Transcript International business styles

International business styles
National culture is very important in
determining the business style:
 The characteristics of management often vary
according to the particular culture, which can
determine how managers are trained, how they
lead people and how they approach their jobs
 The amount of responsability of any individual
in a company depends on the position that he or
she occupies in its hierarchy
 Managers, for example, are responsible for
leading the people directly under them, who are
called subordinates
In this process the authority is frequently
mentioned:
 The managers must use their authority, which is
the right to take decisions and give orders
 Managers often delegate authority. This
means that employees at lower levels in the
company hierarchy can use their initiative, that
is make decisions without asking their manager.
 However, these procedures vary from nation to
nation. Each country has its own way of doing
business which depends on the local mentality.
For example, the Australian business
culture can be described as follows:
 Appointments: In Australia appointments are
relatively easy to schedule at practically all
organisational levels. You’ll find that many
executives will be pleasant, approachable, and
willing to meet to discuss business.
 You should be punctual, but you must
understand that Australians sometimes have a
casual attitude toward time. In some cases, if
you are a few minutes late to a meeting, it will be
overlooked. In other instances your late arrival
may be perceived as careless.
On the other hand, if you find yourself
waiting for your Australian partners to
arrive, remain patient and accommodating.
If you are an employer, it’s not enough to
insist that your Australian employees
arrive on time; you will have to give
convincing evidence that their tardiness is
harming the organisation.
 Business dress: Due to the size of Australia,
climate varies greatly according to region.
Business dress is conservative. Men wear a
dark suit and tie; during the summer the jacket
can be removed. Suits, skirts and blouses, or
dresses are standard for women. Business
dress may be more informal in very tropical
climates.
 Some workplaces have a “casual Friday”
policy where casual dress may be worn on
Fridays.
 Conversation: Australians generally prefer
direct eye contact. People who avoid eye
contact are not perceived as trustworthy.
 Australians tend to be enthusiastic
conversationalists and debaters. The best
policy, however, is to wait for your Australian
companions to bring up a subject; be prepared
to hear very strong and often confrontational
opinions.
 Australians like to hear opinionated
conversations so don’t hesitate to express your
views if they are sincere and informed.
 It is common for Australians to make provocative
statements during conversation- you are
expected to respond with humour.
 Your Australian companions will be quick to let
you know if you say something that “crosses the
line” (usually migration and aboriginal issues).
 Australians like to criticise themselves, but they
are not receptive to criticism from others.
 Don’t boast about yourself or your company’s
accomplishments. Australians prefer to judge
your competence and abilities through your
actions.
 Let’s make a deal: Before a meeting proceeds,
there is usually some “small talk”.
 Speak plainly and expect what you say to be
taken literally. In turn, interpret what is said to
you in the same direct manner.
 Australians are usually distrustful of authority
and of people who think they are somehow
“better” than others.
 Australians generally dislike negotiating and
aggressive sales techniques. Presentation
should be straightforward, with an emphasis on
both the positive and negative outcomes.
 Keep your presentation simple and “to the
point”, since excessive details will not be well
received.
 Australians are receptive to new ideas.
Generally, they are analytical, conceptual
thinkers. Empirical evidence and other facts are
considered the most valid forms of proof.
 The work environment tends to be collaborative,
so decision-making is slow and protracted.
Deadlines are the main source of anxiety in this
culture.
In Canada they follow these rules:
 Appointments: Punctuality should always be a
priority. You are expected to be on time for all
business related meetings. If you cannot prevent
being late, a telephone call is appreciated. In
general, it is acceptable to be 15 minutes late for
an evening social engagement.
 Mornings tend to be the preferred time for
appointments. Business hours are generally 9
a.m. To 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Longer
hours are also common.
 Business dress: Canadians prefer comfortable,
tasteful clothing which is also conservative in
most cases. Your clothing does not necessarily
have to be brand new or “trendy”. Wearing
quality clothing that is old, but presentable, can
be prefectly acceptable.
 The standard for men is a suit and tie, for
women business suits or dresses.
 In rural areas and small towns, clothing tends to
be more informal.
 During their leisure time, Canadians dress
casually (jeans, t-shirts, shorts...)
