In South Asia the countries have a common colonial heritage South Asia
and many of the prevailing attitudes derive from that heritage. The richer, more educated people are very elitist and the poorer classes are very conscious of knowing their place in the multilayered social structure. They accept bribery as a part of normal exchange and view it as commission, not corruption. All these attitudes impact greatly the way business is carried out, with whom, and how things get done.

India is vast with many different cultures, religions and cultures.  Referred to as one of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) it has a fast-growing developing economy. Vast numbers of highly educated, numerate, English-speaking young people have supplied the necessary workforce for a growing high-tech knowledge economy. The modern India, with its Bollywood films, sits firmly by the side of its third world old India.

So far in this section you’ll find the  Top Ten Tips for doing business in four countries of South Asia, along with opening times, holiday dates and festivities. These are: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma).

The Middle East comprises Iran, eight Arab states (all Muslim), middle east
and Israel (Jewish). The Lebanon refers to itself as an Arab country but is half Arab and half Christian.

The Muslim world is a very strict society and it is essential that you observe Islamic politeness and decorum. The United Arab Emirates are less strict and very cosmopolitan; though still adhere to Muslim values. Segregation of the sexes is an important feature of the Arab world.  Men – DO NOT under any circumstances touch an Arab woman or make direct eye contact with her. No one should behave in public in a flirtatious or affectionate manner – not even married couples. Alcohol is prohibited in most parts of the Middle East and gambling is considered evil.

Women should always be very modestly and conservatively dressed, often covered fully by a burka (a long black coat, with or without a veil).  Skirts below the knee, high collars and long sleeves are required. You should check on any practice regarding wearing a long scarf for hair cover. There are special areas for Westerners where ‘normal’ dress, behaviour and customs are allowed out of sight of the locals. The United Arab Emirates (Dubai) and The Lebanon (Beirut) are the exceptions; they accept ‘western’ dress and behaviour, Saudi Arabai does not.

So far in this section you’ll find the  Top Ten Tips for doing business in five countries of the Middle East along with opening times, holiday dates and festivities. These are: United Arab Emirates, The Lebanon, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia,  and Israel.

People in the Far East are NOT casual so be very respectfulFar East
of their way of dressing; if you do not conform they will think you are being disrespectful. The Chinese have seven layers of wrapping presents, so wrapping YOU should be equally important- it’s all about FACE. The dominant feature of business practice is your Personal Network: based on duty, obligation and trust.

So far in this section you’ll find the  Top Ten Tips for doing business in five countries of East Asia, along with opening times, holiday dates and festivities. These are: China, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, and Myanmar (Burma). 

Russia: a vast country crossing eleven time zones, peopled by many Russia
ethnic groups, with its culture deeply rooted in traditions from the East and West.  Russians have an egalitarian work ethic and are suspicious of those who ‘make good’. There is a general distrust of authority after years of autocratic rule. Many things are still in short supply but can be obtained on the black market. People still talk about the intelligentsia, and visits to the opera and ballet are common in all walks of life.

So far in this section you’ll find the  Top Ten Tips for doing business in Russia, along with opening times, holiday dates and festivities.

The United States and Canada are two very different countries. north america
However, they both value independence and action, and they are geared to highly-paced change. Achievement of personal goals, wealth and prestige are driving factors for them both. Canadians, however, are much more interested in substance and facts, and are serious of content and purpose. This is the French influence on them. Canadians view themselves as the ‘younger brother’ to the USA, but do NOT want to be mistaken for Americans. Canada is very multicultural with the immigrant population seeing themselves as Canadians first.

So far in this section you’ll find the  Top Ten Tips for doing business in the US and Canada, along with opening times, holiday dates and festivities.

Europe is now generally defined by it’s 47 countries thougheurope
only 27 of them are European Union members and even fewer are in the Euro Zone. Ancient Greece is considered to be the birthplace of Western Civilisation and its legacy has influenced ‘The West’.  However, Europe has its own cultural divides as mentioned below.

So far in this section you’ll find the  Top Ten Tips for doing business, along with opening times, holiday dates and festivities for the following countries: Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia, Macedonia, and Hungary.

The North/South Divide

There is a distinct difference between the southern countries of Europe and the Northern ones. In the south, the pace of business is much slower and unpredictable. Time is to be enjoyed. Relationships and emotions play a large part in influencing the success of business deals. Both Italy and Spain have adopted a more time-efficient/’professional’ approach to business to compete in a globalised world, so cannot be defined by the old stereotype of  ‘maňana.  However, the pace of life is much slower than in Northern Europe. The southern countries are sometimes regarded as not being completely trustworthy; this is because their values-system is about pleasing you and is very different from the rule-bounded north. August is the holiday month.

