Attitudes about the workplace vary from culture to culture and can vary even from city to city or business to business. Comedy and business, it turns out, go together quite well—and in many media. For example, consider American TV shows like The Office, a mockumentary depicting a group of typical office workers with ego clashes, inappropriate behavior, and tedium;

Outsourced, a film set in call centers in Mumbai, India, where an American novelties company has recently outsourced its order processing (and cross-cultural clashes ensue!); and Parks and Recreation, which shows the antics of an Indiana town’s public officials as they pursue projects to make their city a better place. All show how different cultural groups interact in various workplaces—

and all through a common lens of humor. In 1993, the U.S.

National Basketball Association (NBA)

included just five non-

U.S. players. However, there are now more than 100 players from 37 different countries and a record was set when 15 international players were among the first 30 picks in the June 2016 NBA draft. How many of these players can you name? Taking into consideration the ways in which new technology allows for greater access to U.S.

media, why might the NBA be reaching out to international players?