30多个国家的商业文化business_cultrue.doc

在Leadership In Organization这门课里面，有一章是探讨culture，每个人都需要写三条给外国人在自己国家做生意的建议，老师最后搜集整理了发给了大家。因为是写给同学的，所以大多数都相当真实。非常有意思，也很revealing! 多读几个国家，youll be amazed by the the similarity and difference among different cultures!Tips for Doing Business in my CountryLondon Business School Class of Master in Management 2011 studentsAustria Punctuality is important It is very important to address Austrian business people with their title e.g. Dr. and their last name Avoid making appointments for the months of July and August as well as Austrian national holidaysBelgium Speak French or English Be aware of the cultural differences between Flanders and Wallonia Wages are quite high in Belgium Belgium has lots of highly educated people Be open to show willingness for compromise Dont ask questions about the countrys possible separation, we are tired of answering these questionsBelgium (Flanders) Try to address Flemish people in their own language Focus on the content. Flemish people do not care about form. Do not act overly socialBrazil Start small avoid risk Work with reliable agents bridge the culture Build relationships-meet the customersBulgaria To do business in Bulgaria you are advised to visit the country at least on several occasions. Personal treatment is very important for building relationships and trust and if you do not manage to build such relationships you might stumble reaching business agreements. Be prepared to deal with bureaucracy. However, if you know the “right person”, starting a business might be easier. Therefore, build your network on a local level. Laws protect trademarks, copyrights and patents and ensure equal treatment of both foreign and domestic investors. However the legal system functions slowly, so youd better not get involved in court disputes.Canada Be open and welcoming Be friendly People are very polite and you are expected to be polite too Canadians tend to say “sorry” a lot Ethical practice is most important Watch out for cultural differences Canada is a multicultural country Canada is officially a bilingual country (English and French). French dominates the province of Quebec Canada is very multicultural and promotes diversity impact on customer segmentation and advertising (e.g. labels must be in French and English) Charge higher than normal prices because no one will complain Fill in your tax forms correctly Be sensitive to (or avoid) comparing Canadians to Americans Canadians dont like to be thought of as “just like Americans”It is a very common practice to tip when receiving services (restaurant 15-20%)China (前十条都在说关系) Relationships, but not networking Relationship matters the most Networking is important Networking us the key to business success Build good relationship with your clients and people in the government Building relationships Build good relationship with your clients in the government Business is done mostly through Guan Xi, which means relationships/networking. So find the right person of influence to get your trusted Never underestimate “Guan Xi” connections, networks. You need to be dealing with a person of influence Hire local representatives/consultants to monitor deals and relationships Dinners and drinks Entertainment Being a good person Dont be too aggressive Do it with the government Be ready to drink a lot of alcohol You have to drink a lot Be prepared to drink 5% white wine You have to train yourself to be good at drinking especially if you do business in northern China People make business deals on dinner table Accounting system is not well developed be careful! Know the different characteristics of people from different provinces Be very flexible Follow your boss Dont fight for bills Keep an eye on policy changes in the financial market so as to lower risks Be humble Understand local culture (learn local language) Respect face Understand the ways of saying “no”, since Chinese almost never say it directly Respect face. Never argue or voice a different opinion with anyone directly Use the same due diligence you would in the west so as to protect your intellectual property Show a lot of gesture of goodwill Governments play an important roleEgypt Connections are everything Speaking English and Arabic is essential Dont take work too seriously; Egyptians are laid-back and like to have fun on the jobFrance Process matters as much as result Respect and show respect to your superiors A lot of business is done over lunch, dinner or drinks Develop a perfect fluency in French language and culture Know people Network, network, network (accept that success if not all about merit) You might be judged very quickly and superficially Dress well. French people draw information on people based on their appearance Be prepared to be judged Dont say everything is great, criticize! Follow business etiquette: be very polite, well-mannered and formal It is important to speak French Speak and understand French x2 Use first names only after being invited to do so Make friends in the workers unions Be sure to possess good analytical skillsGermany Be on time! X 4 Punctualityx2 Be punctual Known for diligent work ethic - expect to work hard Germans drink beer and like sauerkraut and wurst Focus on value add and content creation Make yourself heard Be aware and show your awareness of local and federal regulation Show how you will contribute to the local community or highlight the benefits of doing business with you Most important points of agenda are spoken about first in negotiations Meeting deadlines is crucial Keep your promises Matter and person are often seen as separate in business More or less a strict line drawn between business and private life Focus on the content of discussion, no distractions Be honest! X 2 Dont be offended by harsh language Dont call someone by first name immediately Be straightforward Straight to the point FormalGreece You have to be fully aware of the legal system Know well every law applying to your sector Maybe you will need to use some not very legal techniques to achieve your goal Meetings can be arranged on a very short notice Informal networks and who you know are more important than what you know, especially if you are a woman Most Greeks speak English but they are suspicious of foreigners doing business in their country Build trust in your business relations Punctuality is important in business Negotiations is part of closing the deal Negotiate much and hard Dont trust easily Long lunches are an important source of building relations, negotiations and closing dealsHong Kong Give business cards with both hands Dont be first to start eating Manner is everything Renting is expensive try to get as small an office as possible Corruption is relatively low you can count on the legal system Outsourcing services is quite easy small accounting firms, legal firms, HR firms are abundantHungary Think very carefully about government regulations very regulated! Go for cheap products rather than quality Be ready for sharp volatilities in customer demandIndia Have a lot of cash in your wallet Have a pedigree family name or alma matter There is always someone who knows someone who can get the job done Should have strong contacts / networks among political circles Connections! Be aware of cultural sensitivities Understand culture and respect the values of the local people. Their beliefs and way of thinking will differ from yours, accept