Book Description

This classic bestseller discusses the differences faced in international environments, the overall strategies companies can take, and practical alternatives for operating abroad. Its abundance of colorful maps, strong engaging and opening cases, and classic and contemporary examples provide a balanced approach to all functions of business.More than 15 new cases have been added to this edition, all of which engage the reader with hot topical issues; these include Cran Chik, Luikoil, Cisco Systems, Johnson & Johnson, and Global Sofware Piracy. It has excellent coverage of Latin America, and reviews the latest institutional actions, market trends, and company activities. It provides an extensive background section, a comparative environmental frameworks section, a section on theories and institutions (trade and investment), a section on the world financial environment, business-government relationships, operations and tactical alternatives, and a section on managing business internationally.For readers involved in international business, whether they are employees, managers, or owners/CEOs of such corporations. Also an excellent resource for individuals seeking to expand their current businesses to the international market. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive overview of international business is divided into various business functions, making it clear and easy to understand. In every chapter “Culture Quest Insights”into culture, geography, and business lead readers to a multi-media experience of a certain country or region that provides useful information on the impact of culture on business. Cases specific to each region or country add to the total reading experience. Topics covered include: the world's marketplaces, the international environment, managing international business and business operations. For CEOs, managers, and other executives who need to understand the cultural mores of the global societies with which they do business.

Reviews (3)

Worth reading
I took a course at my university requiring this book. What I found most useful is the numerous updated examples and cases that the author provided. In addition, the discussion is objective and thought-provoking.

Littletext.com switch
Ordered this book from Littletext.com as a new hard cover and recieved a softcover international addition. I wouldn't mind using international version since there is hardly any difference, but don't bait and switch on me I don't like it. I'd buy from someone else if the price was within a couple bucks. Got my book not from Chicago as advertised, but Thailand. However it was delivered in no time.

Too much self-reference
I had this book for one of my classes at my University this semester, and although the content of the book is concise and updated, nonetheless the authors rely too much on self-reference. The book is written too much from a "USA is superior" perspective. I also found some errors such as translations from other languages that were completely off. If you have to get this book for Intl. Business it is overall a good book, but if you can get a better one, do so. ... Read more

Book Description

The hallmark approach of this very successful market-leading text is its clear and concise treatment of international trade and finance theory illustrated with a wealth of the most up-to-date contemporary issues and examples.Carbaugh demonstrates the relevance of theory through real-world economic issues.Theoretical discussions are presented in both verbal and graphical terms, making the book highly accessible to students with little economics background.Its concise and flexible format makes it an ideal fit for most one-term courses. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Not the best for undergrad international economics
As an instructor teaching an undergrad international economics, I used this textbook as designated reading for the class. There are several merits about this textbook: simplicity, tons of real-world examples, and plain description. Unfortunately, there are several disadvantages about this book that I can't stand:
1. Typos, there are many typos in this 9e. Some of them were even correctly printed on 8e.
2. Lack of econ models: I can see how difficult it is to write a realworld-oriented international econ textbook with more intuition and less intimidating math models. But what makes Economics different from other social science is the powerful models that give us insights and perspectives. Sometimes it is easier to understand the complicated international economics with some simple models. I don't think Carbaugh did a good job offering econ models at where we need most, especially in the balance of payment and government policies part. I can accept simple, intuitive explanation, but I cannot accept oversimplification.
3. Redundancy:
Carbaugh spend major part of the textbook talking about international trade but not enough on international finance. There are several topics in international trade that can be combined and some topics in international finance that can be elaborated more. But I think this is author's choice.

In conclusion, I think this is a good book if you want to have a general idea about international economics. But I won't recommend it for using in class simply becuase it raises more questions than it explains.

Clarity of writing makes topic accessible
I had Dr Carbaugh as a student at UW Eau Claire, and enjoyed the clarity of his lectures.His book is nearly as good.My (first) edition is still worth consulting when I have the opportunity to teach econ.

Wonderful book, profound observations
This book gave me a really deep understanding of international economics, markets and macroeconomics. However, material in this book requires knowledge of some economics basics

Fantastic!Easy to read, even for non-econ. people...
First of,I must confess that I am prejudiced about this book, because the author, honorable Dr. Robert Carbaugh, was my economics Professor at the University.But, seriously now, I was not an economics majorand Ialso was not a very good student, meaning I missed far too manyclasses...But, whenever I sat down to read the book, it was very easy tocatch up with the rest of the class. In fact, even if you are not a studentat all, but just interested in the basics of international economics, youwould still find this book very useful.I took four other economicsclasses and all of them were boring, mainly because of the teachers'inability to teach well. Thisbook, however, is areflection of agood-natured, quick witted, and highly intelligent economist, who TEACHESREAL STUFF EVERY DAY to the average university students and manages to keeptheir attention. It's a hell of a job to do that HERE, I tell you!

book is simple
Hi, I am a Grad Student. I have gone through this book. Looks nice & simple. But I suggest he(Author) could have given some more examples for this writings. Thanks. Yours truly, Praveen Kumar ... Read more

Amazon.com

In a global economy, it is crucial for business peopleto be sensitive to cultural differences. And although the best reason for doing so may be ethical, it's great for business as well! This is an invaluable book for "doing well while doing good" in your intercultural relations, covering the protocols of appointments, business entertaining, greetings, forms of address, gestures, dress, and gifts in 60 of the nations you're most likely to be doing business. Some interesting excerpts:

• Australia:The "thumbs-up" sign, which in the U.S. indicates "O.K." is considered rude.
  
