Resource Desk

A collection of "adherent statistics and religious geography citations," Adherents provides statistical information for over 4,200 religions, churches, denominations, religious bodies, faith groups, tribes, cultures, movements, ultimate concerns, etc. worldwide.

A series of excerpts from the book of the same title, this website gives some insights into the business culture of the Arabian countries. It includes information on Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Yemen.

The site provides cultural information for a number of different countries around the world. It rates each country using Hofstede's 5 key indicators of culture: Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Masculinity, Individualism, and Long-Term Orientation.

Hosted by the Business Start Page, this site focuses on email and internet etiquette. It provides some common pitfalls regarding cross-cultural electronic communication, as well as hints for avoiding them. It is geared toward the IB professional who will be doing business cross-culturally.

This is a sub-section of City Mayors website, an independent non-for-profit organization promoting the worldwide development of cities. It provides news and featured articles on the culture of various cities throughout the world. It also describes diverse cultural events, as well as the cultural history of some major cities.

This site features short informational reports on the business etiquette practices of over thirty major countries. Issues such as working practices, structure and hierarchy, working relationships, and business practices are addressed.

A compilation of over 200 brief cultural interviews with Latin American and Spanish executives, this site is geared toward the IB professional. These Spanish speaking executives discuss cultural issues that are of interest for businessmen dealing with Latin American entities. The interviews are divided into the following categories: Negotiation, Language, Social Situations, Time & Schedules, and Spain Interviews.

The Cultural Navigator site provides general understanding for cultures worldwide and promotes cultural awareness to managers working abroad with people of diverse backgrounds (see a powerpoint presentation for the site). One section, CountryScope provides country profiles for over 100 countries covering management, culture, travel and relocation related issues. While a subscription is necessary to access most content, cultural information on Venezuela, South Korea, and Ireland can be accessed freely through the Demo on the right hand side of the page.

Providing a collection of tips on business culture, as well as related articles, this site is a helpful resource for the international business professional. The site also features useful resources and a section on recommended reading.

Culture Briefings provides information on the customs, culture, traditions, and ways of life of people in various countries worldwide. Although the site provides some free articles, the actual briefings are available for purchase or via fee based subscription.

As a collection of project reports and papers from Stephan Dahl, a lecturer at Middlesex University in London, this site covers topics including communication, cultural transformation, and cultural values in business advertising. This site is also listed under "Paper Depositories" in the Academy section of globalEDGE™.

Culturosity aims to fulfill your cultural curiosity by providing a wealth of resources pertaining to the subject. Discover in-depth articles about travel, pop culture, and work skills written by experts and professionals experienced in those areas. Also explore an organized collection of online resources covering more specific informational needs.

A virtual forum for those professionally interested or involved in intercultural business and management communication. The site provides opportunities for contacting and communicating with people all over the world with similar professional interests through a personal homepage; personally facilitated asynchronous and live discussion forums (chat) and email; community-wide noticeboards, asynchronous and live discussion forums facilitated by guest experts; virtual education and training services for those who want to learn more about intercultural business and management communication. The site requires registration, which is currently free.

A site focusing on the cultural aspects of Europe, Europublic publishes articles highlighting cultural differences between European countries. It also focuses on intercultural communication between Europeans, global marketing, and cultural tips.

FGI world is a website dedicated to helping organizations manage the physical, mental, and social health of their employees. A section called "Country Profiles," at the bottom of the page, provides information on cultural and social aspects of business interactions for a select list of 20 countries. There is also the "Cultural Navigator," a cross-cultural solutions tool that requires a subscription. A demo version is accessible for free and provides information on South Korea, Venezuela, and Ireland.

The site provides detailed information about Geert Hofstede's work on management culture around the world. In addition to the raw Hofstede scores for 56 countries, the site also provides value added analysis through charts and comparisons.

With reports "designed to facilitate your business and social activity worldwide", this site targets the global business professional. It contains informational reports classified by country that cover a variety of areas including business practices, cross-cultural negotiation, business protocol, and trade regulations. Some information is available for a fee, and other information can be sent to your email account.

