1 Defining 'global' Truly global, or just plain international?; Timing your global response -- handling the 'would-be' globals; Taking the leap... upstairs... 2 The particular challenge of GAM Organizational and structural complexity; Authority; The irrationality of senior managers (no, really); Culture; Geography and time zones 3 Innocents among wolves, and other deadly sins... 4 The critical success factors -- making it happen 5 Getting the big picture Opportunity chain analysis; Business driver analysis; The shared future analysis; A postscript 6 Understanding the global buyer The global buyer's ambitions and purpose; Buying power -- pricing and terms; Operational efficiencies -- organizational structure; Supply chain management -- making it happen; Supplier management -- rationalization, positioning, and key/strategic suppliers; Protecting your investment; Postscript -- some deadly realism 7 Understanding the customer's decision-making process The types of DMU; DMU analysis -- the toolkit 8 Managing the global touch points Influencing strategy; Service provision strategy; The invisible interactions 9 Getting the board on board Champions and enablers; Leadership, empowerment and coaching; Participants 10 The global account manager -- rarest of breeds? The skills for the task; Managing teams; Coaching; Authority; The global account manager -- a sales professional? 11 Making it happen -- structure and the persuasive process Some 'guidelines'; Making it happen -- the 'persuasive process' 12 Performance and reward Right performance, right reward; Measuring the reward -- customer profitability 13 Getting IT right 14 The global account plan 15 Harnessing the strengths of cultural diversity Cultural preferences; What goes wrong?; What must go right?; Cultural preference -- the 16 scales; Forging a competitive advantage 16 Next steps, and getting further help Value propositions; INSIGHT Marketing and People; Further reading