Introduction: International Business and International Management in an Era of Globality

Abstract

The world is witnessing a number of severe crises including climate change, rise of international terrorism, social inequities, food shortage, material and spiritual poverty (Hart, 2005; Prahalad, 2005; Senge, 2010). Some argue that globalization has exacerbated these crises (Beck, Sznaider, & Winter, 2003; Inda & Rosaldo, 2008), while others argue globalization can be part of the solution (Prahalad, 2005; Rangan, 2007). Globalization, understood as the cross-border integration of markets for products, labor, capital and knowledge (Ghemawat, 2003), clearly is a force that has the potential to change the experience of human existence as well as its consequences for current and future ecosystems. These changes are driven by the increasing interconnectedness of financial systems, international trade, increased labor mobility, information and communications technology, and foreign direct investment.