Dedicated to the advancement of better working relationships between North Americans and Latin Americans, the site provides information comparing and contrasting business practices in these two cultures. It features a number of published articles concerning Inter-American understanding.

Published by the Canadian government, the Intercultures Magazine provides quarterly newsletters about various cultures around the world. In addition, the magazine is connected to the Foreign Affairs of Canada which offers a wealth of information focused on improving intercultural skills between peoples.

This site is a resource for articles about culture for different regions around the world. It contains references to various books and conferences all concerned with culture, and it also provides users with a forum to discuss culture issues. (Free registration required.)

This database of intercultural information for the business traveler includes global business practices, cultural overviews, political information, religious and societal influences on business protocol and more. With a paid subscription, the user has access to a information like gift giving and cultural tips listed by country. The site offers a demo of the service for the country Colombia. A Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands: Expanded Edition site license provides unlimited usage, download, and print capacity for entire companies. For more information on how to subscribe, contact information for the author is provided.

This website provides cultural profiles, language background, and etiquette information for a number of countries in addition to other resources available off their site. A few points of interest are the Country Profiles, providing country specific cultural information, and the Intercultural Business Communication tool, a great resource comparing home to host cultures for those looking for intercultural business communication tips.

This resource provides books, a Culture Compass, "Culture-Guides-To-Go," cultural quizzes and articles on international business and general culture. It is published by Dean Foster Associates, a consultancy focused on cultural information, training, and research. Some content is only available for a fee.

World Business Culture provides culture-focused country profiles for 35 countries for use in global organizations or in studying international trade. Each profile covers a wide range of topics such as communication styles, dress code, management style and top tips for the particular country. Registration is optional and information can be accessed without.

Offered by Citizenship and Immigration of Canada, there are approximately one hundred countries for whom cultural insight is provided. Each country's cultural profile provides a general summary of the culture, customs, and other country specific background information. Also available in French.

China-Window.com provides three culture guides including China Business Culture Guide, Doing Business in China, and China Business Tips. The Business Culture Guide offers information on conversation, gift-giving, and business dress, among others.

Getting Through Customs uses Colombia as a sample cultural guide from their book "Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands: the Expanded Edition." This guide covers business practices, cognitive styles, political conditions, the effect of religion/society on business, cultural tips etc. in Colombia.

The Czech Culture page of Bohemica.com provides input on the following topics: cultural values, history, art, geography, culture essays. The website also provides daily facts about the Czech culture and "Dos and Don'ts of the Day".

This site produces a vast amount of German cultural information with a simple guide of what to and what not to do while conducting business in Germany. A comprehensive list of basic etiquette as well as a list of blunders that a business professional should avoid are provided.

This sub-section of filolog.com, a website promoting the awareness of Hungary, provides detailed information on the business culture of Hungary. In addition, it also talks about the history, geography, ethnicity, communication, and personal relationships in Hungary.

Providing articles with information and tips on the business and social cultural aspects of India, this site is geared to international professionals interested in doing business in India. The site also provides articles about real life experiences from visitors in order to illustrate some of the different cultural perspectives that are found in the country.

In this japan-guide.com provided site, the user can find information on the various etiquettes in Japan, including house rules, table manners, use of chopsticks, dining manners, sitting techniques, exchanging gifts, addressing names, and superstition. In addition, the website also talks about the entertainment, art, food, history, and religion of Japan.

The site provides a wealth of cultural information about conducting business within Mexico or with people from Mexico. Business hours, meals, communication, punctuality, dress code, greetings, negotiations and more are explained in-depth on the website.

Hosted by Discover Abroad, this site is targeted to the expatriate worker. It gives practical information for working and living in Singapore. Topics covered include general and business culture, etiquette, money, housing and career issues.

Hosted by Discover Abroad, this site features articles, guides, and hints on the American social and business culture. Topics covered include communication systems, social and formal events, business dress, and guidelines on business procedures like business financing, marketing, etc.

This is the official website of U.S. Commercial Service, an affiliate of the U.S. Commerce Department. It provides information on business opportunities for U.S. companies throughout the world. The Business Travel Information section for each specific country provides detailed information on many facets of business culture and etiquette for the country.