This document provides information about business culture and doing business in the UK. It discusses the UK's education system, which values undergraduate degrees and has many highly ranked universities. It also discusses cultural norms in the UK, such as valuing politeness and privacy. When doing business in the UK, it is important to be patient and respect these cultural values to develop strong business relationships over the long term.

1. Report about :
The UK citizen Culture
1-Brief
2- Xenophobia: being a foreigner in the UK
3- International business in the UK
4- Educational standards
5- Transportation
6- Cultural taboos
Prepared by:
Reem Abo Elmakarem
TO:
Eng. Mohamed Amin
Emerging Media UK
SQA
Ref. :
http://businessculture.org/northern-europe/uk-
business-culture/
www.businessculture.org
Media links:
https://youtu.be/ldzHbSV5eJA

2. Business culture in the UK
Business culture in the UK is characterised by
business communication,
business etiquette,
business meeting etiquette,
internship and student placements,
cost of living,
work-life-balance
and social media guide.
The acronym UK is the abbreviated form of “United Kingdom” or officially the
“United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”.
The UK is made up of four countries:
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and is a member of the
European Union (EU).
The term UK is often confused with “Britain” or “Great Britain”, which actually
refer to England, Scotland and Wales without Northern Ireland. To add to
the confusion, citizens of the UK are called British.
The UK is located in the north-western part of Europe and covers an area
of 243,610 km2 (94,060 mi2). The home nations (England, Wales and
Scotland) and the north-eastern part of Ireland (Northern Ireland) are based
on the two large islands of Great Britain. The only land border that the UK
shares with Europe is in Ireland, where Northern Ireland shares a border
with the Republic of Ireland also known as Eire.
The UK is surrounded by water,
the English Channels to the south, the Irish Sea to the west, the Atlantic
Ocean to the northwest and the North Sea to the East.
London is the capital of the UK, and is also the country’s largest city, in
terms of population, and one of the most influential centers in world politics,
finance and culture.

3. The 2011 UK census estimated the population of the UK to be over 63
million people.
There are two official languages in the UK, English and Welsh. However,
over 90% of the population speak English and for the most part Welsh is
only spoken in Wales. Other languages and regional dialects exist; for
example, Gaelic is spoken in some parts of Scotland, although it is not an
official language.
The UK can be described as a multi-faith society, although a majority of 59%
classed themselves as Christian in the 2011 census. The second most
prevalent religion is Muslim which is practised by approximately 5% of the
population.
The UK is in the Western European Time Zone and observes Greenwich
Mean Time (GMT) (CET – 1) during the winter months and British Summer
Time (BST) from March to October, to accommodate Daylight Saving
Time (DST).
All four seasons are experienced throughout the UK, although the climate and
temperatures vary according to region. Winters are usually damp and
cold, especially in Scotland, with lots of snow particularly in the
mountainous areas of the North. Summers are moderately warm and wet.
Being an island, rain is a persistent feature for the majority of the country with
the North West being the wettest and the South East tending to be the driest.
For further information, please see below:
 General information:
o The British Council http://www.britishcouncil.org/ [en]
o BBC Facts about the UK: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-
europe-18023389 [en]
o Political and Economic environment
 The official site of the Prime Minister’s office
http://www.number10.gov.uk/ [en]
 The Economist: http://www.economist.com/topics/united-
kingdom [en]
 European Union: http://europa.eu/about-
eu/countries/member-
countries/unitedkingdom/index_en.htm [de] [en] [bg] [cs]
[da] [et] [el] [es] [fr] [ga] [it] [lv] [lt] [hu] [mt] [nl] [pl] [pt] [ro]
[sk] [sl] [fi] [sv]
 Statistical data
 2011 UK censuses:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-
method/census/2011/uk-census/index.html
 Datasets available from all central government departments and a
number of other public sector bodies and local authorities
http://data.gov.uk/ [en]