• Brazil:The colors of the Brazilian flag are green and yellow, so avoid wearing this combination in any fashion.
  
• China:Avoid making exaggerated gestures or using dramatic facial expressions. The Chinese do not generally use their hands when speaking, and become distracted by a speaker who does.
  
• Indonesia:Since it is impolite to disagree with someone, Indonesians rarely say "no"...a clear way to indicate "no" is to suck in air through the teeth.

The authors are very aware that no generalizations apply to all residents of a nation, and are careful not to stereotype or judge. Highly recommended to any business traveler--or any student of the diversity of human cultures.

(Note: a great companion volume for this book is Gestures, which is devoted entirely to explaining the varieties of hand gestures in 82 countries!) ... Read more

Reviews (19)

60 Mistakes
This book had come highly recommended, so I had hoped to be able to read it without finding numerous errors, but I was very disapointed. Not only were there entire countries missing but there was one piece of erroneous information which was repeated throughout the book in various chapters. A few of the countries I was not able to find were Austria, Cuba, Lebanon and Morocco. Austria may not be the biggest nation in the world, but that does not mean businesses do not exist there, and just because the US has an embargo against Cuba doesn't mean other English reading countries cannot do business there. Many European nations have open relations with Cuba that do not prevent them from business communications. In regards to the piece of erroneous information repeated throughout the book, in Chile, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Spain, and Venezuela, the book claims that Hispanic women change their last names when they get married. (This information may have been repeated in other Hispanic nations, but those were the only ones I read.) Hispanic women do NOT change their last names at any point in their lives. A Hispanic woman can be married half a dozen times and the last names she dies with are the same ones she was born with. Had it not been for the missing countries and repeatedly incorrect information I would have enjoyed this as a better resource.

Essential for any international business person
At first glance, you might think that a book that offers advice on business protocol in 60 countries would be superficial in its advice on each one. But this is a great "read" and browsing from country to country can emphasize the key cultural differences when you are visiting just one country. There's even a section on the US, and it's good to learn that we are almost the only country in the world where strangers get straight down to business (Ever asked a visitor:"How was your flight?" then realized you didn't even listen to the answer before launching into business.)

This book contains both the important practical matters (bring a gift, wrap it in certain colors, don't expect it to be opened in front of you) and also some interesting academic issues: "Locus of control" and "sources of anxiety reduction." You'll be pleased to know that Americans don't worry about anxiety much--except about deadlines at work.

Country-surfing can hurt
Not a bad idea, but this kind of superficial info can hurt you as much as it can help you - maybe a regional focus would be good?

Essential book if you work with people from other Countries
Fantastic book, I've been referring to this for nearly 10 years now since it first came out. Working as I do with many different cultures, and given the track record of my American Colleagues who don't know where Canada is (joke!) I've always found it ironic that it was an American team who wrote this book!
Anyone who is ever sceptical about the value of its content, I show them the pages for their Country, and within minutes they're sold on its value, even if there's something minor in there they can quibble about.
I especially rely on this book for the Business Practices (Appointments, Negotiating & Entertaining) and the Protocol (Greetings) sections.
I've worked in over 30 Countries, and this book has never let me down. The only times I've needed a Country that wasn't in the book was for Austria & Croatia, but you can't have everything!

Misleading and imprecise
When I bought this book, I wished to have a concise and reliable guide for "do's" and "don'ts" around the world. Well, at least I got a concise one.
I've been in some 20 countries and for most of them, the suggestions of this book would range from useless to misleading. Data about religion, for instance, seem to have been collected from old books, when the Latin America people could be classified as 97% Catholic.
Suggestions about dressing is also outated, with recommendations like 3-piece suites.
The greetings are also outdated: despite not being American, I know that currently, in USA, women (especially the 30-something and under) use to kiss each other in informal occasions, but this is not even mentioned.
And, as a Brazilian, I became marvelled to know that some people in Brazil speak "various Amerindian languages". The book only fails to tell me where ...
An advice: instead of buying this book, ask some friends: is costless and far more trustable. ... Read more

Book Description

This globally oriented book covers the most current research and trends in International Management. It offers comprehensive and integrative cases that illustrate the actual behaviors and functions required for successful cross-cultural management at the strategic and interpersonal level. Includes numerous boxed features that relate concepts to real-world practice. Also includes experiential exercises for self-test.For professionals in international business. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great book describing culture
Excellent Book. I was impressed on how the author was able to showthe various difficulties that are faced and how one can go about managing them. Real scenarios helped a lot in understanding the difficulties better in International relations. ... Read more

