Epilogue: the journey continues

Management challenge We have now come full circle in this book. We have argued that in today’s economy all managers are global managers, and that they all face similar challenges regardless of where or how they work. We have discussed three types of managerial assignments – expatriates, frequent flyers, and virtual managers – and looked at both the similarities and differences in these assignments. We have examined three major aspects of the work environment – cultures, organizations, and situations – that can affect managerial success or failure. On the basis of this, we have explored six specific mechanisms for developing global management skills. The challenge for managers, then, is to integrate these factors into a unified approach to global management. This is a difficult, but nonetheless necessary, task for future success. We close with a summary of our discoveries, as well as several reflective thoughts on the future of management and what managers might consider as they go forward into uncharted waters. Chapter outline What have we learned? page 406 Where do we go from here? 411 Your time is limited; so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. Steven Jobs Former chairman, Apple Computers, United States The most dangerous thing is to be successful. You then think every decision is the right one. Wong Wai Ming Chief financial officer, Lenovo, China