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Finland, Cultural Lone Wolf is the story of an accomplished nation and her extraordinary people. By pursuing a 'Lone Wolf' policy, Finland raised itself from a struggling, war-battered state to one of the most developed countries in the world over the course of only fifty years. The exponential rise of Nokia from tires and timbers to leading the world_s telecommunication industry is indicative of the Finns and their business style. These remarkable people speak a language unique in its origins and have kept their cultural identity intact despite the influences of powerful neighbors, Sweden and Russia.
Uniquely qualified to write about Finland, best-selling author Richard Lewis traces the fascinating Finnish origins, as well as her history, geography, values and culture. His extensive experience with Finnish business provides him with keen insight on leadership style, negotiation strategies and the uniquely Finnish suomi-kuva, or Finland image. Lewis shines when describing Finnish humor, complete with laugh-out-loud jokes and stories. Finland, Cultural Lone Wolf shows both nation and writer at their best.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction: A Country Apart
1 The Gold Medal Country
2 Finnish Origins
3 Geographical Overview
4 Historical Overview
5 The Unique Finnish Language
6 Finnish Beliefs and Values
7 The Finnish Communicator
8 Leadership
9 Suomi-Kuva and the Difficult Finn
10 Finns in the Nordic Framework
11 Finns and Others
12 Ladies and Gentlemen
13 Concepts of Space and Time
14 Humor
15 The Wily-Weasel_the Nokia Story
16 How to Approach Finns: A Summary
17 Finland_Past, Present, and Future
Appendices
A Finnish History_Chronology
B Interesting Facts about Finland
C Olympic Medal Winners_Top 20
Bibliography
About the Author
Index
Richard D. Lewis was knighted in 1997 by President Ahtisaari of Finland for his services to the country spanning fifty years. He is chairman of Richard Lewis Communications, an international institute for cross-cultural and language training with offices in more than a dozen countries. Richard Lewis lectures and consults worldwide with clients that include Mercedes-Benz, Nokia, Rolls Royce, Volvo, Deutsche Bank and Unilever. Among his many books are When Cultures Collide and The Cultural Imperative.
http://www.crossculture.com
"Richard Lewis brings his extensive knowledge of Finland to a wide audience, capturing the mystery and setting the context for its continued success. Finland, Cultural Lone Wolf is a book of many insights_about Finland and the world beyond."
- Matthew Kirk, British Ambassador to Finland
"This book offers an excellent first source of reference regarding the 'way that the Finns tick' in a very readable format, with a manageable chunk of intercultural theory to start with and elaboration to follow. Clearly well researched, it thankfully does not look at the Finns in isolation but with reference to other cultures, often and refreshingly in a business context."
- Corinne Wilhelm, www.dialogin.com
"Finland, Cultural Lone Wolf, though suffused with admiration for the singularity and virtues of the Finnish people, is expressed with a matter-of-factness and acknowledgment of their limitations that Finns themselves will appreciate. Lewis' writing, though perhaps a bit high for ESL readers, might be compared with a quiet, birchen and snowy Finnish landscape, thawed occasionally into laughing rivulets by Lewis' native and sometimes dry British wit."
- Dr. George Simons, www.dialogin.com