Book Description

Market-defining since it was first introduced, International Business 5e by Charles W. L. Hill, continues to set the standard for international business textbooks. In writing the book, Charles Hill draws on his expertise in teaching, writing, and consulting to create the most thorough, up-to-date, and thought-provoking text on the market. Because many issues in international business are complex, the text explores the pros and cons of economic theories, government policies, business strategies, organizational structures, etc. Hill's: International Business goes beyond the often shallow explanations that other books offer, while maintaining a tight integrated flow between the chapters. Hill's book is practical in nature, focusing on the managerial implications of each topic on the actual practice of international business. The author's passion and enthusiasm for the international business arena is apparent on every page as he strives to make important theories interesting, informative, and accessible to all students. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Excellent Textbook on Globalization of Business
Dr. Charles Hill has the rare combination of excellent subject matter expertise and writing skill. I purchased this textbook for an MBA course on Global Business and have been extremely impressed with Dr. Hill's work. It is organized, easy to read, the introduction and sidebars augment the text exceptionally, and the case studies are thorough and applicable. Unlike another reviewer, I found the depth of coverage to be appropriate for an MBA program and especially enjoyed the treatment of monetary systems and the weaving of economic theory throughout most chapters. This book is a keeper.

this book did NOT include the CD nor the map as stated
I ordered this book for a 6 weeks class I am taking and only ordered this one because it included the CD and the MAP that I needed. I could have ordered just the book for around $40, but I choose to pay the extra (almost to $90) because it this one SAID that it included the CD and the MAP - well guess what it didn't I was RIPPED off - the class is over a very short time period thus I have no time to return the book and get another
BUYER BEWARE!!!!!

WARNING
This is a third edition Book. Most classes that are now in session are looking for the fourth edition - I found this out the hard way. So watch out.

Excellent in-depth introduction
I found this book to be a well organized and stimulating. I have taken a course in Int Business as part of my undergraduate business degree. I discovered this book offered as part of an Int Business degree program at another institution and decided to purchase it. I found it to be so much better than the first go around that It was like I never learned Int business to begin with. Well written; I am very skeptical of typos and could only find one which was very minor. This book is a real eye opener and you will never want to stop reading it. It is one of my favorite text books! Thanks Charles Hill.

Most useful handbook
As a prescribed book for our MBA course (University of South Africa) I found this publication most enlightening. It is current and up to date, and addresses diverse topics which exert influences on business. Themes include national and cultural differences, global trade, politics and investment, the global monetary system, foreign exchange and capital market, strategic issues, and business operations.

I could find nothing wrong with the writer's style. References are copious and the text is fairly easy to understand. Although it could be argued that postgraduate students will grasp the contents easier, even an undergraduate friend of mine found the book fascinating and well written.

Whether for formal studies or personal interest I can highly recommend this volume. ... Read more

Book Description

The Ninth Edition of this market leader communicates the complexities of international finance clearly and authoritatively.The book features a streamlined presentation, expanded attention to emerging markets, several new chapters, and four new decision cases with an emerging-markets focus.An accompanying new Casebook by Michael Moffett includes in-depth decision cases keyed to the coverage in the Eiteman text. The authors have a knack for communicating the complexities of international finance to today's students in a manner that is clear and understandable.For anyone interested in business. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good, yet not good enough.
This book gives plenty of background into international finance. Unfortunately, it has some big flaws, in my opinion. First, there are not enough calculation examples. Second, there are too few questions at the end of each chapter. In addition, you must go to the author's website for the solution. Once you get there, you will be surprised to find out that the author has only solved maybe two out of eight problems. That's annoying. I do not recommend this book. Take a class from another professor who uses a different text book.

The International Financial Environment
Discuss the changing world attitude toward multinational corporations and identify the evidence cited which sheds new light on the old attitude that multinational companies crowd-out local firms.

tests
tests, guidelines, most important points ... Read more

Book Description

This book's dynamic portrayal of international business (cross-functional and integrated in approach) makes its content lively, topical, and enjoyable. It includes examples of companies from around the world in order to provide an unbiased, global perspective on business. Clear, straightforward explanations of challenging material are supported by informative illustrations that give readers easy access to this subject.Chapter topics include culture in business, politics and law in business, business in other economies, international trade, foreign direct investment, international financial markets and monetary system, acquiring business resources, and managing the international business.For anyone who wants to understand international business—and fully appreciate how business is conducted today. ... Read more

Book Description

Learn how to set up and run profitable businesses in the most alluring market, China.

• Stays away from theories and focuses on practical advice from real professionals with proven results in China, which is easy to understand and follow.
• Learn from the best practices of effective China business executives.

This book is written for professionals by professionals who have worked in China for decades. The book does not stress theory about how business should be done but rather how business is done by some of the most successful business executives in China. The objective of the book is to pass on practical advice on how to be effective and more importantly, profitable in China.

