First, can you briefly tell us what your book is all about and why we should read it?
My book “Successful Cross-cultural Management” deals with the complexity of managing in a foreign environment. I wanted to write a book for international managers who seek practical advice on how to deal with cross-cultural challenges in multinational corporations. It focuses on what managers can do to avoid cross-cultural conflict and how to succeed when negotiating with foreign clients or when leading culturally diverse teams.
What are the top trends in your area(s)?
One important and very interesting aspect that I am investigating at the moment is biculturalism in international management. Here the main questions are how bicultural and bilingual managers can improve management processes and which roles they usually have in multinational firms.
What do you like best about using e-books? Do you own an e-book reader (if so, which one and why)?
I like e-books especially when reading books about business or when I read articles for my work. I think it is very handy to have a whole library with me. At the moment I plan to get a new i-pad. When reading novels, however, I still prefer “real” books.
What made you decide to publish with Business Expert Press?
I liked the business concept of Business Expert Press. The idea of writing books which should present the main aspects of business topics for managers is innovative and very practical.
Business research mostly only targets publications in journals, but often does not reach the most important target groups, managers and students. I was very interested in writing business books in a practical and readable format for people who actually do manage.
Have you read any other Business Expert Press books, and if so, which one was your favorite?
I liked “Conducting Market Research for International Business” by Tamer Cavusgil, Gary Knight, John Riesenberger and Attila Yaprak. And of course my other Business Expert Press book “Understanding Japanese Management Practices”
What prompted you to write this book?
I am European and work in Japan. Almost every day I am confronted with cross-cultural challenges. Every time I meet friends for dinner most of the conversations deal with the question “what does my Western/Japanese colleague mean, when doing/saying this?”. I spend very much time explaining and analyzing management behavior in multicultural teams.
What were your favorite business courses when you were in school?
I liked HR Management most. Courses in Cross-Cultural Management were rare, when I was a student. I took only one of them, but this was very inspiring.
What do you like to do when you're not working?
I travel very much and I read a lot. The last year I spent as a visiting professor at the University of Munich in Germany, where outdoor sports, such as running and cycling, are very popular. I also enjoyed this very much.
What was the best non-business book you read recently?
At the moment I read “Can Asians Think? Understanding the Divide Between East and West” by Kishore Mahbubani. A very inspiring book!
How long did the process of writing the book take you?
I usually spend a lot of time thinking about the book, its structure and message before I start writing. Once I made up my mind about all these aspects, I wrote the book in 3 months.
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