Where in the World Are You

Going global isn’t just a matter of deciding, “OK — we’re going to branch out.” Naturally, there are degrees of global business that you’ll fit into as you grow.

So where are you along the “globalization continuum”? Here are some definitions provided by the consultants at Arthur Andersen.

International
This is an organization that is predominately domestic and has some international business activity. The company’s business strategy is generally centralized at the headquarters, while its international businesses are often managed independently of the domestic organization, using separate resources and technology.

Multinational
This is an organization that has business activities in multiple countries. Each country’s operations are managed as separate entities by local employees, with a corporate headquarters coordinating the strategy, resources and technology among these entities.

Global
This is an organization that has operations around the world, and has strategies, resources, and technology that are shared and leveraged around the world, regardless of geographic boundaries.

SOURCE: “The Globalization of Human Resources,” a study by The Human Capital Services of Arthur Andersen, 1999.