The Nordic Countries

The Nordic Countries are very different from the rest of Europe in their attitudes and behaviour and it is useful to mention this at the outset. The Nordic region comprises Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland and their associated territories. (Scandanavia comprises Norway, Sweden and Denmark). They are all driven by a strong work ethic, are exceptionally honest, and are very tolerant of people who are different from them. The two things they deplore are bribery/corruption (dishonest) and tardiness (disrespectful). They believe in working towards the common good and looking after those who are more unfortunate than themselves. However, they are ‘straight’ talkers and this can be seen as being very brusque. July is the holiday month.

Eastern Europe and the Balkans

The speed of thinking and working is a lot, lot slower than in Western Europe.  Although people use e-mail, their use of technology may not be as frequent. It is difficult to get a firm commitment to a meeting; this is a power play. You will be asked to phone on the day, then again later in the morning, and again in the afternoon. A typical response is: “I may be busy, so I can’t tell you now”. Business activity grinds to a near halt during the latter part of July and most of August for extended summer holidays. You need to know how to get around the gatekeepers. Bribing is common place and people are suspicious of you if you do not participate. Don’t get frustrated at the amount of time spent drinking coffee during the working day.

In Central America ‘Machismo’ and the public ‘face’ of a man cent america
are of overriding importance in this part of the world. Honour and pride, trust and relationships, are the driving factors in business. Status is the motivator. Time is fluid. Women are not regarded as equals and men feel it is their right to make decisions for them.

So far in this section you’ll find the  Top Ten Tips for doing business, along with opening times, holiday dates and festivities for the following countries: Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.

Australia and New Zealand follow western business practices, Australasia
place heavy emphasis on individuality and adhere to the ‘norms’ of British business. People speak of Australia as being very ‘out going’ and relaxed, whilst New Zealand is seen as being rather like Britain was twenty years ago. Few Aussies/New Zealanders people speak any other language than English though there is a large East Asian immigrant community in Australia.In terms of language, aA very distinct accent and slang has developed ‘down under’ which can be difficult for non-native speakers of English, used to American T.V., to understand. Best times to visit on business are February to May or October to November.

In this section you’ll find the  Top Ten Tips for doing business, along with opening times, holiday dates and festivities for Australia and New Zealand

Africa is such a huge continent with a great cultural mix that Africa
generalisations would be too sweeping to be of any value.  However, be aware that a colonial past has influenced many countries in the way they conduct business and make decisions, and form attitudes. The main colonists were the British, Dutch, French, and Portuguese. Resurgent African traditions, old world ways, and newly found independence are creating new and exciting business cultures. The overriding criterion for successful business transactions is a well-founded relationship. Commissions, tipping and ‘oiling the wheels’ (bribes) are common practices in most parts.

So far in this section you’ll find the  Top Ten Tips for doing business, along with opening times, holiday dates and festivities for the following countries: Egypt, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Senegal, and Nigeria.

The Finnish-British Chamber of Commerce organised a lecture together with the traditional Shrove Tuesday Lunch at Garbo’s Restaurant with over 30 participants.  Dr. Deborah Swallow,deb a cross culture specialist from 4C International Limited, gave us a presentation on how to present internationally.

According to Deborah Swallow presenting to international audiences has its own tricks. One should always keep in mind the expectations of the audience. Cultural differences in the audience affect greatly how people react to the presentation and whether or not the message of the presentation is received.

According to Dr. Swallow adapting your way of presenting according to the audience is the key in communicating the message properly. Understanding the differences is important because we need to meet the expectations of our listeners. Whether we want to sell a product or a service or introduce a change in working practices, we need to create rapport with our target audience.

The history of every culture shapes the way of communication for example; many of us can for example recognize the basic difference between the Finns and the Brits. Finns as Members of Nordic countries are concentrated on fact-based propositions while a British audience is instead eager to hear the benefits offered to them. In Nordic countries the communication is very informal when in the UK the titles are very important. A Finnish audience is also much quieter compared to a British one.

An audience is rarely an example of the two extremes, but rather somewhere between them. But one should be aware of whether your audience comes from an individualist or collectivist background, whether they think conceptually or associatively, and whether their language is expressed by doing, thinking or being.

According to Dr. Swallow Finnish people are seen to rely rather on logic with their attitudes and thinking than with emotional appeals. One should still keep in mind that emotions are an important part of communication in many cultures. For instance with Latinos you’ll have to win the hearts of the listeners instead appealing to their logic. Americans love giving powerful and emotional presentations. They aim to tell stories that appeal to the listener’s emotions. “Tell a story to your audience because it will last more than facts”- they believe.

Dr. Swallow also gave us few good tips of the usage of humour in international presentations. In the USA it is common to start a business presentation with a joke and it is a good way to break the ice. The French enjoy playing with language and admire those who can make linguistic jokes in French. In Britain humour is often used to connect with the listener and to create a rapport or to soften a conflict or a crisis. In contradiction, Germans dislike humour in serious business contexts and in Japan humour might be seen as a lack of respect for the situation.

However, Dr. Swallow advised us Finns to appeal to the minds and hearts of our international audiences and to keep in mind that being different does not mean being better or worse!

Finn-British Chamber of Commerce (published March 2009)