Presentation including: Poland's impact on global business world, market context, Polish values and attitudes, business & social etiquette

1. An Introduction to Poland –
economic landscape, culture
Anna Maria McKeever, Director
British Polish Business Club
London, 8th
May 2008

2. Poland and the global business world
 Enormous economic potential
 Coexisting with two European superpowers Germany and
Russia
 Impact of the location on global business relationships
 Young, skilled, highly educated, speaking foreign languages,
population (opportunities for both British employers in the UK
and in Poland)

3. Market context
 Poland as the largest new member of the European market
 Attractive domestic market of over 38m
 Gateway to Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, other CEE
countries and Central Asia

4. Business opportunities
investment
 outsourcing services and production
 sourcing (subcomponents, food etc.)
 Low labour costs & human capital opportunities
Consumer market
 Warsaw, Katowice, Kraków, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk
Property & Construction
 Residential, commercial, retail; EU-funded infrastructure
projects; PPP Projects

5. Polish values and attitudes
 Spirit of survival
 Proud of heritage
 Courage
 Generosity and hospitality
 Adaptable, Multi-Lingual
 Rules, procedures flexible
 Family ties worldwide
 Bonded through Religious Roots
 Pride
 Hard working, tenacious, self-reliant
 Obstinancy

6. Regional stereotypes
 Regional stereotypes exist within Poland which reflect the
character of previous occupying powers.
(Any association with the former partition of Poland is never
appreciated).
– Poznan and the Western part of Poland: Germanic, sense
of order, good business acumen.
– Krakow and the Austrian South: relaxed, less materialistic,
the cultural and intellectual heart of Poland.
– Warsaw and Eastern Poland: A degree of disorganisation
and unpredictability is driven by creativeness and self-
importance.

7. Management style
 You will meet three kinds of Polish manager
– usually over 40, influenced by Communism and the cold war
– young managers working in multinational, international
environment
– returning members of the Polish Diaspora
 A network of contacts (siec) is important. It’s who you know as
much as what you know. Polish managers make the most of their
contacts at university.
 Poles respond well to American management culture, which they
see as liberating.
 There is a natural resistance to being constrained by systems.

8. Business socialising
 Business dinners and lunches (often quite late, at 4-5 PM) are
common, breakfast meetings less common
 Entertaining is usually done in clubs and restaurants.
 Coffee and cake in a café is also a good business
entertainment venue
 Toasting is common. Let your host toast first. Keep eye contact.
If the host stands up, so should you
 The person who issues the invitation pays the bill

9. Social etiquette
‘Guest in house, God in house’
 To be invited to a Polish home is an honour. Be sure to accept.
 Arrival is usually 15 minutes late (not more than 30 minutes).
 Wait to be seated by your hostess.
 It is considered impolite to leave early. Staying up late is
common.
 Common gifts: chocolates, alcohol and flowers in preference.
 Always follow up with a handwritten thank you note.
 Always take a gift if visiting a Polish home. Flowers should be
odd numbers and unwrapped.

10. Polish business etiquette
 Opening times: offices, shops, shopping centres
 Dress code: Conservative colours preferred
 Greetings: shake hands on arrival and departure, hand kissing
 Titles: first names, surnames (Mr Kowalski/ Mr Nowak and Mrs
Kowalska/Mrs Nowak)
 Pan Prezes, Pan Dyrektor
 Punctuality: be on time for meetings

11. Topics to talk about
 Food, sports and sightseeing
 Show interest in culture and artistic achievement.
 Understand nationalism as survival mechanism.
 Your home country or city
 Work experience
 Hobbies
 Art

12. Topics to treat sensitively
 anti-semitism, Germany, Russia
 Avoid politics and money (but be prepared to talk about these
in general if the topic is initiated by the other party).
 Generally speaking Germany/Russia as topics should be
avoided while speaking to older generation; young people are
not so sensitive to these issues.

13. Do’s
- show appreciation of Poles’ courage
- show respect for religion (John Paul II – icon)
- learn simple expressions in Polish
- arrive on time for meetings
- maintain eye contact
- return hospitality (either in Poland or in your country)

14. Dont’s
- be too informal too quickly
- assume that everyone speaks English
- be put off by the first meeting
- leave early when invited to the party
- go into private conversations with your team without explaining
what are you doing during meetings

15. Doing Business in Poland
Anna Maria McKeever
Polish Consultant
Cultural Training Department
International House London
- Doing Business in Poland podcast
- Doing Business in Poland - essential cultural knowledge
brochure compiled with Barry Tomalin, Director of cultural
Training, IH London
- Doing Business in Poland/Living in Poland/Negotiating with
Poles courses

16. British Polish Business Club
British Polish Business Club
Anna Maria McKeever
Director
16 Devonshire Street
London, W1G 7AF
E-mail: anna.mckeever@bp-bc.co.uk
www.bp-bc.co.uk