Almost every foreign company has made mistakes in China and it is the objective of the book to not only show new investors how past mistakes can be prevented but also to help those already in the market learn how other executives handle similar challenges. Real life case studies are also explored in-depth to give investors a better understanding of the challenges one can expect to face and more importantly a way to resolve them.

China Streetsmart also examines China's outlook to give the investor a balanced view that the attractive opportunities WTO offers must be juxtaposed with the critical challenges such as how to tackle growing unemployment and pervasive corruption. Streetsmart investors are cautious optimists and within every risk there are also great opportunities to be capitalized on. The benefits of investing in China are real. The critical question is not whether one should invest in China but rather how. This book will show you the way.

Reviews (9)

Great Practical Information
My company division has just started doing business in China. I didn't know where to start and found this book to be a common sense guide to business.

What I got out of your book was that -- treating people with respect (no matter the difference) is important to being successful and common business sense is common business sense no matter where you do business.

An excellent primer for Governor Arnold Schwartzneggar
As a resident of the fifth largest economy in the world--California, I found Mr. John Chan's book, China Streetsmart to be truly enlightening. The People's Republic of China (PRC) will soon pass California and will join the ranks of the Global Five.

Mr. Chan writes in a way, even an actor like Arnold Schwartzneggar could get a handle on the main strategies of doing business in the PRC.

One truly hopes that Mr. Schwartzneggar will take Mr. Chan's advice and encourage California's businesses to increase trade and invest in the PRC. Mr. Chan's "Deciding the Best Plan of Action" could assist the new governor's tenure in the State of California.

Should one zig or zag in doing business in China? Mr. Chan has clearly outlined the art of the possible from planning your negotiation, determining your partner, calculating risk and reaping the rewards in today's China.

This guide is a must for well seasoned business executives and to those who are just getting started in beginning a venture into
the Chinese marketplace. As Mr. Chan points out in his book, the Chinese saying "where there is danger, there is opportunity" still holds true today. Hopefully, Mr. Schwartzneggar will seize the investment opportunities in China and join Mr. Chan in the real world with this well written Chinese business guide.

A practical approach to developing a global mindset
A 2001 Jossey-Bass book by Vijay Govindarajan and Anil Gupta titled The Quest for Global Dominance introduced a new MNC lingo, global mindset.Although appearing novel compared with the framework developed around another more widely used term, transnational corporation, brought up a decade earlier by Sumantra and Goshal in Managing Across Borders, global mindset in Govindarajan and Gupta's book is merely differentiated conceptually from the diffused and parochial mindsets. There is little practical guide as to how an MNC or its managers may develop a global mindset.

The Six China Streetsmart Action Steps provide ready-to-use recipe for developing a winning China mindset. Moreover, they should appeal to managers of any globalizing business as a universal approach to developing a global mindset. Personally I resonnate the most with the chapters on the six action steps. They are full of practical insights, and stimulate my reflection upon my own understanding of the Chinese and Western cultures and their possible interactions. I also like the case study, can't stop fantasizing making a box-office hit similar to the movie Gun Ho. In addition, I am impressed by author's ability to summarize a whole gammit of most relevant and pressing issues on investing in China in a nutshell of the last 50 or so pages, a real practical primer for managers in a hurry.

I do suspect the views and conclusions in the book biased towards expats,because I feel like guessing a couple alternative views on behalf of some of the Chinese JV managers as well as MNC headquarters staff whom I have encountered. It is also because I don't resist the temptation to put the research methods cap on myself and start to think about focus groups.

Of the six actions steps I prefer steps 2, 3 and 4 to the other steps for the unique insights and a more elevated discussion on the rationales beyond annecdotes. For example, geographic difference and difference in stage of development are why flexibility and adaptability are in need but not over-standardization. There are areas where the argument could have been made stronger. For example, the management consistency argument could have been strengthened by linking it to guanxi development, being thorough, and the essence of tacit learning process in an ambiguous business environment. Building respect, trust the Chinese way could have been elaborated further for the benefits of the expats. Relatively I got least out of the earlier chapters on guanxi, language and listening, except for the practical guide on local dialects and use of professional translators. While the author makes it quite clear what guanxi is not, the Confucian-based definition of what guanxi is keeps it distant from the reality of institutional arrangement in China, i.e. guanxi cannot be discussed fruitfully outside the nexus of multiple stakeholders whose interests need to be balanced when a bilateral guanxi is engaged or utilized. I find Mr. Lu a fascinating node of the guanxi nexus that hangs over the Portola Packaging case.

Practical and Relevant Guide for Business in China
Working in a joint venture between a Chinese company and a Canadian company, I can relate to much of the advice John provides in China Streetsmart. I only wish my Canadian company had this resource before establishing our JV 3 years ago. It would have made for a much smoother process on both sides.

