In order to achieve international success, companies must be aware of the political regime of the targeted country, as well as the consequences. This system, found in the United States, Great Britain is based on tradition, custom and usage, which means that courts interpret the law according to precedents. Civil law , also called a codified legal system, is based on a detailed set of laws organized into codes. This system is applied in more than 70 countries, including Germany, France, and Japan. Theocratic law is based on religious concepts.
Most Muslim countries have legal systems which are a mix of Islamic law, and common or civil law.
Needless to say, the legal system has an influence on the way of conducting business. For example, contracts established under a common law system are usually longer than those established under a civil law system, since many aspects are already regulated by codes. The first world is composed of high-income industrial countries, the second world includes the formerly central planed economies, while the last group consists of developing countries, mainly located in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Is it a free market economy, where individuals allocate and control resources, or a centrally planned system, where the government monitors the resources. All texts and graphics are property of Access PlanNet.