We've all heard the expression, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." This worldly, and rather cynical piece of advice suggests that we must adapt to the mores and customs of the cultures we visit, if we want to get along. Let's discuss....

In the United States, you and I work in a very tolerant work culture. Most American companies will try to accommodate the cultural preferences of their diverse workforces, as well as the idiosyncrasies of American employees who simply want to express their individuality. Certainly, no company wants to be thought of as prejudiced. And it's not just because companies fear law suits and bad press: the American workplace, reflecting society as a whole, has evolved over the last 75 years into a pretty good place to be.

Many business textbooks stress the need for we Americans to appreciate and understand other culturesand to accommodate other cultural perspectives whenever we can. But doing business in other countries can pose small and great challenges.

For example, in most Asian workplaces, it seems that everybody smokes cigarettes. That may be a "little thing" to some, but a challenge to some of us who may be thinking of establishing an office there and sending some of our own people.

And in some South American business culturesand elsewhere"gifts" are considered necessary to making a deal. These gifts, especially if elaborate, are considered bribes in our business culture and are not only frowned on, but illegal. Yet, we are expected by our managers to come away from our negotiation (in Brazil, for example) with a signed contract....

It can get much more serious: there are workplaces in cultures all over the world in which racial, gender and religious discrimination is practiced overtly. Imagine, for example, that your top negotiator is a womanand your prospective customer resides in a business culture which does not welcome women in the workplace....

Question for Discussion: If you had a great business opportunity in one of these cultures, would you turn a blind eye to their cultural practices and prejudices, if you found them offensive? Or, do you think it might be possible to do business over there the way you have become accustomed to doing business here? If so, how would you go about changing things?