404The Joumai (^Business Communication 29:4 1992 Another chapter that will especially concern business communication researchers is "Encounters in the Interracial Workplace," by Molefi Kete Asante (Temple University) and Alice Davis (University of Tennessee-C!hattanooga). They outline the work that has been done and the questions that remain about workplace communication that involves people differing in race. Furthermore, they discuss how differences in social class and gender may interact with race in such situations. Opportimities for exploration of veriial response styles, nonverbal signals, and communication patterns are suggested. The chapter on "Intercultural Communication Training," by Richard Brislin (East-West Center, Honolulu) will interest not only researchers, but teachers. Brislin reviews both the research and the descriptions of training programs available. For anyone trying to add an international dimension to business communication curricula or trying to develop executive education programs, this chapter will be valuable. Other sections of the handbook that seem especially relevant to researchers in business communication include the following: "Intercultural Adaptation," by Young Yun Kim (Governors State University), which relates to expatriate managers as well as short-term business travelers; 'Theoretical Perspectives for Studying Intercultural Communication," by William B. Gudykunst (Arizona State University) and Tsukasa Nishida (Nihon University), an excellent analysis of existing and potential theory; and"Identity and Interpersonal Bonding," by Stella Ting-Toomey (Arizona State University), which could be applied to the interpersonal communication encounters in international business. Although some of the chapters focusing on mass media, diplomacy, and development communication (i.e., communication in developing countries) will interest few people in thefieldofbusiness communication, the Handbook of International and Intercultural Communication is nevertheless an outstanding resource for university and personal libraries. Editors Molefi Kete Asante and William B. Gudykunst should be congratulated on their achievement in coordinating the work of an outstanding group of leaders in the field. Understanding Cultural Differences: Germans, French, and Americans. Edward T. Hall and Mildred Reed Hall. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, 1990. Hardback. 196 pages. ISBN 0933662-84-X. Management in Two Cultures: Bridging the Gap Between U.S. and Mexican Managers. Eva S. Kras. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, 1989. Paperback 98 pages. ISBN 0-933662-73-4. In general. industrialized cities. these guides will offer little new information. more academic studies of intercultural communication. relatively few examples and illustrations are used. Then they are applied in the next three parts to the three countries. will suit the needs of busy executives. and Americans. executives are likely to work and travel. written in a readable style. or histery. or Mexico. Here.S. "the French" refers to business people and professionals who live and work in Paris and Lyon. "The Germans" refers te West Germans in northern. these two guides will be useful for their intended audience: United States business managers and executives newly involved in international business encounters. however. Germany. apply general principles of culture te the specific situation of business in the three countries. with managers from France. in fact the work focuses on how such differences affect international business: "Our main emphasis is not on economics. the guides sacrifice completeness and oversimplify intercultural differences. French. Furthermore. for sake of brevity. the book notes that some of the materials have appeared in different forms in four of Hall's other books. middle. Because of their brevity. These guides share a conciseness that is both a strength and a weakness. "the Americans" refers te well educated. successful international managers or for anyone familiar with the literature of intercultural commimication.or upper-middle class people of northern European heritage who work in major urban centers. Hall will find little new in Understanding Cultural Differences: Germans. The book in fact . For more experienced. these guides rarely take the time to alert the reader te such exceptions or the complexities within the nations discussed. Those familiar with the earlier writings of anthropologist Edward T. Business practitioners have limited time and patience for longer. These brief guides. these books are not suitable for the reading list of a college course. xiii). either at home or abroad. but on the subtle yet powerful impact of culturally conditioned behavior on the conduct of international business" (p. They do. politics. the general principles of culture are reviewed in Part One. Indeed. Yet.Book Reviews* Jameson 405 Intercultural Press has published two guides te business communication in specific nations where U. in order to remain concise. Nevertheless. but might be used in executive education programs. Although the book's title implies general coverage of cultural differences. Each section begins with a clear definition that limits the focus further and makes it more possible to generalize. an omission which detracts from the concreteness and interest of the books. All intercultural guides resort to generalizations that the wise reader realizes have many exceptions. One highlight