John clearly knows his stuff and combines a great blend of concepts, stories, examples, practical advice and insight into Chinese culture. John's approach is pragmatic and invaluable to anyone considering establishing a business in China or any foreign market.

An Indispensable Resource
After reading China Streetsmart I now have a stronger sense of how to take my North American business to China. It's important to me that the author not give me theory rather something that I can really use. John's unique combination of western background coupled with years of experience on the "front lines" of doing business in China make him an unparalleled authority on how to truly be effective and profitable for anyone that is looking to do business in China. John has taken his personal experiences and to that added stories, both successful and unsuccessful, from other high-level executives to truly give the reader a realistic view of what works and what doesn't work in China and more importantly, why. I really liked the color charts and statistics throughout. I believe this is a must-have resource for anyone looking to start a business in China or enhance an existing China-based business! ... Read more

Book Description

The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy takes the reader on a fascinating, around-the-world journey to reveal the economic and political lessons from the life story of a simple t-shirt. Over five years, business professor Pietra Rivoli traveled from a Texas cotton field to a Chinese factory to a used clothing market in Africa, to investigate compelling questions about the politics, economics, ethics, and history of modern business and globalization. Using the story of the t-shirt to illustrate the major issues of the globalization debate, this uniquely entertaining business book offers a surprising, enlightening, and balanced look at one of the major topics of our time. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Thoroughly enjoyable and unique
A unique and well-written book of international economics for anyone. No hard edges or hard opinions cloud this book's ingenious premise. From someone who has read many books on business and econ, this one is not only feel good but brilliant. Enjoy!

great book on globalization
An entertaining and insightful read on how the global economy really works for people. the author tackles the serious issues about globalization by exploring the life of her t-shirt, but she also is a great writer who can take the complex and make it both understanding and entertaining. bravo!

A Historical Tour of Industry Issues
I'm from the apparel industry - not fiber, yarn, textile or retail which in the US are separate industries - but apparel, the cutting and sewing and shipping of clothing. Ironically, a week before reading this book, I was given a passionate and amazing talk by an executive from one of the non-apparel companies profiled in this book. When he was done, I told him his business plan, which he detailed, could not have been written by an academic or a consultant, but only by a warrior in the supply chain. Well, this book could not have been written by a warrior, but only by an academic. In its description of the travels of a shirt, it bears close resemblance to a similar story written several years back in the NYTimes magazine. Having said that, this book rocks. Its great. Its a tutorial of how the apparel industry chases the low cost needle from country to country. And it is extremely current. I learned a lot about cotton, yarn, textiles, trade, lobbying, England - but nothing new about apparel, per se. So to me, everyone will learn something new from this book. It is unfortunate the author did not interview Kevin Burke of the American Apparel and Footwear Association. She seems to imply that the AAMA just disappeared. It did not. Kevin is a key player in the "Alphabet Army" the author describes as centered in Washington. Still, as I read the book, I learned the history of one of the members of our organization (www.aapnetwork.net), a highly successful cotton organization called PCCA. And I saw many names of people I knew first hand. There is so much history to the apparel supply chain I simply did not know - and now I understand it much better. As for my own bias of the divergent sides one takes on trade, I found myself leaning side to side like an old hill billy watching wrestling on TV as I squirmed in response to one sides rhetoric and the others B.S. Its well written. I like to think I'm a good industry writer, but I could not have done what Dr. Rivoli has achieved. Its a great yarn, maybe a little too heavy on the sweatshop, dogma and labor aspects of the issue, but then again, its written by an academic. I'm still waiting after 15 years of touring apparel factories all around the world to find an actual sweatshop. The only one I've ever seen was on a PBS documentary shot in New York of a horrifying factory there. Apparel chases the low cost needle. As Wal-Mart told me personally last decade, "when a US apparel contractor can make a dozen golf shirts at the same quality and price as we're getting from Cambodia, we'll buy them". Apparel chases the low cost needle. China is the world's apparel plant floor. Wal-Mart is the world's retail floor. Reality rules, and it is so inevitable it hurts. Are there any questions?

Rags become Riches.
An entertaining read on global economics -- instructive economic history that delves into economic theories. The author shares her insights as cotton is cultivated in Texas, woven in China, sold in Florida, and eventually winds up in vendors' stalls in Tanzania, with numerous other stops in between.The T-shirt's journey demonstrates a need for full or better access to markets as the moving force of capitalism, and encourages further discussion on the political methods used (or to be used) to achieve that access. ... Read more

Book Description

Global Marketing 3e utilizes a three-pronged framework to organize the discussion of how to conduct global business: Foreign Entry, Local Marketing, and Global Management. Johansson seeks to develop the varied skills a marketing manager needs to be successful in each of these tasks. The discussion progresses from how to market an existing product outside of the domestic market to how to develop a new product for specific local markets and then broadens the scope to discuss marketing and management topics from a global managerial perspective. Legal, regulatory, political, and cultural, issues are discussed as appropriate throughout the text. Excellent examples and cases, many of which are drawn from the author’s rich international experience help students move from concept to application. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Global Marketing
Have not received the book and was charged for it.