 Canadians in general, do not wear scent in a
business setting. Perfume, aftershave, and
heavily scented personal care products as
shampoo and hairspray should be avoided, or at
least used sparingly. It’s often believed that
perfume is worn to cover up poor personal
hygiene. Furthermore, the presence of scent
can also be a health hazard to individuals with
asthma, a relatively common condition in
Canada.
 Conversation: First name or title? The best
thing to do is to wait for your Canadian
colleagues to invite you to move to a first name
basis.
 Be careful of name pronounciation. To show
respect use a common professional title such as
Dr. Or courtesy titles such as Mr., Ms., Miss.,..
with the last name. If you are unsure of a
woman’s marital status use Ms. (pronounced
miz) followed by her last name.
 Let’s make a deal: Canada is officially bilingual
(English and French). In Quebec make sure that
you provide a French translation for promotional
material and documents. Write your business
cards in both French and English; business
cards are usually exchanged during an initial
greeting.
 Canadians are very friendly and take a genuine
interest in other countries. They are tolerant,
calm and very practical. They stress one’s
ability and competitive behaviour.
 While negotiating mantain good posture and air
of formality. Your negotiation must lead to a
direct action plan.
 Even in business deals, a good sense of humour
is always welcome.
 Canadians don’t have difficulty saying NO if they
feel strongly against something.
 Try not to bring up the subject of family and
other personal affairs in the course of
negotiatons.
France:
 Appointments and behaviour: Punctuality is
taken very casually in France, so being 10
minutes late is never considered disrespectful.
 Always shake hands when meeting someone, as
well as when leaving. French handshake is not
as firm as in the United States.
 The French have a great respect for privacy.
Knock and wait before entering into a room. Do
not “drop in” unannounced and always give
notice before your arrival.
 Business dress: The French are very much
aware of their appearance.
 You will be expected to dress conservatively
and invest in well-tailored clothing. Patterned
fabrics and dark colours are most acceptable,
but avoid bright colours.
 French businessmen do not loosen their ties or
take off their jackets in the office.
 Women should also dress conservatively and
avoid bright colours and too much flashy
jewelery.
 Conversation: The French are extremely proud
of their heritage and they often boast of their
long history and their important roles in world
affairs.
 If you do not speak French, it is very important
that you apologize for your lack of knowledge.
However, most individuals in business speak
English.
 The French frequently interrupt each other
because, for them, arguing is a form of
entertainment. Eye contact is frequent and
intense, and can often be intimidating to North
Americans.
Let’s make a deal: The French usually
choose any meal to conduct business, but
lunch is best.
The atmosphere is often informal.
However, they tend to be very precise
when money or personal involvement are
discussed. On these occasions they do
not show excessive tolerance. Moreover, a
streak of egoism is sometimes present in
many business situations.
Germany:
 Appointments and behaviour: Puctuality is a
necessity in Germany. Arrive on time for any
appointment, whether for business or social.
Being late, even if it is only by a few minutes, is
very insulting to a German executive.
 Germans do not like surprises. Sudden changes
in business transactions, even if they might
improve the outcome, are not welcome.
 German citizens do not need to be
complimented. In Germany it is assumed that
everything is satisfactory unless the person
hears otherwise.
 In business situations, shake hands at both the
beginning and the end of a meeting. Be sure to
look directly into the person’s eyes while shaking
hands.
 Business is viewed as being very serious
and Germans do not appreciate humour in a
business context.
 Germans are able to consume large quantities
of beer in one evening, but public drunkenness
is not acceptable. It is best to know your limits,
especially in Bavaria where two litres of beer is
an ordinary evening. Pace yourself and eat
plenty of food.
 Business dress: It is very conservative. Men
wear dark suits, solid, conservative ties, and
white shirts. Women also dress conservatively,
in dark suits and white blouses.
 Chewing gum while talking to someone is
considered rude.
 Don’t be surprised if occasionally you see a
fashion statement with white socks being worn
with a dark suit.
 Conversation: Germans love to talk on the
telephone. While important business decisions
are not made over the phone, expect many
follow up calls or faxes.
 Germans guard their private life, so do not
phone a German executive at home without
permission.
 Titles are very important to Germans. Do your
best to address people by their full, correct title,
no matter how extraordinarily long. This is also
true while addressing a letter.
Let’s make a deal: Germans are very
serious and extremely precise in decisionmaking.
Everything concerning business must be
previously established and checked. There
is no room whatsoever for mistakes.
