Doing Business Globally

Doing
Business
Globally
Saturday, 21 December 13

Your level of cultural competence
and intelligence will determine
your success in global business.
W ieke Gur
Wieke G

Photograpy by Getty images iStock


com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Senior managers in France are
likely to socialize with people
of like status from other
companies.
France
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Personal visits are important to
Indonesians. They do not take well to
emails, telephone calls or messages.
Show up in person whenever possible.
In do nes ia
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

In negotiating with Estonians,
professionalism is expected.
Decisions are reached quicker
when facts are known.
Estonia
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

For self-introductions in a meeting,
Belarusians tend to present their formal title
and social position rather than speaking of
their specific activities, qualities or interests.
Belar us
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

A comment made by a Japanese business
person with the words, "By the way..." is
a clue that he or she may be getting
down to a serious business discussion.
Japan
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Before making decisions, Germans
wish to have as many detailed facts
about projects as possible, rather
than acting on their intuition.
Ger many
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

In the Netherlands, commitments are
taken seriously and honored. Do not
promise anything or make an offer
you are not planning to deliver on.
Nether lands
Wieke G

Photograpy by DeNISIO. Stock.xchng.


com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Tea is always served at meetings. Do not
drink until your host takes the first sip.
When a host leaves the tea untouched
that means it’s the end of the meeting.
Hong Kong
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Business is discussed in a sauna not
in a boardroom. A business lunch
may be followed by a sauna. And
all Finns sauna naked.
Finland
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Business cards should be printed in English
on one side and Chinese on the other. Make
sure that the Chinese side uses "classical"
characters, not "simplified" characters.
Taiwan
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Spanish is the language of business.
Hire an interpreter - preferably a
native speaker - who understands the
language as it is spoken in Mexico.
Mexico
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

In a business meeting, seating is
very important. The host always
sits to the left of the most important
guest.
China
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

With a "take it or leave it" attitude, Filipinos
often place less stress on the absolute selling
price. They place more emphasis on unit
cost, percentages, or rounded figures.
Philippines
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Don’t call a Swiss businessperson
at home unless there is an
emergency. It is not acceptable.
Switzer land
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Third-party contacts are important
to business success. It is advisable to
hire a local distributor, a salesperson,
a representative, and/or a lawyer.
Colombia
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

The Board of Directors is the source of
power and the principal decision making
unit in a company. Formal approval of
the board is required for most decisions.
United Kingdom
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Many Arabs prefer "win-lose-strategies" in
negotiations and business dealings. They
interpret "win-win techniques" as a lack of
personal power and authority.
Gulf Arabs
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Americans are very comfortable picking up
the telephone and immediately conducting
business with someone they have never met
and perhaps never will meet.
United States
Wieke G

Photograpy by darrendean. Stock.xchng.


com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Individual connections are not as important
as in many other Asian countries. No one
holds absolute power to make a decision. Do
not rely on one person to safeguard your
interests.
Vietnam
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Top management is often family. Who
you know is important. Foreigners
with powerful connections are
respected. Planning is short-term.
Thailand
Wieke G

Photograpy by guitargoa. Stock.xchng.


com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Avoid playing an April's fool trick on
your colleagues. In Arab countries,
April's Fool tricks are played by
schoolchildren.
Levantine Arabs
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

A low, deep bow from Koreans at the end
of a meeting indicates a successful
meeting. A quick, short parting bow could
mean dissatisfaction with meetings.
South Korea
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Always talk straight and get right to
the point with Singaporeans. You
can be direct when dealing with
issues of money.
Singapore
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Russian companies tend to be driven by one
strong central figure who will make strategic
decisions with little or no consultation with
anyone other than a handful of close trusted
advisors.
Russia
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

All business is family and relationship-based.
Every contact within an organisation is
important. A seemingly lowly employee may
prove to be a favoured relative of a senior
figure that can be of greater potential help.
Saudi Arabia
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Written contracts is less important than
personal trust. Your Malaysian
counterparts may try to renegotiate, even
after a written agreement has been drafted.
Malaysia
Wieke G

Photograpy by coineach - Stock.xchng.


com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

It is quite difficult to get people to commit to
meetings very much in advance. Argentines
prefer to be able to manage their time on a
week by week, day by day basis.
Argentina
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Important people do not attend
meetings unaccompanied in India. It
is a sign of not having status to
attend alone.
India
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Many companies in Egypt operate
according to Islamic law and have
a religious Supervisory Board
comprised of Islamic jurists.
Egypt
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Although the majority of businesses work in
English, having materials translated into
Afrikaans could make a good impression,
especially if you are working with an Afrikaans
company in areas like Bloemfontein or Pretoria.
South Africa
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Canadians get down to business
quickly. Meetings are well organized, and extraneous
discussion is kept to a minimum.
Canada
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Australians dislike oneupmanship. Don’t overplay
qualifications, rank or titles.
Australia
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

The organisation chart you are shown may not
reflect the way in which power actually flows within
the organisation. One's allegiance to an individual
may be considered of greater importance than any
reporting lines on an organisation chart.

Brazil
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Swedes respect someone who comes to them with
knowledge and experience. They are very detailoriented. They will evaluate you, your company
and your proposal. Plan and organized your
presentation meticulously and logically.
Sweden
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

The Danes are reasonably relaxed and
informal yet expect professional standards
of behaviour. They are a tolerant and
open-minded society. Any cross cultural
gaffe will not have terrible consequences.
Denmar k
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Norway is extremely non-hierarchical
in its approach to business structure.
Operation is placed on pragmatism and
the development of efficient systems.
Norway
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Italians believe that work should not be a
burden or taken too seriously. Pragmatism
and inclination to improvise are considered
keys to success. Protocol, rules and
organization are often ignored.
Italian
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Spain does not really have a meeting
culture. Meetings are to communicate
instructions or more consultative. They
like making decisions on their own.
Spain
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Don’t rely solely on facts, statistics and
other empirical evidence during
negotiation. Appealing to personal feelings
and sentiments can be just as effective.
Belgium
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Make sure that you will be met at the
airport by somebody you know or a
representative of the company you are
visiting. Personal safety is a real issue in
Nigeria.
Nigeria
Wieke G



com
- www.wiekegur.
usiness Strategist
l/B
ur - Cross Cultura

Contact us for more information on
cross-cultural business strategy.

w ie k eg ur.c om


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