A study of international business within the world's socio-political and multicultural context. It attempts to move beyond a techniques-oriented approach to analyze instead the underlying factors which have produced a global environment. The analysis covers the global political economy and the development of international trade - concentrating on the changing relationship between states and privatized firms, the deregulation of trade and finance, and the globalization of markets. The text also considers the behaviour and management of modern multinational units and environmental conditions (such as language and religion) which influence international business. An evaluation of the rapid changes within the business world of Eastern and Western Europe is included. Experiential learning exercises offer students a paractical way of applying these concepts to real world situations. In addition, each chapter includes learning objectives, mini case studies and examples.