VOLUME 93 NUMBER 21993

Innovations, the project is promoted as an"ethical investment" to address vexing socio-economic problems in mid-Germany, while betterserving the European market. Umberto Bozzoalso considers why a technopoiis should becentred in Southern Italy, and its networkingimplications. He argues that the relationshipsamong industry, universities, local authorities, andinstitutions is dependent on the intelligence and

culture of their institutional representatives andtheir ability to integrate their technopolis into aworldwide network of emerging human andtechnology sites.

Thus, the last part of this insightful textemphasizes the strategic alliances which willfacilitate this process. Dominique Fache,consultant with France's Sophia-Antipolis, reflectson how culture and entrepreneurial successcontribute to innovation in science parks bycultivating imagination, creativity, andintelligence. The final contribution by SheridanTatsuno of NeoConcepts discusses the age oftechno polis and the metamorphosis of traditionalcities and even high-tech parks. One alternative isthe global network city of dispersed, highlyinteractive economic nodes linked by massivenetworks of airports, highways, andcommunications. Another metaphor is theintelligent city featuring advancedinformation/communication technologies andcomplexes wired for satellite and fibre optics.These are inhabited by "knowledge processors"engaged in rapid information exchanges. Bothtypes are "electronic fortresses" ruled bytechnocratic elites - the "haves" with access tothe best education and databases which results infinancial and political power. Tatsuno alsoconsiders the scenario of the multimedia citywhich pushes information and its technologiesdown the social pyramid to the poorest persons.Since this is a state of mind, and not a place, itcould be located in Bangalore, New York'sHarlem, Lima's barrios, Albania, or mainlandChina. Brains, not bodies, can then betransported across borders for the benefit of notonly the participants, but for the planetarypopulation. Ten urban experiments around theworld are scrutinized for their larger applicationswithin the multimedia city of the future. In allThe Technopolis Phenomenon challenges urbanpolicy makers to "mindstretch".

The three editors of this valuable volume areall PhDs and professors associated with theUniversity of Texas in Austin and its Institute ofConstructive Capitalism, IC2, as the latter iscalled, sponsors conferences around the globe ofworld-renowned experts from business,government, and academia on subjects related totechnology venturing and innovation. Theproceedings are then published in books such asthis one assembled by Drs Gibson, Kozmetsky,and Smilor who together edit the InternationalSeries on Technical Innovation and

Entrepreneurship. Other offerings in this Rowman& Littlefield series include these titles: TechnologyCompanies and Global Markets (1991); UniversitySpin-off Companies (1991); and TechnologyTransfer in Consortia and Strategic Alliances(1992). Information is available from thepublisher of IC2 (2815 San Gabriel, Austin, TX78705, USA).

Philip R. HarrisHarris International Ltd

LaJolla, California

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TRANSCULTURAL LEADERSHIPGeorge F. Simons, Carmen Vasquez and Philip R.HarrisGulf Publishing Company, 3301 Allen Parkway,Houston, TX 77019, 1992, ISBN 1 800 231 6275.(Third volume in Managing Cultural DifferencesSeries)

Transcultural Leadership is a threshold bookabout leadership in the increasingly diverseworkplace. The authors, Simons, Vasquez andHarris are credible observers of leadership andleading as a cultural phenomenon in a diverseworkplace. Each one, in prior books, has madesignificant contributions to a better understandingof culture as a behaviour in the workplace.

The book is a courageous effort in that itaddresses the racial, ethnic and gender realities ofthe workplace. The authors handle these issues inan evenhanded manner calling for an end tostereotypes and at the same time offering ways tomove from the past to the present. With aninterdisciplinary approach, the authors envisionwhat leadership will look like in the increasinglydiverse workplace and what dispositions and skillswill best prepare the transcultural leader.

While the transcultural leader never materializesin the book as a "real" person or recognizablerole-model from the contemporary business environ-ment, the absence of a discrete model is one ofthe values and strengths of the book and itsthesis that diversity will replace singular models.

The ten chapters of the book include a broadarray of topics covering management, culture,communication, intercultural communication andleadership. Chapter One is a history lesson aboutAmerica's beginnings with immigration as amajor source of its population and culture. Therapid-fire presentation of material in Chapter Onein the form of news headlines such as "Former'Minorities' a Third of New Workers" or "WorkerNumbers Falling" is attention getting. At thesame time, the "wake-up call" approach to thecoming changes in the workplace may repel thevery audience the book hopes to educate.

