Culture as a Driver and Key Component of International Business: A Primer

This article is an analysis of the role of culture as a driver in international business, most especially when a business is seeking an entry into a foreign market. The article begins with an assessment of several key components, including a discussion of subcultures, ethnocentricity, and social structure. It then moves on to a detailed discussion of the components of culture in the context of international business, including aesthetics, values, attitudes, customs, manners, and traits. The article then moves to a discussion of religion and cultural diffusion as they impact international business. The article provides many practical examples of the role of culture in the business decision-making process. The article concludes with a mandate or imperative to international businessmen and women: to achieve a high degree of cross-cultural literacy and to “check their stereotypes at the international cloakroom door.”