4. Xenophobia: being a foreigner in the UK
First of all, people in the UK do not like to be embarrassed. In many cases,
they simply fear they may say something that the other party finds offensive
or which results in misunderstanding. They reason therefore, that the best
way to avoid this uncertainty is not to start a conversation at all. Foreigners
often find conversations in the UK to be shorter and about general topics
such as the weather, which is always popular and often used as an
“icebreaker”.
The people of the UK value their privacy highly. Although they may appear
to be very open in public, the implicit message permeating the culture is
‘please do not interfere with my personal space’. Although the UK is
multi-cultural, this privacy requirement forces many people to be rather wary
of making new friends. If a foreigner really wants to adapt to British culture
and make some valuable connections, they need to be patient and realize
that creating such friendships may take longer than anticipated. The high
value put on personal space is also visible in everyday life, as when people
will avoid sitting next to someone else on a bus or apologize if they touch
someone accidentally.
Foreign business partners may find that their UK counterparts may even be
too polite. People in the UK do not normally criticize or openly complain in
public; or even provide negative feedback, when asked for their honest
opinion, irrespective of whether or not such comments are warranted. It is
therefore essential to read between the lines and seek out the honest
opinions of relevant parties. Similarly, foreign business partners need to
ensure that they are sending a clear message, so that there is no room for
assumptions and no hidden meanings that could be misinterpreted. The
British also value politeness and courtesy and, as a matter of course, will
express a significant amount of respect when interacting in a business
situation, either out of sincerity or simply because they are adhering to cultural
norms.
Generally, it is probably impossible to develop a thorough understanding of
British culture during a short business trip. In order to develop a valuable
business relationship with your UK counterparts, you should take a long-
term approach, respect their values of privacy and politeness, and look
for shared interests.
International business in the UK
This section examines the general business environment of the UK. The first
section will focus on the attitudes and values of the people. The second

5. section will concentrate on the education system, training and placements
in the UK, with particular emphasis on business-related matters.
General educations
Education is of a very high standard in the United Kingdom, where the
majority (74% of adults aged 25-64) have achieved the equivalent of a high-
school diploma. A significant proportion of the population go on to acquire a
university education, where a typical undergraduate degree can be attained in
three years, in contrast to most other European countries where
undergraduate study normally lasts for five years. An undergraduate
degree also known as a Bachelor’s degree may be undertaken in any
subject, primarily within the schools of Art (BA) or Science (BSc), and is the
pre-requisite for entry onto a Master’s degree program.
A Master’s degree can normally be completed in twelve months (full time)
or two years (part-time) and is usually necessary for acceptance onto a
doctoral program or PhD. A Master’s degree in Business Administration
(MBA) is often a stepping stone for professionals who wish to advance into
a management role within their respective company or industry.
Generally, undergraduate degrees are seen as a basic entry qualification to a
career and many business professionals seem to put greater emphasis on the
status acquired through experience rather than academic achievements. This
is even more evident amongst the more senior staff of an organization.
Therefore, the use of academic titles is uncommon in signatures or on
business cards. Very often this is in contrast to the practice in many other
European countries where to gain a respected professional status, success
needs to be based on a solid academic background.
With respect to computer literacy, it is possible to conclude that the younger
your colleagues are, the greater the chances of them being proficient and
experienced, although there are exceptions.
For further information, please see below:
 UK Education System:
http://uk.internationalstudent.com/study_uk/education_system/ [en]
 Education System in the UK:
http://www.kaplaninternational.com/resources/education-system/uk-
guide.aspx [en] [cz] [de] [es] [fr] [it] [pl] [tr]
 High School equivalent comparison
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_school [en]
Educational standards
The UK’s Higher Education System is one of the most developed in the world
with some of the leading universities educating business leaders in Business
and Management Schools. Due to the highly developed private school
education system, comparisons between schools are usually made, especially

