Cross-cultural differences, Liu says, are far more than differences in language. They include the unique character of a social group, and the numerous ways in which culture affects negotiations, from interests, priorities and strategies, to currency issues, ethics and the impact of instances when government is at the table.
Liu, an associate professor of international business, says possessing such knowledge – along with a more cosmopolitan, more global mindset – benefits all parties and is useful in cross-cultural contexts as well as in U.S. settings by making them less judgmental overall and less “my way or the highway.”
Her research centers, not surprisingly, on individual and group behavior in cross-cultural settings. Specifically, Liu studies culture, cross-cultural cognition, negotiation and conflict resolution, and global leadership.