Preface 2

It is a universally recognized truth that“culture matters, ”in business and communication. The great challenge to both scholars and practitioners is to understand more precisely the role that culture plays in business transactions. Yongquiang Liu, a promising younger scholar from Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, has written an excellent volume that seeks to map the complex inter-relationship between culture, communication, and business. Liu offers both a conceptual framework for understanding these relationships, as well as a more focused and applied examination of marketing, advertising, and business negotiation.

Liu brings outstanding credentials to this important undertaking. He holds a Ph.D. from Nanjing University's School of Business, one of the most important centers for business education in China, as well as extensive teaching experience at many universities, in China and the U.S. Not only has he taught global marketing and other business courses, but he also has worked as an English interpreter in business settings and taught business communication. Indeed, he is uniquely qualified to write this important book.

Despite extensive communication challenges and obstacles, China has successfully entered the global marketplace in recent decades. That success, of course, has largely been based on low labor costs. As those labor costs rise, it will be more critical to strengthen cross-cultural communication so China's role in global commerce can continue to flourish. Liu's book makes a significant contribution in this regard and I recommend it to you.

Joel Glassman, Ph.D. Professor

Provost, University of Missouri - St. Louis St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.