The topics throughout the book are discussedwithin a paradigm of More Tightly Woven

_I EUROPEAN BUSINESS

REVIEW"--------,

Mindset (high context) and More Loosely KnitMindset (low context). Because the literature hasused the language-based terminology high andlow context, it does not make much sense tointroduce another set of terms to discuss thecontinuum.

The recurring theme of MTW and MLKmindsets is in a sense the lifeforce of the bookfor it gives meaning to a group of concepts notusually discussed together. Whether discussinginterpersonal communication, leadership andmanagement styles, mentoring or feedback, themodel is a compelling frame of reference. Afterall, the number of concepts cut across almostevery academic discipline and therefore the modelhelps to focus the material.

The two most powerful chapters addressmentoring and feedback across cultures, genderand class. Mentoring is a hot topic among humanresource professionals while implementation of amentoring system remains difficult. If mentoringhelps individuals acculturate and if this is thegoal of mentoring, then the outcome ofmentoring may be a trap for mentorees unless theprocess is two-way. This means that anorganization should use mentoring to seekconfirmation of its culture and at the same timebe receptive to cultural differences as enrichingingredients to the corporate culture. According tothe authors, "acculturation is the process ofbecoming familiar and comfortable with and ableto function within a different culture orenvironment, while retaining one's own culturalidentity". Mentors who can successfully linkethnic groups (also gender) to the larger culturethrough innovative uses of feedback will writenew rules for human resource managers.

Each chapter has an number of reinforcers suchas examples, lists, tips, case studies, audits,surveys, formulae and evaluations. These toolswill help readers apply the information whichmeans there is no need for an instructor'smanual. The application-orientation of the bookrecommends it for both the workplace and theclassroom.

Of particular value is the glossary of words andphrases which are used throughout the book.Rather than assume that readers will attributecommon meanings to these words, the authorscarefully layout the vocabulary of the book. Theauthors seem to anticipate an emotional reactionto words such as acculturation, assimilation anddominant culture - to name a few potentiallyincendiary terms. Transcultural in the book's titlerather than the familiar intercultural, cross-cultural or multicultural is a stumbling block atfirst. It seems the authors chose a new term,without past and often restricted usage, to clarifythe air and possibly to declare a differentapproach to leadership in a diverse workplace.

The book presents a broad selection of tips andtools which can be used to practice and train forthe new mindshift which will enable one tobecome a trans cultural leader. But at the crux of

any diversity discussion is the caveat whichunderlies the message of the book that diversity isa highly emotional topic. It triggers fear andsurvival tactics which are usually not in the bestinterests of the involved individuals and cultures.More importantly, these fears are sometimesdisplayed in aggressive ways, especially whenindividuals invoke the turf system to claim andprotect themselves and their territory. We maystill need to heed the warnings of Konrad Lorenzand others who suggest that deep within thehuman communication system may be the need tohave and respond to a rank order which will, ofcourse, continue to disadvantage certain groups.If this is true, Transcultural Leadership has atimely and urgent message.Transcultural Leadership charts a new course -

one that lays out the parts and pieces of a newway of thinking. For this reason, the book iscourageous and may become the template forfuture thinking about leadership in a diverseworkplace.

Janice C. HepworthUniversity Centers, Inc.

Denver, Coloradoo

EUROPE IN BRITAIN: A REPLY TO THEBRITISH GOVERNMENT'S PUBLICATIONBRITAIN IN EUROPEEdited by Christopher StoryWorld Reports, 24 pp.

This pamphlet puts the case that the MaastrichtTreaty is paving the way for a Euro-superstate,and refutes point-by-point the Foreign Office'sbooklet reviewed in our last issue. Arguescogently and should be read particularly bysupporters of the Treaty.

Available from: World Reports Ltd,108 Horseferry Road, Westminster, London,SWIP 2EF.

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FINANCIAL SERVICES IN THE NEWEUROPE: A SPECIAL ISSUE OFCOMPARATIVE LAW YEARBOOK OFINTERNATIONAL BUSINESSThis new volume, a special issue of the annualComparative Law Yearbook oj InternationalBusiness highlights the provision of financialservices in accordance with the EuropeanCommunity's Single Market concept, andprovides a detailed survey of these services in 14key European countries. An additional section onthe United States offers an interesting Americanperspective on how the Single Market will affectUS banks and investment firms doing business in .the European Community.

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