I know this article is not really related to any of the categories but I read it and thought it is a great view of what I have experienced in my first 2 years living in the US (more personally though, and not business related)
The article basically shows that lots of Europeans still think that the USA is one big country where everything works in a similar fashion everywhere.
However it is rather the opposite! This might also be a reason the why so many european companies struggle to crack the US , because they do not know this.
Lots of british supermarket brands like Tesco and Marks& Spencer tried to enter the US market, however none of them was successful.
If european businesses would keep in mind the huge regional differences in the USA and their customer, a successful market entry would be possibly much easier.
Jens – you bring up something that I had never really thought too much about until I really started traveling and seeing different parts of the United States. It really is amazing how cultures, views, and values vary throughout the country. I mean…pop vs. soda vs. Coke. Pop is right of course. 😉 I have lived in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast, and all three areas are unique and bring something special to the country. Thanks for sharing!