FIDM Director Authors Book on Working With Americans
Lanie Denslow, international director of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM), has released “Working With Americans,” a new book analyzing the differences between the “American” way and the ways of other cultures.
The book was written as a guide to understanding the business culture in America and gives advice on how to understand the differences in values, etiquette and language, even for Americans traveling to different parts of the nation.
“No one expects someone from London to dress exactly as his or her colleagues in Houston, Texas,” the book advises. “What you want to do is match the level of formality. Wearing a formal suit on your first visit to Microsoft will merely show that you didn’t do your homework.”
“Working With Americans” analyzes regional fashions and fashion attitudes in the United States, noting that, for example, the East and West coasts are more fashion-conscious than the middle of the country and that while black is a favorite color in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, the dress code is more formal in the first two cities than in the last. The book also gives tips on ways to blend in across the nation.
“The preferred outfit for a female professional is generally a trouser suit with a sweater or blouse,” the book advises. “No matter where you work in the U.S., this combination seems to be acceptable.”
The book discusses such key business principles as elevating business before pleasure, placing importance on the presentation and packaging of the product and person, providing choices and being on time. It highlights the principles offered with charts, bullet point summaries and real-life anecdotal examples.
In addition to her position at FIDM, Denslow is also the founder of World Wise Intercultural Training and Resources, which provides intercultural training seminars and customized programs to prepare business professionals from the United States and abroad to conduct business in foreign countries.
Co-authoring the book with Denslow was Allyson Stewart-Allen, founder of International Marketing Partners, an international consulting agency, which constructs marketing and business development strategies for companies with global interests. Stewart-Allen is a former Los Angeles native who speaks fluent German and French and is now a permanent resident of the United Kingdom.
“Working With Americans” has been incorporated into the curriculum at FIDM and is available for sale at the school’s bookstore. Telephone orders may be placed at (800) 409- 3436. —Darryl James
