Introduction to Cross Cultural Competence

Walk into any organization today and you will see cultural differences. The demand for cross cultural competence will only increase among organizations and governments around the globe. Consider the dizzying array of forces that currently affect organizations worldwide. Organizational strategies must be designed to make the most of national advantages as leaders locate critical aspects of their value chains in the most optimal location for sustainable competitive advantage.

And the rise of terrorism and fanaticism has incited culture clash the world over, creating a dire need for effective cultural understanding and communication. Most companies are marketing and selling to ever more diverse customers; their products must appeal to all sorts of different tastes, and service-and knowledge-based solutions must be sensitive to cultural differences. Leaders, managers, and HR departments must hire, develop, manage, and lead globally based, multicultural workforces, thanks to growing levels of migration and partnering.

Cross cultural competence development enables all kinds of people to be more effective amid cultural complexity.