5 Global Business Books to Read Now These recent releases will catch you up on what you need to know about the global marketplace.
By Alexa Vaughn
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Are you thinking about taking your business global or want to know how India and China are going to affect the marketplace in the future? Whether you're entrenched in the global economy or merely want to familiarize yourself with recent developments, these recent releases will help you take your knowledge to the next level.
Doing Business Anywhere: The Essential Guide to Going Global (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2007)
By Tom Travis
Who should read it: Business owners interested in starting their first global venture
Why this book stands out: Instead of homing in on the specifics of importing, exporting or international investing, this book informs the inexperienced global trader about what to generally consider before delving into international trade. Travis never downplays the complexities of navigating confusing laws, interacting with foreign cultures or operating in other countries, but his six tenets of global business aim to simplify and clarify as much of it as possible. A chapter is dedicated to explaining each tenet through both theory and stories of other businesses that have and haven't applied them. The tips given in this book are critical to understanding how to make it in the international market, regardless of what country you plan on taking your business venture to.
The Elephant and the Dragon (Norton, 2007)
By Robyn Meredith
Who should read it: Those who want to know how India and China are transforming the global marketplace and how they will continue to do so
Why this book stands out: Meredith explores one of history's biggest economic transformations. As a foreign correspondent for Forbes magazine and formerly a reporter for The New York Times, she knows where to look in the past and the present to get beyond the generalizations made about China and India. While she uncovers images of barefoot children selling pirated Harvard Business Reviews in Bombay and "lush pharmaceutical company sites that [spring] up like mirages in an Indian countryside still largely without electricity," readers get to tour both countries through Meredith's vivid journeys and eye-opening research.
World Inc. (Sourcebooks, Inc., 2007)
By Bruce Piasecki
Who should read it: Business owners wanting to be more conscious of international social and environmental issues
Why this book stands out: Piasecki's 25 years of experience as a lead energy and environmental consultant to some of the world's most successful companies, including BP, Toyota, Chevron, DuPont and Dow Chemical, led him to conclude that making money and making socially conscious decisions go hand in hand. He isn't the first person to author a book making this claim, but his angle on the concept is engaging: Businesses are more powerful than government when it comes to ailing social situations. He claims "Social Response Capitalism" is the way of the future because today's consumers are more conscious about where their products come from.
IndiaArriving: How this Economic Powerhouse is Redefining Global Business (AMACOM 2008)
By Rafiq Dossani
Who should read it: Those considering doing business in India but who haven't been completely sold on the idea
Why this book stands out: While many think both China and India are competing to be the future's economic powerhouse, Dossani argues that India will surpass China by far. He takes you on a tour through India's recent cultural, political and economic transformations to show you how. Though his heritage and his roles as a Stanford professor on Asian-Pacific businesses and deputy editor of Business India Weekly may render him a little biased, his book offers a well-researched argument for his claim.
All the Tea in China: How to Buy, Sell and Make Money on the Mainland (Portfolio, 2007)
By Jeremy Haft
Who should read it: Business owners who want practical advice on how to do business in China
Why this book stands out: While China often incites fears of indomitable manufacturing competition, many forget that China is buying goods and services from the U.S. at a much faster rate than we're importing from them. Haft elaborates on why this is and how American manufacturers and other businesses can benefit. Haft doesn't overlook the complexities of doing business with China; as the founder of a logistics firm that helps American and European businesses network with more than 8,000 factories in China, he's made a living by helping businesses make it work.