Great Framework, nicely written
I've used this text since the 1st ed., in MBA and Exec.MBA courses in both Europe and the US. The framework (captured by the title)offers a nice progression for both the instructor and students. Johansson's text is nicely written, and reflects his broad world view (A European, a solid academic, and a hands-on consultant to a number of global firms).
My students continually give this book high ratings in their course evaluations, which is one important reason for continuing to use this text. The cases are varied in length and complexity, and match up nicely with the different sections of the book. The Instructors Manual with case notes is strong.
One knock of the text (and one that applies to all International Marketing texts) is that the global market place is evolving so quickly that some of the materials are outdated within a year or two or the text's publication. An easy solution here is to download current developments from the global press for class discussions. Johansson's textbook has such well written theoretical frameworks, that while the book eventually lags current market practices (as they all do), the explanatory value found in the text still does a strong job in thinking through the issues. This is a solid textbook. One that students keep, and one that is structured for a variety of teaching approaches.

Excellent Text. I Enjoy Teaching It!
I have been teaching this book for many years at the University of Maryland, ... I am both practitioner and academic. I had other text choices but I did select this book. What attracts me the most - clear foundation: foreign entry, local marketing, and global management. It makes the challenge reachable. Each edition makes book stronger and more interesting. It is work in progress. I watch the reaction of the diverse population of my undergraduate students. They accept the book, and enjoy the travel around the world with marketing in mind. ...

Horrible ! not for beginners.
This is an example where some academics should not be writers, a good marketer does not make a good writer or teacher.
The author writes in a very hard-to-understand language, Im not saying this just because my native language is not english - my english speaking friends have expressed the same experience with this book.
You get the feeling the author is purposely trying to use as many uneccesarily elaborate words and expressions to show off his academic status, and he takes little time to explain things clearly and rushes by at high speed.
This book is not for beginners of marketing! It would be more useful as refresher material for those with prior knowledge, or as a refference source.

For beginners I would recommend either books by;
Masaaki Kotabe 'Global Marketing Management' or
Warren J. Keegan 'Global Marketing Management'. ... Read more

Book Description

Emphasis is on the broader international business environment and the context in which accounting is practiced worldwide.
* Explains how the development of equity markets around the world has strongly influenced a convergence of key accounting practices.
* Focused on the business strategies of MNEs and how accounting applies to these strategies. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This is a decent book...
I agree with the previous reviewer who mentioned the text was very disorganized. Much of the information provided is very redundant, hence the book could have been much shorter (and less expensive).

Synopsis: National cultures and laws affect accounting standards used by different countries. The book discusses the major differences of accounting in great detail. There is a push by the International Accounting Standards Board to harmonize accounting standards so that international financial statements will be more comparable. Will they succeed? Read this book and then decide for yourself.

Best in giving full information and food for thought
I have used the book while working on my Final Thesis. I found it very informative and at the same time it is not overwhelmed with extensive discussions not relating to the main topic. It is clear and logical.

Needs extensive editing and reorganization.
This text suffers from its haphazard organization and lack of clarity in presentation. Textual material could be simplified if presented in tabular form. Text also suffers from lack of precision in references to accompanying tables. Material and citations tend to be a hodgepodge of older and, in some cases, obsolete studies done by other academicians. ... Read more

Book Description

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, 7th Edition presents an up-to-date and complete exploration of international business issues and practice. The author's experience as both practitioners and academics brings a balanced and seasoned voice to the text. The text is built upon a strong foundation of theory and includes current examples, cases and insights showing how global businesses apply these concepts.The text examines the role and impact of culture and also includes numerous current world maps, helping learners develop and refine a global perspective. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Yes, but ...
Very practical book, with full-detailed examples, but lacks in theoretical analysis. ... Read more

Book Description

Unstoppable force, meet immovable object. Scene: the World Bank, a mighty development kingdom of many fiefs, its ten thousand employees operating in some one hundred countries responsible for tens of billions of dollars in aid to the world's poorest nations. Enter: James Wolfensohn, the smooth global deal maker and power broker of gargantuan appetites who has furiously worked his many connections to become the World Bank's president. Over the course of his dazzling career, Wolfensohn seduced everything in his way-surely the development gurus of the bank would be no different? Even if this wasn't much the crowd for private jets and homes in Jackson Hole, for friendship with European royalty and Harrison Ford, for fencing at the Olympics and playing the cello in Carnegie Hall with Yo-Yo Ma, surely they would see what a noble sacrifice James Wolfensohn had made in walking away from his multimillion-dollar income?

