With so many businesses expanding globally, Context turned to two seasoned hands to learn more about where the strategic mistakes will most likely appear, about which countries present the best opportunities, and, of course, what role information technology plays in making markets more international. Marvin Zonis, a professor at the University of Chicago known for his work on global risk, and Bob Van Gieson, the chief executive of global operations at CAN, obliged by letting us listen in on a recent conversation. Some of the comments surprised us.

Editor's Note: This article is several years old and focused on the perspectives of the insurance industry, but still some interesting and useful topics and opinions are raised.