The International Business Environment: A Handbook for Managers and Executives

Managers and executives who work in international trade and foreign direct investment are acutely aware of the importance of the governmental, intergovernmental, and systemic factors that regulate, facilitate, and/or complicate the conduct of international business (IB). But most managers and executives have limited or no expertise in these factors, which are referred to collectively as the IB environment.

Also, because the IB environment is a socio-political-economic construct that is governed by non-business disciplines (which include international relations, international law, sociology, and cultural anthropology), it can be difficult for managers and executives to access usable information on the elements of the IB environment.

The International Business Environment: A Handbook for Managers and Executives addresses both of these conditions by providing managers and executives with concise and incisive information on each of the elements of the IB environment. The elements covered in the book include tariff and non-tariff barriers, anti-dumping duties, subsidies and countervailing duties, entry and post-entry barriers to foreign direct investment, political risk, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and other global instruments, the World Trade Organization and other global mechanisms, regional trade blocs (which include free trade areas and customs unions), bilateral trade and investment agreements, the conflict of laws, dispute settlement mechanisms, and systemic and cultural differences. The book also explains related terms, concepts, principles, and practices.

The book relies primarily on original source materials; makes extensive use of examples; and can be used as a text in corporate seminars, executive development programs, and MBA programs.

Warnock Davies has spent most of his career in strategy and international business in the private sector and in academia.

In the private sector, he has worked as a consultant and task force leader with major multinational corporations and mid-sized companies on the formulation and implementation of corporate, business-unit, and project-specific international business strategies – and has provided advice and assistance on the structure and management of foreign direct investment operations in 40 countries. His executive appointments have included vice president at Business International Corporation and president and CEO of a publicly listed company.

In academia, he has held professor or visiting-professor appointments at Mercer University, the University of Colorado, Nanyang Technological University, Lahore University of Management Sciences, and Shaoxing University; has taught strategy and international business in MBA and executive programs at these and other universities; and has served as dean of the School of Management at Golden Gate University.

He currently consults to private sector clients on strategy and international business – and designs and delivers corporate seminars in these same areas.

He holds a PhD in international business and international relations, an MALD in civilization and foreign affairs, and an MA in international law from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts and Harvard Universities.