Not exactly. In 1995, Wolfensohn struck the World Bank like a whirlwind, determined to reinvent the institution founded by Franklin Roosevelt and his World War II allies. Never has the World Bank's work been more important, more in the public eye, or more controversial than in the past nine years when challenges from global financial crises to AIDS to the emergence of terrorist sanctuaries in failed states have threatened our prosperity. In Sebastian Mallaby's masterful hands, the story of Wolfenson and his World Bank is a marvelous tour through the messy reality of global development. What John Gutfreund and Salomon Brothers were to the 1980s and John Meriwether and Long Term-Capital Management were to the 1990s, James Wolfensohn and the World Bank are to our time: the emblematic story through which a gifted author has channeled the spirit of the age. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ugly Americans documents the "Wild East" of the mid-1990s, where young, brilliant, and hypercompetitive traders became "hedge fund cowboys," manipulating loopholes in an outdated and inefficient Asian financial system to rake in millions. Using a concept called arbitrage, they made their fortunes mainly on minute shifts in stocks being sold on the Nikkei, the Japanese stock market, collapsing banks and nearly bankrupting the Japanese economy in the process. Other schemes were also concocted, most of which were technically legal, though certainly unethical. This true story revolves around "John Malcolm," who, in exchange for anonymity, agreed to give Ben Mezrich all the access and information he needed to write this book. As a recent Princeton graduate in the mid-1990s, Malcolm accepted an undefined job offer from an American expatriate in Japan to work in the investments field. Though he had no prior experience, he facilitated 25 million dollars worth of trades on his first day on the job, and it just got more exciting from there. He soon joined a small group of expatriates, all in their twenties and mostly Ivy League graduates, who lived like rock stars, thriving on the stress and excitement of their jobs to create their own steroid versions of the American Dream half a world away. Mezrich tells this riveting story well, incorporating elements of the culture into his narrative, including the infamous and pervasive Japanese "Water Trade," or sex business, romantic intrigue, and even run-ins with the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia. Though there is little real analysis of their financial dealings and how they ultimately changed the rules of finance in Asia, this entertaining page turner does offer a glimpse into a world little explored in print until now. --Shawn Carkonen ... Read more

Reviews (51)

LIved in Japan and this book is a good first step
I agree some of the details are faulty and things of this sort, but for a entertainment read this book is very good. I also think if you had no influence from Asia this book might be a eye opener and help you get interested in the region.

Disappointing
Having lived and worked across Asia within multiple industries (including finance), I eagerly awaited this read.Unfortunately, I found the same old clichés on Japan and Capital markets. It takes years to really understand the region so fault to the author, but for something less glammed up and exoticised, (yet also based on a true story), I might suggest Clissold's, "Mr. China." Better yet, spend some serious time in Asia. It will pay off for you in the next century.

Just Ugly
I was excited to read this book: 1) the same author as the compelling Bringing Down the House, and 2) a plot about hedge funds -- a topic of personal and professional interest to me.The excitement dwindled fast.
Ben Mezrich is a very average writer.He tries too hard at times to describe a different world, only to lose all crediblity in the eyes of those actually familiar with that world.He doesn't trust the imagination (or intelligence) of his reader, whom he constantly talks down -- perhaps a Harvard-learned trait.
Mezrich needs to get over his lovefest for Ivy league schools and their students.People who attend the Ivies are smart, but so too are the students of another 50 or so US institutions.It gets sickening after a while to read his constant, self-congratulatory fawning over the Ivies.(For the record, I have met far fewer people in the hedge fund world from the Ivies than I have from schools like UVA, Michigan, and Chicago.)
The plot of Ugly Americans seems very forced.If someone had told me this story over dinner, I certainly wouldn't have felt compelled to turn it into a book or a movie.The details don't hold together at all, and even if they did, they wouldn't be fascinating either to those versed or unversed with hedge fund strategies.
Overall, this book didn't disappoint me strictly because of Mezrich's superficial understanding or explanation of hedge fund strategies.It disappointed me because it is poorly written and weakly characterized.It disappointed me because it wasted my scarcest resource, free time.It disappointed me because I really did enjoy BDTH, but now my view of that compelling read is tarnished too.

A Good Read
I dont know how accurate some of the minor details of this book are as some have mentioned "full ride to ivy league schools etc.) but regardless I really like this authors writing style and usually read his books all the way through because they are very well done as far as capturing and keeping your attention.

Good read; could have used more technical details
Although Mezrich embellishes the characters enough to make an exciting semi-fiction story, I was very interested when the actual topics of hedge funds and arbitrage were breached. Yet, Mezrich seemed to make little effort to explain these in anything more than basic terms. Considering that the book is based on the exploits of high finance, I wish there was more in-depth analysis. Still, it is an intriguing book and a fast-paced read. ... Read more

Book Description

The Wealth of Nations
by Adam Smith

It is symbolic that Adam Smith’s masterpiece of economic analysis, The Wealth of Nations, was first published in 1776, the same year as the Declaration of Independence.

In his book, Smith fervently extolled the simple yet enlightened notion that individuals are fully capable of setting and regulating prices for their own goods and services. He argued passionately in favor of free trade, yet stood up for the little guy. The Wealth of Nations provided the first--and still the most eloquent--integrated description of the workings of a market economy.

