2. Power, role and status
In Australia and other industrialised nations, it is usual practice for men and
women to work alongside one another, performing similar jobs.
However, this is unacceptable in some cultures in which a woman would not
work alongside a man unless he was her husband.
A successful female executive used to leading business negotiations at
strategically high levels for her organisation may need to relinquish her
leadership role in favour of a male executive—even one of a lower rank—
when transacting international business in some countries.
This is because of the way certain cultures conceptualise the role of women
in business and society.
What do you think of this???
4. Business Appointments
Most people in Australia try to arrive at appointments
slightly ahead of time. If kept waiting too long, people
feel insulted and angry, and may even cancel the
appointment.
However, in Latin America, being late to an
appointment is not
uncommon and in France, appointments change as
conditions change, making long-term planning difficult.
In the Middle East, Muslims pray five times a day
either in mosques, offices or at home, and on Fridays,
males must attend congregational prayers.
Appointments must therefore be planned around
prayer times.
5. Business meetings
In Australia, it is common to schedule set
times for meetings, such as 9–10 am, and
circulate agenda items prior to the meeting so
that attendees know exactly what is to be
discussed.
These types of meetings are scheduled at all
times throughout the day, from early morning
through to late afternoon, and it is not unusual
for some meetings to start or finish late.
6. Business meetings (cont’d)
However the Germans and British are very
strict about their meeting protocols, including
start time, points of discussion and finishing
time
While in the Middle East meetings are often
described as chaotic, with issues being raised
by anyone at any time, with no structured
agenda or expected outcomes.
7. Decision-making protocols
Generally, Australians prefer to negotiate agreements
and sign contracts in the knowledge that there is
recourse to law for justice should an agreement be
broken.
Other cultures, such as the Middle Eastern cultures,
place more significance and value on someone’s word,
which is considered a direct reflection upon their honour
—contracts, therefore, are not considered legal, binding
agreements but rather a means of gaining shared
understanding of how business is to be transacted.
Individualism is valued in some cultures and many
Western managers are frequently given the authority to
negotiate directly with foreign counterparts, signing
contracts and sealing business deals.
8. However, in Japan and China, for example, the
group process is more important than the
individual because decisions are made
collectively, as opposed to individually.
In Brazil, a well-connected facilitator is usually
needed to make things happen in business, with
an inclination for long-term relationships and
commitments to exist before any agreements can
be reached.
This is also true in China, where a business
intermediary who understands the legal system
and business networks is seen as an essential
component when trying to build business
relationships.
