You probably have heard about an old saying ‘When in Rome,
so as Romans do,’ right? It is an expression as old as time itself, and it
refers to following habits according to
the place where you are at any given
moment. This is something that applies to any man or woman who travels abroad,
but when it comes to business, that applies even more so. Why? Because business
etiquette can dictate how a deal will end, and not abiding a country’s business
customs can get someone offended. That is not something one wants during a
business trip. However, you must keep in mind that every country is different,
so here are some of them who have unusual business customs.
South Korea
You would think that business is all about business, but
that is not always the case. Some countries, such as South Korea, like to mix
business with pleasure. As a result, do not be surprised if you went on business to South Korea and invited to
a karaoke place. So, if you engage in business
with South Koreans, prepare yourself to sing. You do not have to worry about
the fact that you are not very good at it. Generally, Karaoke venues provide
private rooms, and you have to sing badly only in front of the party you are
with. Also, you can expect your new business partners to skip a song after the
first verse and chorus. That way they can sing more songs in the allotted time.
France
Apart from the fact that lunches there last for two hours,
you need to learn some French before you engage in business with the French. Of
course, nobody expects you to be fluent or anything, but you need to at least
learn how to apologize for your lack of fluency. Learning some greetings and
other such expression will also be taken as a sign of good faith. So, before
going to France on business, make sure that you know more than ‘omelette du
fromage.’
Italy
If by any chance you need to close a business transaction
with Italians,you need to be prepared for
some serious bonding. And I mean that on a personal level. Italians are
passionate people, and they value a good
and trustworthy relationship before engaging in business with a foreigner. You
will spend time getting to know your business partners to be. The funny part is
that by doing so, and really investing in it, has the potential of bringing you
even more success than being a
hard-working bee.
China
Chinese people are lenient, but if there is one thing you
need to remember is that you need to come bearing gifts. However, you should
know that you will be refused a few times before your gift is accepted. Nevertheless, you need to keep on insisting until
that happens. It is a common thing in China for gifts
to be refused at least three times before acceptance, and in some cases, it is
expected. It is a sign of humility, and the Chinese want you to know that they
appreciate the fact that you went out of your way to buy a gift. If you are
given a gift, you need to do the same.
The list can go on for pages, and each country has its own
business etiquette, unusual or not. The important thing is for you to do your
research every time before you leave for a
foreigncountry so that your
travels are successful. In another light, do not forget about documentation. Some states require a visa. That
is for you to find out in each case.
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