Italy:
 Appointments and behaviour: Foreign
business people should be punctual for business
appointments, although the Italian executive
may not be.
 “Time is money” is not a common phrase in
Italy.
 Do not expect quick decisions or actions to take
place, as the Italian bureaucracy and legal
systems are rather slow.
 It is common for everyone to speak
simulteneously at Italian gatherings. This applies
to business meetings as well as social events.
Business dress: In the business world,
good clothes are a signature of success.
Men should wear fashionable, high quality
suits. Shirts may be colored or pin-striped,
and they should be paired with an Italian
designer suit.
Women dress in quiet, expensive
elegance. Quality accessories such as
shoes and leather goods will make a good
impression with Italians.
 Conversation: Italians appear very lively in both
private and business communication.
 They interrupt each other while striving to make
their point.
 Fortunately, English is spoken by many
businesspeople.
 Avoid talking about religion, politics, and World
War II.
 At social gatherings, it is considered insulting to
ask someone you have just met about their
profession.
Japan:
 Appointments and behaviour: If you are
invited to a social event, punctuality is not
expected. It is the custom to be “fashionably
late”.
 The Japanese tend to be rather direct in their
questioning of foreigners. You may be asked
personal questions such as how much money
do you earn or how large is your house?
 If you take your host out insist upon paying. The
Japanese will refuse, but insist.
 Do not openly display money. It is important
to use an envelope to pass money.
 Business dress: Men should wear dark,
conservative attire. Business suits are most
suitable. Casual dress is never appropriate in a
business setting.
 Women’s dress should be conservative with
minimal accessories. Women should not wear
pants in a business situation. Japanese men find
it offensive.
 Women should only wear low-heeled shoes to
avoid towering over men.
 Conversation: The Japanese prefer not to use
the word no. They may simply respond with a
yes but clearly mean no.
 The customary greeting is the bow.
 However, some Japanese might greet you with a
handshake, but frequently a weak one. Do not a
weak handshake as an indication of character.
 If you are greeted wit a bow, return with a
bow as low as the one you received. How low
your bow determines the status of the
relationship between you and the other
individual.
Prefixes I
The imperative
Exercise 1: Match the prefixes with the
groups of adjectives:

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Disiliminirun___ possible
probable
precise
___ honest
similar
organised
___ popular economical manageable
___ legible
legal
logical
___ complete expensive efficient
___ regular
relevant
responsible
Exercise 2: Add prefixes to the following
adjectives:
 Likely
 Literate
 Resistible
 Respectful
 Frequent
 Liberal
 Polite
 Awful
 Mature
 Rational
 Proportionate
 Helpful
Complete the following sentences with the
appropriate adjectives from exercise 1:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Her desk is so ________ that it is hard to find anything
there.
Their payments have become ______. We will have to
find another supplier who will pay on time.
We are spending too much money. This new
procedure is highly ___________.
His methods are ________. His trainees have little
success in all the activities.
I cannot read this note. It is completely ________.
Your question is ________ for this situation. We must
concentrate on concrete suggestions.
The imperative
 It has the same form as the infinitive without to.
 It is used to give orders or instructions:
Fill in the form in block capitals.
Empty the contents into boiling water.
 It is used to give strong advice:
Avoid showing the soles of your feet in the Middle East.
 If you want to be emphatic you can use do or always:
Do learn a few words of the language.
Always familiarise yourself with the basics.
 The negative is formed by using don’t or never.
Don’t appear too reserved.
Never cross your legs in the Middle East.
Complete the sentences below using the
following expressions, positive or negative:

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
study, expect (2), increase, invest, assume, beware, be
flexible, judge, leave
_____ attitudes like “my way is the only way” behind.
______, be curious and fascinated instead.
______ some time in preparing yourself for encounters
with other business and cultural styles.
______ your understanding of the countries and
cultures you are visiting by attending cross-cultural
seminars.
______ the general protocol and etiquette of the
country or countries you are visiting.
_______ delays, frequent changes in plans and
cancellations.
7) _____ to have easy access to your e-mail
while on the road. In some cases it may be
impossible to log on to your internet server
remotely.
8) _____ when negotiating prices.
9) _____ that market or sales techniques that
work in your country, work in others.
10) ______ of drinking too much alcohol over a
business lunch; you might need to make
important decisions.