The problems multinational companies face while doing business in China are well documented. The role of government in business and how different cultures communicate are just a few of the issues that complicate business relations, according to Steven Feldman, professor of business ethics at Case Western Reserve University.

Feldman's new book, Trouble in the Middle: American-Chinese Business Relations, Culture, Conflict, and Ethics, examines how American and Chinese companies approach business issues, as well as the role of bribery and middlemen in business transactions. Feldman spoke to the China Business Review recently about navigating these differences, the role of the middleman, and how cultural incompatibilities lead to different views on intellectual property rights. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.