In today's global economy, working with people from different cultures is becoming the norm. Although this brings many rewards it also introduces challenges for both workers and management alike. All managers know that motivating their staff is the key to a successful business. To do this, they must understand what drives their staff.

But what if their staff seem to think and behave in unexpected ways?

This can happen when people from very different cultures work together. Organisations are beginning to realise the importance of training their managers to become inter-culturally competent in order to ensure their staff continue to be motivated and productive.

The main issues to be discussed in this report are:

- How culture influences working styles

- Different management styles

- The importance of training managers to become inter-culturally competent

Article - Quality management: a cross-cultural perspective

Alessandra Vecchi and Louis Brennan School of Business, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland