International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior

by Nancy J. Adler, Allison Gundersen

The world of organizations is no longer defined by national boundaries--and neither are today's successful business leaders. Stay ahead of the curve with INTERNATIONAL DIMENSIONS OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, the proven and respected text that breaks down the conceptual, theoretical, and practical boundaries limiting our ability to understand and work with people in countries and cultures around the world. Adler's hallmark approach views global complexity as neither unpredictable nor random; rather, she demonstrates that variations across cultures and their impacts on organizations follow systematic, predictable patterns. With a blend of substance and readability, INTERNATIONAL DIMENSIONS OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR is both authoritative and richly detailed.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

398 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1991

About the author

Dr. Adler is the S. Bronfman Chair in Management at McGill University. She conducts research on global leadership, cross-cultural management, and the arts and leadership. Dr. Adler has also consulted with major global companies and government organisations on projects in Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America, and the Middle East. Canada has honored Professor Adler by inducting her into the Royal Society of Canada.

Reviews

[Billy Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for any traveler or anyone interested in understanding and working with other countries and cultures. Another plus is that Geert Hofstede's research is referenced throughout the book.

[Crystal Kadakia · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely brilliant book that is a must read for anyone who thinks of themselves as a global manager - especially those from the US. Americans, as a culture, are prone to extreme individualism (an observation supported by many research studies referenced in the book) and therefore have greater difficulties than most in recognizing and accepting that different (not bad) approaches exist. While it is nice that the dominant business language is english and that around the globe, people seem to aspire to the western ways of the world, this view actually is erroneous and creates enormous blind spots and presumptions. This book is a big step in creating conscious global behavior that allows myself and other American managers to reap the benefits of cultural diversity that we have been missing out on.

[Nicolas Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

It did the job. It's a textbook, so I guess I shouldn't be too picky. I would not recommend this book to others, but I did not dislike it.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been required reading in my undergraduate Cross-Cultural Management classes for the last decade or more (in its several editions). It does a nice job of summarizing and explaining important issues and concepts in international management and culture. It also keeps what could be a dense and dry discussion more accessible to the reader with the inclusion of many stories, examples, questions, and other such elements.

My students tell me that they actually get more out of Adler's book than from a standard textbook, not because there is more in it, but because they remember what they read, and know better how to apply it to their own activities. Similarly, practicing managers who have read it seem to see it as an important and useful book.

[Juliet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of international organizations and challenges in cross-cultural communication. Should be required reading for any international business person. Wish I had read it before I started my international program

[Reuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for a seminar at the Institute for Intercultural Communication (founded by Milton and Janet Bennett) summer 1990.