Australian Culture

By-Ritika Yadav
MBA(2014-16)
Submitted toRicha Mam

CULTURE

The Land of Kangaroos

Introduction to Australia
Australia is adeveloped countryand
one of the wealthiest in the world,
with theworld's 12th-largest economy.
Australia is referred as an Continent.
It is also famous for its diversity
because many diversified religion of
people are in this country.

AUSTRALIA
OFFITIAL NAME : Commonwealth of Australia
CAPITAL: Canberra
POPULATION: 20 million people
LONGEST RIVER: the Darling (2,740 km)
NATIONAL HOLIDAY: Australian Day , 16 January
(1788)
MONEY: basic unit Australian dollar
NATIONAL SYMBOLS: Kangaroo and Emu
NATIONAL ANTHEM: Waltzing Matilda

Language

There is no particular language in Australia. It

is largely monolingual with English being the
national language.
80% speaks English and Christanity
Chinese 2.1%
Italian 1.9%
Greek 1.4%

AUSTRALIAN FLAG

SYMBOL

Australian
Communicatio
ns

English is the spoken language

Shake hands when meeting and
when leaving.
Although uncommon, some women
may greet each other with a kiss on
the cheek.
Exchanging business cards is
common among professional
workers.
Australians are friendly and open,
but directness and brevity are
valued.
Be an active listener, and ask if you
do not understand something in the
conversation.

THE PEOPLE

Home to nearly five million

immigrants from 160 countries,
Australia is rich in cultural diversity.

Australians, or "Aussies," enjoy an

easy-going lifestyle and are generally
friendly and relaxed. Modesty and
equality are valued.

CENTRE OF ATTRACTION

Meeting and Greeting

Shake hands with everyone present

upon meeting and before leaving.
Allow women to offer their hands first.
Women generally do not shake hands
with other women.
Use titles, Mr., Mrs., and Miss when
first introduced.
Australians generally move to a firstname basis quickly. Still, wait to use
first names until invited to do so.

BODY LANGUAGE

BODY LANGUAGE

To beckon a waiter use a quiet hand

motion.
When yawning, cover your mouth
and excuse yourself.
The "V" sign (made with index and
middle fingers, palm facing inward) is
a very vulgar gesture. The "thumbs
up" gesture is also considered
obscene.

CORPORATE CULTURE

Personal relationships are important in the

Australian business world. Connections are valued.

Australians take punctuality seriously. If possible,

arrive fifteen minutes early for a business meeting.

Australian business people appreciate straightforward open presentations.

Negotiations proceed quickly.

Australians will often negotiate major issues without
over-emphasis on details. However, contracts are
generally detailed and firm.

DINNING
ETTIQUATE
Always

arrive on time or a few

minutes early for a dinner.
The

person who makes the

invitation generally pays the bill
in restaurants
Australians follow continentalstyle dining etiquette (fork held
in the left hand; knife in right).
The

guest of honor is generally

seated to the right of host.
Lay knife/fork parallel on plate
at 5:25 position when finished
eating.

Watch your
table manners

Table manners are Continental -- hold the fork

in the left hand and the knife in the right while
eating.
Indicate you have finished eating by laying your
knife and fork parallel on your plate with the
handles facing to the right.
Keep your elbows off the table and your hands
above the table when eating.

DRESS

Australians wear
fashions similar those
worn by Europeans and
North Americans
For business, men
should wear
conservative jackets
and ties. During the
summer months,
jackets are often
removed.
Women should wear
dark conservative skirts
or dresses.

GIFTS

It is not customary to
exchange business gifts
during initial meetings.
When invited to an
Australians home, bring
a small gift like flowers,
chocolates, or books for
your hosts.
Australia produces
excellent wine. Taking
wine would be like taking
sand to the desert.

Business Meeting
Etiquette
Appointments are necessary and relatively easy to

schedule.
Punctuality is important in business situations. It is
better to arrive a few minutes early than to keep
someone waiting.
Meetings are generally relaxed; however, they are
serious events.
If an Australian takes exception to something that
you say, they will tell you so.
If you make a presentation, avoid hype, making
exaggerated claims, or bells and whistles.
Present your business case with facts and figures.
Emotions and feelings are not important in the
Australian business climate.

MATES

Australians place a high

value on relationships.

With a relatively small

population, it is important
to get along with
everyone, since you never
know when your paths
may cross again.

This leads to a win-win

negotiating style, since
having everyone come
away with positive feelings
helps facilitate future
business dealings.

Business Cards

Business cards are exchanged at the

initial introduction without formal
ritual.
If you are not given a business card,
it is not an insult; the person simply
may not have one.

SAARE JAHAN SE ACHA

HINDUSTAN HAMARA