. However, as an Irish person with a working knowledge of Bulgarian culture, I used the descriptions of these two contrasting countries as my litmus test of credibility and was pleasantly surprised at the insight and understanding of the cultural nuances presented, and pleased with the empathetic good humour underpinning the descriptions.

The country descriptions are usefully connected to the more theoretical aspects of parts one and two of the book and to the Epilogue.

The inclusion of a bibliography is useful for readers who wish to pursue particular aspects of business cultures. The glossary is interesting.

Since this is the third edition one can assume that there is a demand for an accessible, readable and “light” volume on what could be a rather turgid topic. The book itself can be studied in‐depth or dipped into as required for just‐in‐time sensitivity or strategy planning. Overall, a very practical and useful book for the travelling business person to read in advance of travelling, if a little too heavy to carry on the journey.