6. as to whether someone went to a private or public school (fee paying) or a
State school (free of charge). These decisions are made by parents, and in
the majority of cases are based on financial factors (private education in elite
schools such as Eton, Harrow and Marlborough is very expensive), and often
shape the destiny of their pupils. Overall, quality indicators of the educational
system, in reading literacy, maths and science, as part of the Programme for
International Student Assessment (PISA), are currently slightly above the
OECD average.
OECD Better Life Index: United Kingdom:
http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/united-kingdom/
Other issues such as transport infrastructure
For the success of your business endeavours, it is essential to use the correct
terminology when referring to the national identity of your counterparts. It is
advisable to call people coming from Scotland “Scottish” (not ‘Scotch’
which should only be used when referring to whisky), those from Ireland
“Irish”, those from Northern-Ireland “Northern Irish” and those born in
Wales “Welsh”. Calling some members of these nationalities “English” may
produce surprise or resentment.
Transportation
Travelling By Public Transport
Major cities in the UK have an integrated transport system combining a rail
network, tram or metro system with buses and taxis. Outlying and rural areas
are predominantly served by bus services, where frequency and reliability
often depend on the profitability of an individual route.
Travelling By Train
The UK has a comprehensive national rail network, which is privatized and
different routes are operated by a number of private companies. It is normal
for tickets for intercity routes to be purchased in advance for specific journey
times, often with reserved seating. Tickets for short journeys using a regional
network are typically purchased as Day Returns at the time of travel and
are available from machines or ticket offices at the departure station or
from a conductor on board the train.
For details and latest train routes and timetables contact National Rail
Enquiries: http://nationalrail.co.uk [en]
To purchase tickets online:
http://www.thetrainline.com [en]
Travelling by Taxi

7. The traditional British taxi is also referred to as a hackney carriage, London
Taxi or Black Cab. These are different from private hire vehicles, also referred
to as minicabs or private hire, which are licensed to carry people. Hackney
carriages have special dispensation to be able to be hailed on the street or
hired from a taxi rank. However, minicabs may not be hailed on the street and
some can only be used if pre-booked. A tip of 10% is normally given on top
of the fare.
To find a cab service that serves an area near a certain train station:
http://www.traintaxi.co.uk/ [en]
Travelling By Car
The UK is a densely populated country with a road network of varying quality
and capacity. Unlike most other European countries, people drive on the left
hand side of the road in the UK. This is not a problem if you are arriving from
mainland Europe and intending to hire a car, but it is something to be aware
of as it may cause confusion, especially in rural areas or where roads are
unmarked. There are a few toll roads and bridges and congestion zones in
Central London and Durham that foreign drivers should be aware of, but most
roads are free of charge.
Seat belts must be worn all the time whilst driving and also by all passengers
both front and back. You can legally use hands-free phones, satellite
navigation systems and 2-way radios when you are driving. However, if the
police consider that you might be distracted and not in control of your vehicle
whilst operating these tools beware – you could still be stopped and fined.
The UK has very strict alcohol limits for drivers, it is advised especially if
you are driving in a foreign country to not drink and drive since the
penalties are severe.
For further information:
 https://www.gov.uk/drink-drive-limit
 https://www.gov.uk/using-mobile-phones-when-driving-the-law
Travelling By Plane
As a global centre for international trade, the UK has a number of international
airports. Major cities such as London have several airports and all have
excellent bus or train connections to local and regional transport networks.
The Airport Guides:
http://www.airportguides.co.uk

8. Cultural taboos
Although the United Kingdom has a generally open culture, there are some
behaviors and topics that are best avoided, particularly at the beginning of a
relationship.
Behaviors to avoid:
 greeting strangers with a kiss
 gestures such as backslapping and hugging strangers
 spiting in public
 Asking personal or intimate questions such as “How much money do
you earn?” or “Why did you divorce?”
Discussion topics to avoid

9.  The historical conflict in Northern Ireland
 Religion (especially if you are in Northern Ireland, Glasgow or
Liverpool)
 The monarchy and the Royal Family
 Partisan politics
 The European Union, ‘Brussels’ and the Euro
 The Middle East
 Personal questions about a person’s background, religion,
occupation.
 Class and the class system
 Race and immigration
 Age
 Children
 Appearance or weight
 Money (“How much do you earn?”)
 Crime
 Criticism or complaints in general
You should also be aware that many of these questions are regulated in the
business environment under various employment and equality laws that are
designed to prevent discrimination in the workplace.