The result of Smith’s efforts is a witty, highly readable work of genius filled with prescient theories that form the basis of a thriving capitalist system. This unabridged edition offers the modern reader a fresh look at a timeless and seminal work that revolutionized the way governments and individuals view the creation and dispersion of wealth--and that continues to influence our economy right up to the present day. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Needs Revision
Needs to be revised and the title changed to "The Wealth Of Global Corporations", hence 4 stars instead of 5. Would probably be more accurate if almost every reference to nation(s) was replaced with global corporation(s), and so on.

The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
Adam Smith is considered a founding father of economic theory.
In the Wealth of Nations, he laid a foundation for the free market while at the same time explaining some of the problems
encountered by workers. He explained that all work had to be
highly organized in order to be productive. In addition, he
recognized that machinery facilitated work. This notion serves
as an important foundation for more modern patent practice.
He praised the ingenuity of inventors and makers of new

machinery. The author spoke of increased production as a
condition precedent to enhancing the power of labor. From this
precept, he explained that the size of a market would dictate
the division of its constituent labor. For instance, a small
community in the suburbs might be serviced by a local
"General Store"; whereas, a county in a large city would be
serviced by a retail chain store with hundreds of employees
and a highly sophisticated management structure.In Adam Smith's
time, metals were popular in the manufacture of commodities.
Problems were encountered in weighing the metals and arriving
at a uniform system of metrics. The theory of pricing was
a function of the toil needed to purchase a good. For instance,
the price of an auto was a function of the many hours of labor
necessary to earn the money to buy the car. In addition, the price of an item was related to its constituent parts.
For instance, the price of linen was a function of the labor
of the flaxdresser, spinner, weaver, bleacher and overall
employer. The natural price varied with the price of component
parts. For instance, if the semiconductor was reduced significantly in price- then the overall price of an electronic
appliance would go down. Adam Smith saw labour as a function
of national wealth. He recognized that laborers had to earn
more than a mere subsistence in order to live dignified lives.
He told a story of a mother in the Highlands of Scotland who
had to raise 20 children so that 2 would survive. Presumably,
18 children would die from various diseases and poverty.
The interest rates at the time were low. In England, rates
hovered at 5%. In France, the rates were 3-5% . The government
could borrow at 2% in Holland.

Adam Smith defined a wage as a function of the following:
o the ease or hardship to do work

Consider the case of a diamond cutter. The art of cutting a
diamond is a precise process which requires extensive training
and expert worksmanship. The demand for precious stones was a
function of their inherent beauty, scarcity and workmanship
involved in polishing them and preparing them for commercial use.

o the difficulty and expense of learning a trade
A skilled surgeon required years of medical training and a
long apprenticeship in anatomy and surgery.

o the constancy of employment
o the trust reposed in the workpeople
Consider the case of a landowner who took a year-long vacation
to the Orient. He/she would leave behind a manager to run the
entire business on a 24/7 basis. This high degree of trust
reposed in the workperson required a commensurate compensation.

o probability of success or failure of the venture
Consider the effort required to cross the Atlantic. The trip
was lengthy, dangerous and prone to failure due to the vagaries
of nature, pirating on the high seas and disease. Naturally,
a worker had to receive a greater compensation to take these
factors into consideration.

o the danger inherent in doing the work
Consider the danger inherent in entering a diamond mine.
The possibility of collapse was a constant threat. Accordingly,
workers were compensated commensurate with the threat level.

Adam Smith explained that fear of misfortune dampened the taking
of risks. He knew (intuitively) that investors were risk averse.
In addition, there was a restriction on training new labor.
In Sheffield, no master cutter could train more than a single
cutter . Apprenticeships were lengthy. i.e. 7 years in length

Adam Smith explained that food was a source of rent to the
landowners. The pricing of metals was a function of the price
in the most fertile mine in the world. Whatever increased the
fertility of the land increased its value by implication.
Markets in foodstuffs were restricted because refrigeration
did not exist until motors and condensers were perfected.
Essentially, there were no operable refrigerators until the
famous Clausius statement was perfected in the engineering
sciences.

Accordingly, the market for butcher's meat was confined to the
country of origin. Wool and raw hide could be transported;
however, meat was consumed locally as its shelf-life was limited.
The value of money was a function of the value of annual produce.
Accordingly, increased quantities of commodities raised the
value of money. Low fixed rates of interest promoted business
and discouraged usury. Riches were a function of the annual

produce which created the wealth and supported the tax base.
High duties were enforced to protect the local markets. Treaties
between countries helped local merchants to craft meaningful
trade sequences. Exports were encouraged . The expense of
erecting public works was a function of the taxes raised on the
land and the proportion of yield from the crops.
Governments granted bounties to merchants who wanted to sell
overseas in order to assist them in making a profit and
defraying costs/risks. This work is a classic in theoretical
and practical economics. It is a "must read" for economists,
historians, majors in government, financiers, investors,
literary buffs and a large constituency of academicians. ... Read more