Welcome to Global Business Today, 5th Edition!

 Global Business Today is intended for the first international business course at either the undergraduate or MBA level. My goal in writing this book has been to set a new standard for international business textbooks. I have attempted to write a book that:

(1) is comprehensive and up-to-date,
(2) goes beyond an uncritical presentation and shallow explanation of the body of knowledge,
(3) maintains a tight, integrated flow between chapters,
(4) focuses on managerial implications,
(5) makes important theories accessible and interesting to students, and
(6) incorporates ancillary resources that enliven the text and make it easier to teach.  

Over the years, and through now five editions, I have worked hard to adhere to these goals. It has not always been easy. An enormous amount has happened over the last decade, both in the real world of economics, politics and business, and in the academic world of theory and empirical research. Often I have had to significantly rewrite chapters, scrap old examples, bring in new ones, incorporate new theory and evidence into the book, and phase out older theories that are increasingly less relevant to the modern and dynamic world of international business. That process continues in the current edition. As noted below, there have been significant changes in this edition, and that will no doubt continue to be the case in the future.

What's New in the 5th Edition

The success of the first four editions of Global Business Today was based in part upon the incorporation of leading edge research into the text, the use of the up-to-date examples and statistics to illustrate global trends and enterprise strategy, and the discussion of current events within the context of the appropriate theory. Building on these strengths, my goals for the fifth revision have been threefold:

1. Incorporate new insights from recent scholarly research wherever appropriate.
2. Make sure the content of the text covers all appropriate issues.
3. Make sure the text is as up-to-date as possible with regard to current events, statistics, and examples.

As part of the overall revision process, changes have been made to every chapter in the book. All statistics have been updated to incorporate the most recently available data. New examples, cases, and boxes have been added and older examples updated to reflect new developments. New material has been inserted wherever appropriate to reflect recent academic work or important current events.

For more on the updates for this edition, please browse the sample chapters, read the entire Preface, and take a look at the new and expanded features we now offer to help you keep your course fresh, lively, and relevant for students’ needs.

--Charles W. L. Hill