Introduction
In the wake of modern globalization processes, the value of the business and its capabilities to adapt and revise the approaches cannot be underestimated. After all, the role of cross-cultural interaction and cooperation has been one of the factors enhancing the development of a globalized economy. Hence, the cultural side of international business appears as a significant asset to the establishment of the global business network. This essay will discuss the past and the present of international business, the importance of global leadership for the economy, and the supposed characteristics of a successful international manager.
In the second half of the 20th century, countries like Germany and Japan demonstrated rapid economic growth during the post-war reconstruction. The cultural aspects of their economies were not the last on the list of reasons for success. Therefore, as Bird and Mendenhall (2016) note, foreign businessmen have begun to borrow their behavioral models, for example, “kaizen, kamban, and just-in-time” from Japan (p. 2). However, closer to the end of the 20th century, globalization tendencies required not only borrowing but also adapting to the intensively growing global market. For this task, it has been necessary to consider the views of both the common public and the specific nations. As Bjørge (2014) notes, the cosmopolitan view is the most fitting cultural phenomenon for the process. After all, the organizations have had to both effectively deploy workers of various cultural backgrounds and adjust to the culture of consumers worldwide. Hence, international cooperation became inseparable from the cosmopolitan ideals of cultural diversity.
Main body
As a result, the said transformations inevitably affected the structure of global economics and the economies of separate countries. Moreover, they created a demand for international leadership, which would transcend the boundaries of national culture and economics. Such a phenomenon has been able to open new possibilities for management growth. As Meyer and Peng (2016) mention, global leadership tactics have allowed the Rolls-Royce company to expand its markets and cooperate with the USA and Germany in engine modernization. Similarly, the impact of leadership has managed to overlap with several other modernization trends. According to The global information technology report of Baller, Dutta, and Lanvin (2016), the digitalization of modern economics has remained both the object and the subject of influence for global leadership strategies. In other words, leadership in the context of globalization actively interacts and influences more of the contemporary tendencies.
However, one cannot forget that the specifics of the culture should be carefully considered for leadership management. For example, according to Tuleja (2014), dealings in China are affected by the language barrier and resulting in misunderstandings. Thus, it is a complex task to consider all the risks and overcome the obstacles coming from the local features. A thriving global leader must pay attention to such a tendency. As Bird and Mendel (2016) state, the leader should not only grasp the strategies and practices of foreign business but also develop universal qualities befitting international management. These features include but are not limited to exceptional proficiency in the field, an open-minded worldview, and the ability to adapt to the changing situation. That kind of a manager would possess a set of qualities that can serve them in the effective and efficient performance of their duties.
Conclusion
To sum up, the cultural aspect of the business is a valuable part of international cooperation and management. The local business traditions set several standards in the second half of the 20th century, while globalization created a requirement for both universal and adaptive strategies. The cosmopolitan worldview became the most fitting ideal to expand the cultural boundaries of the business. In turn, global leadership has caused a notable development of organizations in global economies and interaction with other trends. However, the changes are frequently determined by the national specifics and barriers. For efficient international management, it is necessary both to deploy the knowledge of these and develop an open-minded worldview, along with professional skills.
References
Baller, S., Dutta, S., & Lanvin, B. (Eds.). (2016). The global information technology report 2016. Web.
Bird, A., & Mendenhall, M. E. (2016). From cross-cultural management to global leadership: Evolution and adaptation. Journal of World Business, 51(1), 115-126.
Bjørge, A. K. (2014). Discourse strategies for cross-cultural communication. In B. Gehrke & M.-T. Claes (Eds.), Global leadership practices: A cross-cultural management perspective (pp. 67-84). Web.
Meyer, K., & Peng, M. W. (2016). International business(2nd ed.). Web.
Tuleja, E. A. (2014). Developing cultural intelligence for global leadership through mindfulness. Journal of Teaching in International Business, 25(1), 5-24.