A dimension of intercultural business communication often hidden from Americans is the communal aspect. It is most pronounced in Third World nations in which aspects of both commerce and communication are based on earlier communal traditions, reflecting values of which Americans may be unaware. Individuals strive to advance not only their private interests but also those of predominant social and economic networks to whom they owe emotional allegiance. Four common instances of cross-cultural business interaction illustrate both the individual and communal aspects of communication: (1) greetings that go beyond the American sense of status; (2) practices of visiting based on a different sense of time; (3) patterns of reciprocity that reflect a different sense of obligation; and (4) drinking habits exceeding the American sense of propriety. Westerners who are willing to participate in interactions that conflict with their sense of individualism may reap considerable rewards, both social and commercial. Businessmen should prepare by (1) acknowledging that communal levels of interaction do exist, (2) before departing, consult with specialists on forms of interaction, and (3) in the foreign country, make extensive inquiries on selected colleagues with whom they will form a relationship. Advance knowledge of communal values facilitates adjustment to them. (MSE)