Customer Reviews

When Cultures Collide

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Richard Lewis is a speaker of 12 languages and herein lie some clues to his understanding of intercultural communication.His book avoids the complex academic distinctions seen elsewhere and concentrates on practical understanding of each nation's "collective programming". It has helped me to understand how to deal and work with people of other nations with much increased effectiveness. Lewis explains why there are differences, and how we should approach them, using many simple diagrams and patterns. A must for anyone interacting internationally, or indeed with different ethnic groups within their own country.

This is an excellent book. From its marketing, I thought that "When Cultures Collide: Managing Successfully Across Cultures" pertained specifically to dealing with people of different nationalities in the business place. And indeed, it is a most useful book for that purpose. However, I was struck by how much one could apply Lewis' analyses to other situations, for example, dealing with people of other nationalities on a social level. Indeed, I have many aquaintances, and some close friends, from diverse backgrounds, and this book sometimes occupies us for entire evenings, discussing our experiences with one another. The chapter on Hungarians I found particularly accurate, and entertaining. I believe that Lewis would have enjoyed hearing some of these discussions (and arguments). My point is: don't dismiss this book thinking it is a businessman's tool. It's a good read for anybody who encounters people of other nationalities and cultures, irrespective of the context.

Richard D. Lewis, an expert on cross-cultural and language training who has tutored clients from Swedish corporate executives to the Japanese Imperial Family, discusses the need to consider cross-cultural differences in managing any company in today's global world. He suggests a broad model you can use to characterize different national characteristics as linear-active, multi-active, and reactive. These traits shape attitudes toward time, leadership, team building, and affect a range of organizational behaviors. Lewis includes brief national profiles you can refer to when doing business away from home. This in-depth book covers common patterns in different cultures, and offers many examples of how different groups act under different situations. We at getAbstract recommend this book to top executives, managers and anyone who works in a multicultural business environment, as well as to general readers with a yen for informed people watching.

At times this book veers on being discriminatory, shallow, stereotypical and arbitrary. For instance, what has Mr Lewis got against the Finns to focus on them mercilessly? Is it really useful to paint these simple caricatures of whole nations, with all their diversity and increasing multi-ethnicity?

Well, in a word, Yes. Yes, if you are suddenly faced with having to do business with people from other nations. I cannot praise highly enough how this book, in both its current and previous editions, enabled me to come to terms with the challenges of working across cultural divides. It has come to my rescue on no end of occasions, helping me adapt my expectations and be open to differences. The style is light without being shallow, and it can be dipped into as easily as it can be read cover to cover.

And it was particularly useful when I suddenly found myself responsible for a department in Finland!

I had read the original release of this book when a co-worker gave it to me many years ago (my first trip to India). The third edition adds much more organization to the thoughts contained within and expands the material to include many more countries - at least all the ones I could envision visiting. As most of my business travels have taken me to Asia, this book has provided me with the tools I needed to prepare for "how" to act and "what" to expect. The one take-away from this book that has meant the most to me is an understanding that people think differently for rational reasons. Although nothing is a replacement for actually interacting with others from the countries you visit, it has helped prepare me with a foundation for interacting with those I work with in other countries on a professional and personal level.

Great resource to help you understand the cultures you'll encounter when working abroad. The first half provides an overview of cultures and how they are formed, etc. The second half is full of short 5 page overviews of cultures by country. A great combination of background (1st half) and country specifics (2nd ahlf) that you can reference as necessary depending on where business takes you.

Working only in the USA? Well this is a good resource to understand some of the folks you'll manage or work with from other cultures.

This well written informative book is a must for anyone interested in why cultures as a whole function in a specific manner and provides insight for how very different cultures can lean how to better deal with each other.

I read the first edition during college and fell in love with this book. Should be required reading for all students and everyday people even. It is very informative and everything is so true. I have been in over 40 countries, and this is so right on. Yes, stereotypes exist, but they are all based on truths! The book expalins it all. This new edition covers many new countries in a great easy read. Highly recommended to understand other cultures. We would all get along if we read this book.

Well written and articulated, the book is very interesting to read. however, the amount of information provided is sometimes more than what you would really need. the book is divided in a general part, dedicated to the subject of cross cultural issues, and a specific presentation of each country peculiarities. The latter, unless you are supposed to expatriate in a particular country (but in that case you buy additional books)is a little hard to stay focused on. however, this book is a comprehensive manual on cross cultural communication, management and leadership. I recommend it to whomever likes the subject.

Amidst the plethora of business books out there, here's one that is likely to remain in print for many years without ending up in the $1.98 bargain table at your local Borders Books. Lewis's tract covers over 60 different countries and virtually every major region in the world. New chapters in this Third Edition include information on doing business in Iraq, Pakistan, Serbia, Columbia and Venezuela.

"When Cultures Collide" is more than just a book on doing business internationally; it is guide to communicating effectively with the individuals of these diverse and emerging markets across the global marketplace.

Divided among the "Lewis Model," the author examines and divides cultural types through what he calls "linear-active, multi-active, and reactive variations." For example, the Germans and the Swiss are considered "linear-actives" as they thoughtfully plan, schedule, organize, doing one thing at a time; in contrast, the Chinese, Japanese, and Finns tend to be "reactives" since they value and priortize courtesy and respect, as they listen quietly and react carefully to another's proposal.

The book has been tremendeously helpful to me in negotiating deals foreign clients allowing me to avoid the faux pas we Americans erroneously commit while doing business with our international customers.

In a nutshell, the author examines how the mind--any mind is conditioned even at an early age. As a result, the irreversible nature of this childhood training establishes a relationship between langauge, action and thought.

For anyone who does business internationally, or simply wishes to find out more about the other cultures on this ever-shrinking planet we share and inhabit, Lewis's book is a must read.