CULTURE CODE, THE

Whyarepeoplearoundtheworldsoverydifferent?Whatmakesuslive,buy,evenloveaswedo?Theanswersareinthecodes.In"TheCultureCode,"internationallyreveredculturalanthropologistandmarketingexpertClotaireRapaillerevealsforthefirsttimethetechniqueshehasusedtoimproveprofitabilityandpracticesfordozensofFortune100companies.Hisgroundbreakingrevelationsshedlightnotjustonbusinessbutonthewayeveryhumanbeingactsandlivesaroundtheworld.Rapaille'sbreakthroughnotionisthatweacquireasilentsystemofcodesaswegrowupwithinourculture.Thesecodes--theCultureCode--arewhatmakeusAmerican,orGerman,orFrench,andtheyinvisiblyshapehowwebehaveinourpersonallives,evenwhenwearecompletelyunawareofourmotives.What'smore,wecanlearntocrackthecodesthatguideouractionsandachievenewunderstandingofwhywedothethingswedo.RapaillehasusedtheCultureCodetohelpChryslerbuildthePTCruiser--themostsuccessfulAmericancarlaunchinrecentmemory.HehasusedittohelpProcter&GambledesignitsadvertisingcampaignforFolger'scoffee-oneofthelongestlastingandmostsuccessfulcampaignsintheannalsofadvertising.HehasusedittohelpcompaniesasdiverseasGE,AT&T,Boeing,Honda,Kellogg,andL'Orealimprovetheirbottomlineathomeandoverseas.Andnow,in"TheCultureCode,"heusesittorevealwhyAmericansactdistinctlylikeAmericans,andwhatmakesusdifferentfromtheworldaroundus.In"TheCultureCode,"Dr.Rapailledecodestwodozenofourmostfundamentalarchetypes--rangingfromsextomoneytohealthtoAmericaitself--togiveus"anewsetofglasses"withwhichtoviewouractionsandmotivations.Whyarewesooftendisillusionedbylove?Whyisfatasolutionratherthanaproblem?Whydowerejectthenotionofperfection?Whyisfastfoodinourlivestostay?TheanswersareintheCodes.UnderstandingtheCodesgivesusunprecedentedfreedomoverourlives.Itletsusdobusinessindramaticallynewways.Anditfinallyexplainswhypeoplearoundtheworldreally"are"different,andrevealsthehiddencluestounderstandingusall.