The ultimate objective of this book is to help you prepare for the 21st Century and become an effective manager overseeing global marketing activities in an increasingly competitive environment. This book is the first to offer a true global, as opposed to multinational perspective on marketing. This global approach also presents marketing in a cross functional approach to the business operation. This edition addresses the reaction to the recent 1998 Asian financial crisis and how these dramatic changes and their effect on the rest of our global economy. Also, based on European countries trying to create a unified European economy, the prominent event of the introduction of a common European currency, the Euro, on January 1, 1999 has impact world wide. Issues surrounding these events are covered at length.