The Cultural Navigator.

The Cultural Navigator, website, Training Management Company (www.culturalnavigalor.com), $250 per user per year (minimum of 20 licenses). Volume and features discounls apply for large and longer-term license purchases.

The Cultural Navigator is a web tool for cross cultural issues in business. Cultural Navigator 4.0 has improved its functionality and its ability to be customized. Customization allows users to decide what parts of the Cultural Navigator they want to purchase: Country Scope, Cultural Navigator Traveler, and Cultural Navigator Ambassador. I had access to CN Ambassador, which has the most features. Among other things, it allows a company to add its logo. With more focus on process, the Cultural Navigator is now more of a developmental tool than just a collection of information.

CULTURAL PROFILING

The Cultural Orientations Indicator (COI) is a validated tool that allows a user to assess personal cultural preferences and to compare them with those of counterparts in other countries.

When you log in, you arrive at your own homepage. If you have taken the COI, your cultural profile wheel appears with your name on it. It takes some time to figure out how to navigate all the options. Therefore, to cut back on one's learning curve, I strongly recommend taking the guided tour of the site located on the log in page. This gives the user an excellent overview of all the features of the Cultural Navigator. (For prospective buyers, there is a comprehensive demo.)

The cultural profile wheel has 10 dimensions (environment, time, action, communication, space, power, individualism, competitiveness, structure, and thinking). You can click on any of these dimensions and get a detailed explanation. There is a space for reflections based on what you have learned from this explanation. An informative introduction to the COI and a tutorial clarify what the dimensions mean. You can print out a comprehensive 32-page report on your COI or an eight-page summary. Both are useful.

You can compare your COI results with up to four countries and get a gap analysis that highlights the critical cultural gaps that you need to be aware of when dealing with the cultural environment of the country selected. The areas where there are gaps are flagged so you can click and get more in-depth information. You can also do a COI comparison with another country. This reveals your cultural profile wheel and that of the country you selected.

WEALTH OF FEATURES

The Country Scope tool gives information on over 100 countries, including doing business there, travel, relocation, diversity, country facts, and culture. You can create an HTML report of the areas you are especially interested in, giving you your own customized report.

The Culture Simulator allows you to test your cultural knowledge in a variety of business and social situations. There are four simulators with five scenarios each. There are three possible answers to the scenario. Once you make a choice, the correct answer is shown with a detailed explanation. If you have a low score, the program directs you to relevant resources.

One caveat: not all of the five scenarios are culture specific to the country you have selected. Therefore, this section is not as useful a test of what you have learned as it could be. The simulator would be much more beneficial if all the scenarios were specific to the country selected. I'd like to see that change in the next version of Cultural Navigator.

The Learning Zone/Web Learning channel provides access to additional training in a Virtual Classroom or face-to-face learning labs/seminars. In addition, the Coaching Zone matches you with a virtual coach and allows you to develop a tailored coaching program. These features require an additional fee. Note: I did not have access to this part of the tool.

The Global Management Tool Box has a variety of InfoPacks on topics such as Communication, Project Management, Teams, and International Business. InfoPacks contain concise, resolution-oriented information and tips and tools that address key global management issues. InfoPacks can be easily printed or saved to a hard drive. They are very much like mini e-books.

You can also use the Exchange Forum, Cultural Navigator's worldwide network of advisors and subject matter experts, at no additional cost. A response to a question is given within 72 business hours.

There are several other nice details on the left side of the user's homepage:

* A list of holidays taking place on the day the user is on Cultural Navigator

* A very useful research zone that lets you preview results from statistical analyses conducted on data gathered by TMC. The visual of country preferences in various business areas is a valuable resource

* A help section with FAQs

On country pages, you find a picture of the national flag and links for local news, local weather, and a currency converter.

Cultural Navigator has a lot of information, much of it very practical and applied to the business setting. Parts of the tool are easier to digest than other parts. Someone without any exposure to the kind of information in the COI culture wheel will most likely feel overwhelmed. A motivated user will eventually figure it all out. Others will need some kind of Cultural Navigator facilitator on hand to work with users until they grasp the fundamentals.

RECOMMENDATION

Cultural Navigator ably helps prepare users for cross cultural issues encountered when working in another country. The latest version has improved interactivity. It is a powerful web tool best used as a supplement to face-to-face instruction.

The Cultural Navigator star rating

CATEGORY

Holds user interest  4
Production quality   4
Ease of navigation   3.5
Interactivity        3.5
Value of content     4
Instructional value  4
Value for the money  4
Help/Support         4
Overall rating       4