Globalization shows its' multiple faces as international investment brings new industries to some communities and others lose their industrial base when the labor cost is lower elsewhere. Both can occur almost simultaneously in the same region.

In the United States, auto manufacturing was centered in the mid-west for generations and featured only American owned and designed vehicles. The gasoline shortages in the early 1970s opened the door to the smaller, more energy efficient Japanese cars. In the 21st century, there are now German branded BMW plants in South Carolina, Japanese Honda, Nissan and Toyota plants in a number of states and the Korean Hyundai is building a state of the art facility in Alabama.

The textile industry has encountered similar transitions, except that their evolution has moved them from New England to the American Deep South to primarily an overseas market. Today, a handful of mills remains in the Carolinas but many have transitioned to Asia or Latin America.

For today's hotel operators, these changing faces mean staff must learn to address the needs of the business traveler in ways not predicted a generation ago. Understanding and embracing only domestic traditions and practices will open up the North American market to international hotel ...