Business Tips

Meeting and greeting successfully—Italy

Meeting and greeting successfully—Italy In Italian, the expression bella figura refers to the ability to present yourself and behave formally. This skill is very important in business, meaning that your appearance and that of all the documents you present should be aesthetically pleasing. Pay great attention to detail when you prepare materials to share with your Italian colleagues. Your business cards should be well made, in both Italian and your home language. A solid, professional appearance is vital. A safe …
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Making appointments and the concept of time—the Middle East

Making appointments & the concept of time—the Middle East When doing business in the Middle East, one of the first things you may notice is the different time horizon and the importance of the past and the present. According to Geert Hofstede, Middle Eastern countries scored generally low on the Long-term Orientation scale. This means that time is perceived to be Circular. Events are believed to repeat, the same way the earth rotates around the sun, and thus special attention …
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Business and dining etiquette—Japan

Business & dining etiquette—Japan Like in most cultures, meals can really help relationship building in Japan. If invited to dinner in Japan, you should learn a few phrases in Japanese to show your host respect. Key phrases are itadakimasu at the beginning and goschisousama deshita at the termination of a meal. The word to use when toasting is kampai and when drinking, the glass is never left unfilled. Drinking is viewed as a way to relieve the stress that comes …
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Business relationships and negotiation—South Africa

Business relationships & negotiation—South Africa South Africa is a very diverse country with a difficult history and a variety of nationalities. There is an array of cultures, all with different traditions and customs. Over eleven official languages are found here, including Afrikaans, Ndebele, Pedi, Shangaan, Sotho, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu. The business language, however, is English. Overall, South Africans are Western in culture and outlook. It is a fairly Masculine country on the Hofstede scale. South Africans value …
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Business relationships and negotiation—China

Business relationships & negotiation—China Out of all cultural dimensions, China ranks the highest on the Long-term Orientation scale, according to Geert Hofstede. It is at the same time one of the lowest on the Individualism scale; this is almost certainly due to the Communist rule. This means that the concept of time is Linear and importance is placed on perseverance and achievement. However, low scores on the Individualism scale suggest that the Chinese value collective goals over personal achievements. These …
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Virtual communications—the Middle East.

Virtual communications—the Middle East. Virtual communication is one of the most important parts of international commerce. It gives businesses the chance to conduct operations globally without having to physically move their offices. It may be one of the most basic elements in working abroad, because it helps reduce the need to travel and be on location for meetings. Despite all of the advantages that virtual communication offers, it does pose a few challenges for many organizations. It prevents people from …
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Business relationships and negotiation—Spain

Business relationships & negotiation—Spain Spain scored fairly low in the Masculinity dimension according to Hofstede. This means that the gap between gender roles is small. It also means that family and relationships are important to a Spaniard. Business takes time, because it requires a real relationship. Negotiations are thus long and tedious. Do not be alarmed if during meetings more than two people are speaking at once, as this is a normal part of the process. Doors are usually kept …
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Building successful business relationships—Italy

Building successful business relationships—Italy Italy is an extremely diverse country that is divided into twenty distinct regions, each with its own customs, dialects, and traditions. It is important to understand this fact in order to be successful in Italy. On the Hofstede scale, Italy scored high in Individualism; however, this does not imply that the wellbeing of the individual is placed above that of the group. It is instead a type of individualism that is centered on families. A highly …
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