and recognize them Local knowledge Indians are very sentimental about religious beliefs Manage red tape Bureaucracy is insane. You have to cope with it Work is distributed between many people. It is not surprising to find a single document to pass through several hands before being complete Indians are very social people. They like to communicate and talk while they work Very large English-speaking population, hence potential for global communication, no need to learn local languages Most Indians doing business speak English, so it isnt strictly a requirement to know local languages Indians are generally very hard working India is a largely price-sensitive market Bribes are very common. Its changing slowly but it is a way of life Should be willing to cope with slack in professionalism and bribes to political leaders Should be willing to face the challenge as a result of intense good quality and low cost competitionItaly Speak the language Pay on time Run background checks on peoples qualifications Ask yourself who actually holds the power. Do not rely too much on formal rules and authorities Think creatively, be open to new ideas and ways of doing things Learn Italian, be friendly and not judgemental: it is hard to understand how Italy works from the outside Speak Italian! (English is optional) Be humble and dont make too many jokes on stereotypes Enjoy 3 hour business dinnersLebanon Have good connections and make good use of corruption (i.e. corruption is sometimes necessary) Expect to bribe a lot of people High end works well because Lebanese people are superficial and very showy Have good PR Adapt to a lack of organisationMalaysia Speak the three main languages fluently Malay, Mandarin, English You may find difficulty in pronouncing names but make an effort Have a good balance of westernised and Asian mind-set Have strong connections with higher society Be polite and humble. Malaysia is very ethnically diverse thus you should try to understand their backgrounds a little prior to meeting them Be patient and flexible with time When dealing with large organisations and the government expect a lot of red tape and bureaucracy You should be accustomed to clients taking tea breaks twice daily Driving is important if you travel frequently for work (Note: heavy traffic congestion during rush hours 7-9:30am, 4:30-7pm) Malaysians tend to be lateNetherlands You can be blunt/direct Dutch people are blunt and straightforward and they will appreciate plain speaking Dont bother learning Dutch Make your company a Dutch BU/MV lower taxes! Change generally will be only accepted after much deliberation and discussion (everybody has the right to speak) The manager is not seen as the boss, but as the first among equals. So, if you are leading a team, dont be too authoritarian. Act as the colleague who has most influence rather than as the ultimate arbiter on all decisions Act normal, then you act crazy enough (Dutch saying: To act normal is crazy enough) Be modest about your achievements. People who talk too much about their successes in life are not appreciated. So do not think of yourself as something special In youre giving a present, Dutch people like presents they cant buy in their own countryPakistan Have connections Be prepared for runt work Be courageousRomania Accept laid-back attitudes Be street-smart Business meetings are more focussed on good times than actual business talkRussia High level of red tape and corruption Learn to deal with government You will have to deal with bribes when dealing with any part of the Russian government Government relations and security officers are very important in large companies Personal connections and relations are crucial for success Knowing people in the institutions of authority and having their support is key for starting small/medium business Do not get in trouble with the police Despite the governments attempts to develop innovative industries, the most promising sectors are still energy and construction Dont trust anyone Learn to drink! Western companies in Russia are more meritocratic on average than national onesSlovakia Make friends in important places Know your competitors Produce outside of Bratislava region; sell in BratislavaSouth Africa Arrive promptly Be honest Dont forget the kick-backSouth Korea Be quick Be humble and loyal Be ready to work long hours Be very respectful for age and be punctual Try to think your colleagues as one united body. You can come and leave the office at similar times. Do help people out when possible Do not miss any of the social mixers. Consider them also as a crucial part of your work dutySpain LEARN SPANISH and the regional languages proud regional identity Do not discuss business/deals at lunch but in the office Be punctual but do not expect punctuality Be prepared for chaotic business negotiations; we love speaking simultaneously J Be prepared to stay up late. A business dinner will start at around 9:00pm and last until 12:00Switzerland Be on time Be international Be as specific as possibleTaiwan Need to be a good drinker When having a business dinner, never finish the last piece in every shared dish A great portion of businesses are discussed and negotiated in eating and drinking occasions instead of in offices, so do join those occasions! Know some key governors Prepare gifts to main clients during Chinese New Year, Dragon Boat Festival and Moon FestivalThailand Smile! Be humble, polite, respectful (personal relations are important) Respect elders. Thai people avoid direct criticism and confrontation, prefer indirectTurkey As a sign of respect you should always address the eldest or most senior person in the room first Turkish people enjoy answering questions on their culture or having a conversation with people who have some knowledge of Turkey. It may be a good start to ask a Turkish man which football team he supports According to the protocol f Turkish hospitality the host always pays for the meal. The concept of sharing the bill is very rude Do not use deadlines or pressure tactics as the Turks will use this to their advantage and reverse the tactic by threating to cancel agreements or end negotiations Imports and exports are unrestricted and exchange control is limited to certain formalitiesUkraine You will need to pay bribes If you pay bribes you dont need to pay taxes If you pay taxes this doesnt mean you wont have to pay bribesUnited Kingdom Formality depends on the sector Heathrow, Gatwick, City airports are primary business airports Meetings usually begin with small talk, followed by an exchange of business cards IF everything goes well Be polite-exchange niceties, take an interest The British are renowned for their politeness and courtesy. So direct questions generally get evasive responses and conversations will be full of ambiguities. It is therefore important to pay attention to voice/facial expression We can be subtle/understate things to be polite The British traditionally maintain a “stiff upper lip” so open displays of emotion are rare and should be avoided Punctuality is essential at any business meeting or social event Be on time! You need to comply with many different regulatory authorities You can challenge almost any business decision in court if you dont agree Ensure you declare all income so that you are not challenged by tax authoritiesUSA It might be helpful to know how to play golf and/or tenni