This document provides information about business etiquette and culture in Turkey. It discusses that having proper Turkish business etiquette can help gain more clients and partners. Key aspects of Turkish business culture include building strong personal relationships, taking time to meet with potential partners for entertainment, being punctual for meetings while respecting religious holidays, and negotiating deals through a slow decision making process. Gift giving is not common in a business setting but giving souvenirs from your home country is acceptable. Bribery and corruption still exist but the government is working to address this issue.

1. Intercultural Communication
Presentation

2. Introduction
Having a proper Turkish business
etiquette allows a business to gain more
clients and partners in Turkish business
community
With globalization, being confident in
practicing proper business etiquette in
Turkey allows you to achieve success
Turkish businessmen want a strong
appreciation and , respect and loyalty

3. Facts and statistics
The capital of Turkey is Ankara
Main cities: Ankara, Istanbul,
and Adana
Population: 75 million
Main Language: Turkish
Currency” Turkish Lira: Major
religion: Islam

4. Contrasts and paradoxes
Turkey is a secular state but 90% of the population are
Muslims
The culture is very tradition but also modern
It is a men’s culture but still women are in senior roles
There is a growing middle class

5. The Turkish people
Emotional Patriarchal Little private
space
Friendly Focused on
relationships
Respect for elders

6. Business culture
 Turks take time to meet foreign businessmen and
entertainment is part of a normal process
 Turks are genuinely welcoming and hospitable
 Visitors need to live to the image that they are respected
through their language, politeness and dress
 Turkish people are open to new ideas, hardworking,
innovative, and flexible
 They have a great crisis management but weak long-term
planning

7. Greetings
 Turkey is both a regal and ancient
country and hence earned titles are
valued
 Use titles where appropriate such as
professor, lawyer, engineer or manager
 When you greeting a Turk, use their first
name and then add “bey” for men and
“hanim” for women

8. Business Cards
 Use both hands when you are
exchanging business cards
 Business cards should always be
printed one side in Turkish and the
other in English
 Present all your business materials in
both English and Turkish to show your
colleagues that you appreciate them

9. Timing
 Always try to be punctual and if you
will delay, notify your Turkish friends
 Avoid scheduling meetings during
Ramazan or Ramadan
 Avoid scheduling meetings August and
July as they are the most valued
vacation months
 During vacation, most Turks spend
more time with families

10. Turkish Dress
 Always dress conservatively
 Men and women should always wear suits
 During summer avoid wearing jackets and ties since the
weather tends to be too hot and humid
 Outside large cities and specifically in Eastern Turkey,
dress more conservatively
 Women should always cover their legs and arms and men
should always wear long pants

11. Body language
When in Turkey, never point the sole of your feet towards
an individual
Turks have a small area of personal space and hence stand
closer than most foreigners
In Turkey, putting a thumb between the first 2 fingers is
equivalent to raising the middle finger in the US

12. Business meetings
 Presentations should be short and
concise
 Always go to a meeting with a
structured proposal
 During presentations make use of
graphics, and diagrams and void too
much texts
 Proposals should always show how you
are both going to benefit mutually

13. Business Meetings Cont..
 In Turkey the decision making
process is slow
 A foreigner always meet with lower
ranking employees of a company
first to prove that they are a
trustworthy business partners
 Eventually, you meet with senior
members of a company

14. After the meeting
Business discussions and negotiations go on even after a
meeting before a business deal is sealed
After a business meeting, maintain personal contacts and
share every relevant information about the project
Turkish people believe in agreements made by a partner
through oral commitment than actual documentation
Do not bring a legal representative in a negotiation table
since it is considered as a sign of distrust

15. Negotiation
 In Turkey everything is negotiable
 Negotiation process is sometimes long
 Never put a Turkish businessman under pressure or add
deadlines
 Being patient in negotiations in Turkey is key
 Financial benefits are less emphasized in a business
negotiation as compared to influence, power, respect and
other non-financial incentive

16. Negotiation cont.…
 Turks are tough negotiators and hence you must be
prepared to leave some room for compromising
 When both parties arrive at a reasonable compromise,
then it should be presented as a deal
 Be open as much as possible during negotiation
 If a Turk senses you are hiding something, they will reject
the deal

17. Gift giving
In a business setup, giving gifts is not
practiced
However, when you decide to give a gift,
it is not considered as an insult
But avoid giving expensive gifts only
chose souvenir from your home country
Never give alcohol as a gift since Turkey
is a Muslim country
ALCOHOL

18. Relationships
 Most businesses in Turkey are family-owned and hence
nepotism is common
 Despite globalization, the business culture is still personal
 Business success is based on the ability of the business
person to build effective relationships
 Turks want to do business with people they can trust and
feel comfortable about
 Direct communication is preferred as compared to phone
calls and emails

19. Bribery and Corruption
 Corruption and bribery are still common in Turkey despite
the government taking measures to fight it
 Transparency international ranks Turkey 54th in the
Corruption Perceptions Index the government is still
developing more efficient anti-fraud legislations as well as
enforcing them

20. Turkish Cultural Tips
 Turkey is a largely Muslim country and hence
Islam dictates 5 prayer times every day
 Always schedule important meetings aware
of these times
 When you go to a restaurant with a Turkish
friend, remember that the host always pays
the bills
 Turks do not split the bills
 When you offer to pay bills, you will be
refused, instead offer to host the person
another time

21. Cultural Tips Cont.….
 Building strong business relationship
is critical for a businessman in Turkey
 Business relationships in Turkey are
solidified over lunch or dinner
 During your first meeting, it is an
opportunity for your and the Turkish
friend to know each other

22. Helpful hints
 Turks are likely to ask business partner what most
Americans consider as personal questions including their
age and salary
 However, only ask such questions when you have
developed a strong relationship with your Turkish partner
 Conservative attitudes towards women are prevent in
Turkey