Many congratulations to my Colleague from the Transcultural Business Group who has successfully accomplished climbing the seven peaks of the world. Ania Lichota, who was born in Poland, has just reached the summit of Mount Everest and sent intercultural greetings from the roof top of the world. See more spectacular photos…

The ‘Faces the Mediterranean’ exhibition is a regular event
taking  place in April and May each year. It’s part of the Anna Lindh National Networks of Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, Lebanon, Bulgaria and Cyprus, which aims at engaging with young people and with individuals from migrant backgrounds. Watch the video…

Today, UK businesses are very different from 20 years ago.
However, there is still some hierarchy in British firms, with a distinctive difference between the status of Executives and managers, with most executives having secretaries. But contrary to many articles you’ll read about the Brits and their working practices, they have become much more egalitarian with flatter organisational structures. And, NO! bowler hats and pinstripe suits are rarely seen…

 

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1. Learn something about the country, local customs, and cultural sensitivities to avoid making faux pas while abroad. Get a good grasp of why understanding cross-cultural differences is important in global business.

2. Always err on the side of formality and conservatism. Be low-key in dress, manners, and behaviour. Very few countries are casual in approach. The Australians are the most casual.

China is a crazy, beautiful, frustrating, enlightening, contradictory,
wonderful place. But whether you are doing business in China or entertaining visitors from that part of the world, it is important to understand Chinese business etiquette so that you can save ‘face’ and the ‘face’ of others. Watch this instructional video for a good insight into the behaviours you should be aware of…

Communicating successfully across cultures to  multicultural
audiences isn’t just about the linguistic differences , but rather about the attitudes that lie behind them, and the cultural values that give rise to those attitudes. Most importantly, it is about the true identification of how to adjust your mindset to ‘fit’ others. Here are my tips on how to do so…

But they all speak English, don’t they?”
This is the most frequent excuse we in Britain use for not learning foreign languages, whether we are tourists in Spain or representing a business trying to exploit the German market. To a large extent, it is true that many more people in Europe speak and understand English than speak and understand, for example, Czech. With several universities dramatically cutting the provision of language courses, it is perhaps time to re-evaluate the value of foreign language training to SMEs (small-to-medium-sized businesses) in Britain, especially when 11% of UK SMEs claimed they had lost a significant contract owing to a lack of language skills…

The average size of a bribe in Russia nearly tripled between
2008 and 2009 and officials there accepted a whopping $33.5 billion in bribes from Russian companies last year, according to a new Russian government report cited in the St. Petersburg Times….

to see the Cultural Whole.

By Matthew Hill

When we think of “culture”, we may see pictures, remember what we were taught in a geography class in school or think that sophisticated stereotypes represent the values and behaviours of a country and its people.

A large body of culture specialists exist working in this area including – academics, students and practitioners. Some of them are now feeling frustrated or even trapped by cultural oversimplifications. Psychometric tests, models and questionnaires appear to reduce and limit the individual or team being measured…

By

Beauty Bogwasi

Dumelang, bagaetsho ( Hello all) These little words can save your life in Botswana. Greetings are key and pivotal in Botswana culture. Oh, sorry you are probably wondering where in the world is that! Botswana is the land of diamonds and game. It was first spoken in Botswana!