International Business Etiquette -- an Integral Part of Successful Business Relations

Added: 05/31/2006

With international, multinational, and regional business continuing to expand, one of the most important elements of successful business outcomes is respect and appreciation for cultural diversity. Today, international business etiquette, good manners, and intercultural communication are considered critical elements required for global business managers, employees, and executives and are believed to contribute essentially to success of your business.

As multinational and global business shows significant signs of growth, bringing people closer, business colleagues, and clients visiting another country should be treated with an awareness of their culture. There exists no standard set of rules applying to all international visitors, so that you have to do some research for each country represented by your business colleagues. Always keeping in mind that there exist as many ways of doing business as a number of countries to do business with, will contribute to your business' prosperity. Listed below are some useful tips concerning international business etiquette essential for developing good business relations.

One of the major considerations before you start business with overseas partners is building relationships. In fact, there aren't many people eager to get down to business at once, which means you should take time to get to know better your international clients before rushing to business. Business relations should be built on respect and trust, especially with people from Latin America and Asia.

Another important element of the international business etiquette is business attire. While Americans like to dress for comfort and fashion, business people from other parts of the world are regarded as more conservative. Choosing your business clothes, you should always keep in mind that it shows your respect for other business-persons and organizations.

It is generally advisable to leave trendy clothes for some other occasions. Observing the hierarchy is another vital aspect in business relations, which, however, may bring about many problems. Sometimes it is quite difficult to know who the highest-ranking business-person is, when you are dealing with a group. For example, Japanese business etiquette implies making decisions by consensus, while starting with the youngest member of the group. Latin business people have a hierarchy, which defers to age.

Using correct forms of address and titles is part of international business etiquette as well, and can cause misunderstanding if ignored. Thus, you should use last names and titles until you are invited to use the first name of a business-person. In some cultures, use of the first names is strictly reserved for family members and close friends.

Any business relations imply exchanging business cards, which is one more aspect of international business etiquette. The key to exchanging business cards in any culture is to demonstrate respect for each other. You should present your business card in such a way that your business partner does not have to turn it over to read information. Both hands should be used while presenting your card to visitors from China, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. When you are presented with your partner's business card, always acknowledge it. Before giving someone your business card, wait until you have been introduced.

While planning your business meeting, stick to the rules of punctuality, yet show understanding in case your business partner from another country is unconcerned.

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