Successful people in international business understand the cultures of other countries and learn to change their practices in different cultures. They understand the importance of avoiding business decisions base d on misconceptions—mistaken ideas.
One cause of misconceptions is ethnocentrism, the belief that one’s own culture’s way of doing things is better than the way of other cultures. It’s ethnocentrism that leads to failure in international business. To avoid ethnocentrism, it’s necessary to study the different elements（组成部分）of culture: language, values and attitudes, and customs and manners.
Language
A. knowledge of the local language can help international business people in four ways. First, people can communicate directly. Second, people are usually more open in their communication with someone who speaks their language. Third, an understanding of the language allows people to infer meanings that are not said directly. Finally, knowing the language helps people to understand the culture better.
Values are people’s basic beliefs about the difference between right and wrong, good and bad . An attitude is a way of thinking or acting. Values and attitudes influence international business. For example, many people in the United States believe that chocolate from Switzerland is better than chocolate from other countries, and they buy a lot of it.
Customs and manners
Customs are common social practices. Manners are ways of acting that the society believes are polite. For example, in the United States, it is the custom to have salad （色拉） before the main course at dinner, not after. It’s not acceptable to talk with food in mouth at table. Failure to understand the customs and manners of other countries will bring difficulty selling their products. Orange juice as a breakfast drink of an American company in France doesn’t sell well because the French don’t usually drink juice with breakfast.

Successful people in international business understand the cultures of other countries and learn to change their practices in different cultures. They understand the importance of avoiding business decisions base d on misconceptions—mistaken ideas.
国际商业领域的成功人士懂得其他国家的文化，并根据不同的文化（背景）调整自己的工作。他们懂得避免因（文化）误解或者错误的观点而做出商业决定的重要性。

One cause of misconceptions is ethnocentrism, the belief that one’s own culture’s way of doing things is better than the way of other cultures. It’s ethnocentrism that leads to failure in international business. To avoid ethnocentrism, it’s necessary to study the different elements（组成部分）of culture: language, values and attitudes, and customs and manners.
引起误解的原因之一是民族优越感，即认为自己文化中做某些事情的方式好于其他文化。民族优越感在国家商务中会导致失败。要避免民族优越感（的负面影响），就必须学习文化中的不同组成部分：语言、价值观、（处事）态度、风俗和礼貌。

Language 语言

A. knowledge of the local language can help international business people in four ways. First, people can communicate directly. Second, people are usually more open in their communication with someone who speaks their language. Third, an understanding of the language allows people to infer meanings that are not said directly. Finally, knowing the language helps people to understand the culture better.
在国际商业中，懂得当地语言有4点帮助。第一，人们可以直接交流；第二，人们在和说与自己同样语言的人交流时更开放；第三，懂得当地语言可以让你明白说话的内部含义，即使没有直说。第四，懂得当地语言能让你更好地了解（当地）文化。

Values are people’s basic beliefs about the difference between right and wrong, good and bad . An attitude is a way of thinking or acting. Values and attitudes influence international business. For example, many people in the United States believe that chocolate from Switzerland is better than chocolate from other countries, and they buy a lot of it.
价值观是人们对于区分对于错、好与坏的基本信仰。态度就是思考和行动的一种方式。价值观和态度影响着国际商务活动。例如，许多美国人认为瑞士的巧克力比其他国家的巧克力好，它们就会多买。

Customs and manners 风俗与礼貌
Customs are common social practices. Manners are ways of acting that the society believes are polite. For example, in the United States, it is the custom to have salad （色拉） before the main course at dinner, not after. It’s not acceptable to talk with food in mouth at table. Failure to understand the customs and manners of other countries will bring difficulty selling their products. Orange juice as a breakfast drink of an American company in France doesn’t sell well because the French don’t usually drink juice with breakfast.
风俗就是普遍的社会行为。礼貌就是全社会公认的行为方式。例如，在美国风俗中，晚餐的正餐之前要吃点沙拉（当然也不全是这样）。吃饭时，嘴里含着食物说话是不可接受的。不能懂得其他文化中的风俗与礼貌会给商品销售带来很大的困难。在美国公司中，橙汁会作为早餐饮料。但是在法国，橙汁却卖得不好，因为法国人在早餐时通常不喝橙汁。