Global is a complex term, subject to many definitions and connotations

In two recent posts I discuss a conclusion drawn from a recent conference about globalization and its effects on law departments (See my posts of July 13, 2008 and July 27, 2008: is globalization driving the agendas of law departments.).

The press release analyzed in the two posts notes that “84% of the counsel viewed their companies as very global.” Is “global” defined by some minimum percentage of revenue that comes from outside the country with the largest footprint (the “home country”)? Is it determined by the percentage of the workforce that is not a citizen of the home country, or is it the number of countries in which the company does business? Are you a global company if you aspire to buy or sell outside your home country? (See my post of Feb. 12, 2006: the terms international, transnational, and multi-national.).