In Western Cultures, looking into someone's eyes, especially if they are older, may come off as disrespectful, since focusing directly on someone who is senior to you implies disrespect.
Understanding culture is important in determining the success of a business because different cultures have business practices, communication, and management styles that are different from those to which you are accustomed.
Individualism refers to people's tendency to take care of themselves and their immediate circle of family and friends, perhaps at the expense of the overall society.
The highest hurdle to cross-cultural understanding and effective relationships is our frequent inability to understand the influence of culture on the personality.