Anthropology and business: reflections on the business applications of cultural anthropology.

Abstract

Today's business have international and intercultural dimensions. The complexity of market, organizational climate and culture and the management of human resources demand interdisciplinary and intercultural approach which are available in anthropological researches and methods. The consumer world has its own developments, diversifications and psycho-cultural fermentation. These changes pose new challenges for the designers and suppliers of products, services, systems and processes. Many changes in the economic and social spheres are beyond the range of conventional number-led, straight-line anaysis and planning. Rapid discontinuous changes defy all straight-line forecasting and conventional plannings. Qualitative and open-ended researches, scenario planning and brainstorming sessions, which skilled anthropologists are able to provide, are necessary to face such challenges.