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Studies of cross‐cultural differences in conflict management behavior are reviewed. This review shows that existing studies are difficult to interpret, because researchers applied Western theories and Western measures to non‐Western cultures, without testing the cross‐cultural equivalence of the constructs and the measures and without searching for emic constructs that might contribute to an understanding of non‐Western behavior. These three problems are discussed, and guidelines to help researchers avoid these problems are proposed.

Understanding global leadership is like connecting the dots of a leopard moving through the dense forest. (Morgan McCall)

While the term “competency” is widely used, and widely criticized, we use it here, in agreement with Spencer and Spencer (1993) as an underlying characteristic of an individual (motive, trait, self-concept, knowledge, skill) that is causally related to superior performance in a job or situation. As Fig. 1 shows, we believe there are both universal leadership competencies and context-specific competencies that contribute to effective global leadership. David Campbell's chapter in this volume argues for nine universal competencies of global leadership, all nine needing to be present for an organization to be sustainable and an international leader to be effective. This fits with other experts who believe in universal competences. Morgan McCall and George Hollenbeck (2002) could not resist the urge to identify seven common competencies among the international executives in their research. For another example, Goldsmith, Greenberg, Robertson, and Hu-Chan (2003) concluded that there are 14 core competencies for future global leadership.

The seven papers in Part II all focus on the practice of global leadership. Compared to those in Part I, these chapters focus more on practical solutions to the problems that leaders face than the analysis of fundamental processes, although this distinction is one of the degree. All the authors in Part I explore the practical implications of their ideas, and those in Part II contribute to the development of fundamental concepts. Thus, it is the relative emphasis on foundations versus application that distinguishes Parts I and II.

The seven chapters in Part 1 focus on the foundations of global leadership. Together, these chapters explore a broad selection of the social and psychological processes underlying effective global leadership. These authors expand ideas currently in use, and they introduce new ideas for our consideration.

William H. Mobley is professor of management and advisor on executive education at China Europe International Business School in Shanghai. He also is an experienced executive and management consultant and coach working primarily with executives and leadership teams based in China and the Asia Pacific region. He is the president and managing director of the Shanghai-based Mobley Group Pacific (MGP). MGP focuses on: executive assessment for selection and development; executive coaching; organizational design, culture and effectiveness China business entry and development. He earned his BA degree in psychology and economics from Denison University in the U.S. and his Ph.D. degree in psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park. He also has been awarded honorary degrees from the University of the Americas in Pueblo Mexico and the University of Akron and is an honorary professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He has served as a visiting professor at National Taiwan University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and as a visiting fellow at Cornell University. He is author of Employee Turnover: Causes Consequences and Control (Addison Wesley) and is executive editor of Advances in Global Leadership (JAI/Elsevier). He is a registered organizational psychologist and a fellow of APA, APS and the Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology. Bill previously served as corporate manager of HR Research and Succession Planning for PPG Industries; as dean of the College of Business Administration and later president of Texas A&M University; as managing director of PDI Asia Pacific, and president of the Global Research Consortia Ltd. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of several companies and foundations in Hong Kong, China and the U.S. He is a U.S. representative on the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) (E-mail: Mwilliam@ceibs.edu).

Welcome to Volume 4 of Advances in Global Leadership. Our objectives in this volume remain the same as in Volumes 1–3 of this series (Mobley, Gessner, & Arnold, 1999; Mobley & McCall, 2001; Mobley & Dorfman, 2003). We seek to advance the definition, conceptualization, and understanding of global leadership processes and the development of international and global leaders. As we move into the first decade of the 21st century, with the continued acceleration of a globally interconnected economy, the speed of economic transformation in China, India, and Eastern Europe, and the rise in geopolitical, nationalistic, religious, and cultural tensions, the need for effective leadership in all sectors is amply evident.