is a good comparison of advertising differences. A serious flaw is that the authors try too hard to set up the French and the Germans as completely opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of such qualities as context level and use of time. For readers of this joumai who may have found Hall's earlier work enlightening. the French educational system is described and related to business culture. the French are serious about food. of course. One imagines American business people adopting French traits that have been discussed and consequently making fools of themselves. but without further exploration of the question. remembering that many of the generalizations will not hold when applied to other contexts or populations. Though the Germans may be very low context and monochronic. A reader who is aware of the limitations of Understanding Cultural Differences and who supplements it writh more in-depth materials will find it a good introduction to or summary of some principles of intercultural business communication in France and Grermany. a strong commitment to do things the French way should accompany this decision" (p. focus. Like most works on intercultural communication.. in flux. especially when "French" refers to Parisian corporate culture. Europe is. For instance. Understanding Cultural Differences fails to address adequately the crucial question of who should adapt to whom and to what extent The authors of this book make one strong statement on this question: "Once you have decided to do business in France or with the French in the U.S. the cultural comparisons are incomplete. but the description of a French business executive spending an entire day and evening eating and drinking with a visiting German executive before being willing to talk serious business is certainly not the norm in contemporary Paris. but the German system is barely mentioned. Another is an explanation of attitudes towards message content: "Americans. limitations. and methodology in mind. Sometimes. Readers must take the definitions. Surely the authors do not really advocate such a position. and . Germans. this book may be a disappointment It introduces little that is new and the coverage seems superficial in an attempt to maintain brevity. True. The dangers of writing a concise guide are illustrated. The book is based on the authors' thirty years of experience in intercultural studies and on 180 interviews with experienced business people. some readers may be seriously led astray. 120). the French are by no means the most polychronic or highest context culture. though there are occasional references to small business. and one wonders how many of the authors' observations are outdated.406 The Joumai of Business Communication 29:4 1992 emphasizes cultural differences in the corporate setting. 104). However. message content is not the critical factor. Americans are primarily interested in 'the bottom line. Yet. The book is made more concrete and probably more interesting to its audience by Kras's device of a unifying scenario. and Mexican management and culture. Lucian W. She conducted 72 interviews as part of the research for the book. Kras's sacrifices thoroughness and exploration of complexities and exceptions for the sake of brevity. yet substantive treatment of intercultural business . formerly a senior personnel executive for the Hudson Bay Company. and has taught business administration in Mexico for over a decade. has lived and worked abroad. Chinese Negotiating Style: Commercial Approaches and Cultural Principles. Hardback. Unfortunately. each defines and uses data in different ways. according to the authors: their philosophy is that "The essence of effective cross-cultural communication has more to do with releasing the right responses than with sending the 'right' messages" (p. Kras. has consulted on cross-cultural management with U. New York: Quorum. She limits her analysis to certain urban business centers and her subjects to relatively high-level managers and executives in mostly large companies. but is unsuitable for inclusion in the reading list of a college course.S. 120 pages. and Mexican Managers provides an introduction to the topic. 1992.' Germans want lots of examples with figures. facts. S. Pye. but does not pretend to be an in-depth study. and Mexican companies. Like the Halls' book. The French are preoccupied with patterns and insist on synthesizing all the data themselves" (p.BookReviews'Jameson 407 French all need information. 4). one imagines a misguided manager reading this short guide on a flight to Mexico. ISBN 0-89930-724-8. Kras's Management in Two Cultures: Bridging the Gap Between U. Lucian W. The book is potentially useful for practitioners. The book opens with two letters (fictional but based on fact) describing the misunderstandings between one U. Both books do provide brief bibliographies for further reading. and one Mexican manager who work together. Pye's Chinese Negotiation Style: Commercial Approaches and Cultural Principles achieves what the two books reviewed above do not: concise. The closing section returns to the two fictional managers with letters of advice from them to others who will soon be working in an international context. S. and her methodology including her questionnaire are discussed in an appendix. S. As with the Halls' book. thinking that this is all he or she needs to know. and figures. The middle part ofthe book systematically explicates the differences between U. Eva S.