Many authors and even more managers respond to this complex cultural diversity by a process of simplification. They see the trend toward global integration as one of homogenizing the cultural heterogeneity that has existed in the past. And when this is done, the appropriate response abroad is simply what would be the appropriate response at home. According to this view, a unique world culture is emerging. Advances in mass media, transportation, and travel are breaking down the traditional barriers among groups of peoples and their differing cultures, so that a homogenization process is underway. Global managers are alert to serving this commonality in human needs and markets with strategies that are transnational.

This is a dangerous strategy. There is enough truth in the idea of the homogenization of world cultures to be enticing, but relying on this as a universal condition will cause the firm to make many costly mistakes. The author, for example, has observed the apparent cultural similarity of youths in Atlanta, Guatemala City, Luxembourg, and Cairo as they listened to the same music and wore the same fashions. He has eaten in and observed the popularity of American fast food restaurants in Dallas, Mexico City, Paris, and Amman. But to conclude that these varied cultures are now the same (or even similar) because of these trends is to be misled.

Fayerweather has noted the variable receptiveness of societies to different “exports” from foreign societies. The ability of firms to transfer abroad their products, services, and practices depends to a large degree on the established cultural patterns in the receiving society. And these cultural patterns remain firmly entrenched. Naisbitt and Aburdene have recently noted the superficiality of this trend toward homogenization. They note, as do others, that trade, travel, and television have laid the foundation for a global lifestyle. This global lifestyle can often be seen in the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and the music we listen to. Japanese restaurants are in San Antonio and Mexican restaurants are in Paris. American businessmen wear Italian suits and Russian youth wear blue jeans. The Beatles started a music craze in America and Madonna has won the hearts of teens in Japan. And American television is watched and popular the world over. But these are superficial elements of a society’s culture. The adoption of these foreign cultural products does not require a significant commitment. Nor are they adopted by everyone. And, while this is occurring, we can see people everywhere holding tightly to the deeper values of their culture, the values expressed in interpersonal obligations, social organization, authority systems, religion, language, art, and literature.