People of different cultures and countries have long recognized the value of foreign commerce. To a great extent, traders have been the catalysts establishing bonds that have linked nations, bringing people together to share knowledge and interests. At the same time, the desire for commodities and riches in faraway places has tempted traders and their governments to adopt policies of aggression and conquest. This book explores the historical and modern benefits of cross-border business and trade. It describes how trading techniques and strategies have changed over time, particularly during the last 150 years. The advent of electronic commerce has altered practically every aspect of global trade, from marketing to management and distribution. E-trading brings exciting new opportunities, unfamiliar challenges, and disturbing threats to world commerce in the twenty-first century.
