American companies may be unwilling to participate in some aspects of the 'grey economy' of bribery that locals take for granted. However, the memory of Western colonialism in many regions of the world is still fresh, and Americans must be sensitive to the fact that they may not always be welcomed automatically with open arms.

Unfortunately, the symptoms of culture shock are often counterproductive to creating an understanding relationship -- negative thoughts and comments about the local culture, and exaggerating one's own cultural norms (such as aggressiveness) are common (Wederspahan 2002). Intense scrutiny of the local culture and intense self-scrutiny about one's own cultural norms are the best antidotes to such behaviors. Becoming educated about the culture, language, history, and communication styles of the nation before going abroad should become a regular part of all business standard operating procedures. Additionally, Americans should be asked to rigorously compare their own standard...
[ View Full Essay]