Companies that get to grips with cross-cultural communication are the best placed to use shared information and experience to enhance their competitive position at home and abroad. They are also far better equipped to deliver their long-term business objectives.

This is where strong, sensitive and flexible leadership from the management team can be invaluable for keeping things on track. With multi-cultural businesses fast becoming the rule, rather than the exception, managers are increasingly recognizing the value of working with the diversity of a cross-border team to create mutual trust, recognizing that the creativity engendered by a multicultural team can lead to more rounded decisions, and more effective and productive performance.