Book excerpt: What is globalization? How have the world economies changed in recent years? What impact do these changes have on business and management practice? Through creative use of examples, case studies and exercises from organizations worldwide, this book demonstrates the many levels at which globalization impacts on contemporary businesses, society and organizations and elucidates the ways in which different globalization trends and factors interrelate. Focusing on an integrated approach to understanding the effects of global trends such as new technologies, new markets, and cultural and political changes, the book enables students to understand the wider implications of globalization and apply this to their study and comprehension of contemporary business and management. Each chapter: - opens with a short and current case which introduces the key concepts covered in that chapter - provides an overview of chapter objectives to allow the student to navigate easily - illustrates the chapter concepts with useful boxed examples - concludes with a review of the key chapter concepts learnt - provides a series of review and discussion questions - offers ′Global Enterprise Project′ assignments for applying course concepts to the same company - gives up-to-date references from many sources to direct student′s further reading. Students can access the companion website which includes additional material in support of each chapter of the book by clicking on the `companion website′ logo above.