Yahoo! is being sued as the result of sharing information with the Chinese government according to this story from AP. 

In the US, people often wear rose-colored glasses and assume that individuals in other countries are entitled to the same freedoms that we enjoy.  When doing business internationally, it is critical for firms to take the other cultures into consideration.  Find out what the ramifications of actions are.  Have a plan for dealing with the differences in culture.  Know what the cultural differences are. 

In the case of Yahoo! and China, had Yahoo! forgotten about Tianamen Square?  For those who are under 25, Tianamen Square may seem like it happened generations ago.  The year was 1989 and, in a country such as China where change can require generations, that is all in the very recent past.  To learn more about Tianamen Square, here is a link to some of the pictures.

Filed by Coleen Davis at 7:18 am under Business Acumen, Cultural Issues, Current Events, Solving Problems