By Donna Marsh As an American/British dual national, it is always interesting to consider the innumerable cultural differences between the two countries. Of course, these differences extend far beyond your definition of football, when you think World War II began, or in which hand you hold a fork. The current debate concerning proposed American health care reform has provided a platform that clearly illustrates how different the two countries can be. Individualism Versus Collectivism Ameri... Read Full Story

Russia has agreed to donate three Siberian tigers to Korea, the Environment Ministry announced Monday. Siberian tigers, also known as Manchurian or Korean tigers, once widely inhabited the Korean Peninsula but the species is now on the verge of extinction with only a small number living in the wild in the Russian Far East. Korea currently has 51 of the tigers living in captivity which came from the United States and North Korea. Of them, 24 are in the Seoul Zoo. Russia’s tiger donation... Read Full Story

In a bid to break communication barriers and help people sharpen their linguistics skills in a remarkable way, a Japanese firm NEC has designed a high-tech gadget, which offers users instant real-time language translation capabilities. Dubbed as “Tele Scouter”, the gadget’s shape resembles that of a pair of glasses, and it helps users establish conversations with people of different languages by offering real-time language translation directly onto their retina. The system incorporates voice... Read Full Story

HealthForumOnline (HFO), a nationally-approved (APA, ASWB, NBCC, PSNA, CA-BBS) provider of online continuing education (CE) for psychologists, social workers, counselors, nurses and other allied healthcare professionals announces the addition of a new online CE course for health professionals working with children and their families, Cultural Competency in Pediatric Psychology: Issues & Clinical Applications to their extensive online continuing education library. This addition to HFOR... Read Full Story

Translation is tricky enough, but an app that turns your spoken English into Spanish in real-time? It sounds like something out of Star Trek, and that’s exactly what the Jibbigo app for the iPhone claims to do. We tried it out, and we like what we see. At a glance: Jibbigo would be perfect for any iPhone owner who likes to travel to Spanish-speaking countries. It does well with vital phrases you’d need, such as asking for directions for specific things. It also does it all while ... Read Full Story

It’s rare that a $100 billion business can be marginalized, but such is the case with the international arm of Wal-Mart Stores (WMT). As a stand-alone company, it would rank among the top five global retailers. Inside the $401 billion retail giant, though, the business has traditionally received short shrift. Its Bentonville (Ark.) headquarters is underwhelming—a drab, largely windowless, one-story structure named after Bill Mitchell, a former Walmart executive whom nobody seems to rem... Read Full Story

In a global economy, it’s a mistake to assume that negotiation strategies are a one-size- fits-all proposition. Understanding the culture of the parties you are negotiating with is vital in order to establish a successful business relationship. “Negotiation relies so much on the ability to read a situation and adapt on the fly to the cues that are there,” says David Livermore, executive director of the Global Learning Center in Grand Rapids, Mich., and author of “Lead... Read Full Story

The equality watchdog is conducting an internal investigation into allegations that a director asked minority employees to join the British National Party (BNP), testing the party’s constitution ahead of a legal case. A source says the senior manager asked staff in a teleconference to identify employees at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) from a black and ethnic minority background who could be asked to join the far-right BNP. The EHRC allegedly wanted to gather evidence... Read Full Story

“… [E]ffective communication and successful negotiations with a foreign partner–whether with a partner in peacekeeping, a strategic economic partner, a political adversary, or a non-English speaking contact in a critical law enforcement action–requires strong comprehension of the underlying cultural values and belief structures that are part of the life experience of the foreign partner.” - Dr. Dan Davidson, President of the American Councils on International Ed... Read Full Story

Exactly a year after Nomura made its successful lunge for Lehman Brothers, the official line in Tokyo is that the merger is running like clockwork. One or two oddments, though, are still getting lost in translation, despite the availability of native English speakers ready to take a glance over any important company circulars. A recent e-mail politely reminded staff in Nomura’s Tokyo headquarters that “gay colour nail polish and manicure” fell outside the company’s dress code. The trading fl... Read Full Story