When we encounter conflict with another culture, we get confused, frustrated, offended, or even angry.
Cultural difference has consequences. For thousands of years, cultural difference has led to conflict and wars. But it is also the cause of some of our greatest triumphs as humans and as individuals. In today's global environment, we need to be able to work with people who are different. If we don't, the conflict cycle continues. If we do, we will discover our highest potential.
The Peach and the Coconut: A Guide to Collaboration for Global Teams brings practical ideas to business, education, and individuals about how to turn difference into advantage. Co-author Scott C. Hammond (Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, Utah State University) says, "My experience with cultural difference began in the 1960s when my father came home from his university job and said, 'We are moving to Bandung, Indonesia.' Since then, I have traveled to more than fifty countries, lived in a half dozen, and helped teach thousands of business people how to make difference work to your advantage."
