Because of the pivotal role of culture in all international commercial activity, we address it first in our discussion of national business environments. Whether we are discussing an entrepreneur who runs a small import/export business, or a huge global firm directly involved in over 100 countries, people are at the center of all business activity. When people form around the world come together to conduct business, they bring with them different backgrounds, assumptions, expectations, and ways of communicating in other words, culture.