How to Master Business

Etiquette in Uzbekistan
Since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Uzbekistan has tried a
number of different ways to stimulate the economy, including persistence with
the Soviet-style command economy, adoption of strict currency controls and
even slight isolationism.

Due to these failing economic measures, foreign investment in the nation has
fallen dramatically. However, Uzbekistan still maintains a $113 billion gross
domestic product thanks to its mining, hydrocarbon and cotton industries,
which have produced some foreign investment. However if you plan on having
a successful business venture, then you need to adhere to the countries own
particular business etiquette and customs.

Communication
Uzbek is the official language of the land and three-quarters of the population
speaks it. Due in part to its ubiquitous Russian population, less than one-fifth
speaks Russian. The remaining population speaks Tajik.

Despite the fact that their communicative abilities are indirect and can be
confusing to foreigners – discussions have a lot of causal meanings – people
tend to ask several questions regarding one's family, marriage, children and
health immediately, which do not have to be answered but it's just considered
polite to ask.

Uzbeks are close talkers and stand nearer than an arm's length during
conversations – more space is allocated between men and women. People of
the same genders touch each other a lot: women will touch each other's arms,
while men will have their arms around each other. Uzbeks of the opposite
gender spend less time around each other than those of the same sex. Also,
the older generation touches a lot more than their younger counterparts.

 
Regular eye contact can be found in conversations involving individuals of the
same gender. When men and women are together or when Uzbeks are
around their superiors then there is less eye contact.

Dress code
Although the Uzbek society can seem quite drab to outsiders, being well-
groomed and wearing neatly pressed clothing is important to Uzbeks. Men will
often wear conservative suits, while women will sport both conservative and
stylish clothing. Jeans, t-shirts and informal clothing for business situations is
believed to be impolite and inappropriate.

Greetings
When gentlemen meet other men then they either shake hands or perform a
forearm grip. As everyone shakes hands, it's vital to ask about one's family,
health, marriage, etc. Women will often mimic this behavior, but some women
will kiss each other on the cheek. Silence is usually noticed upon inter-gender
meetings as men and women will just shake hands and give each other a
simple nod.

Professional titles and business cards

There are no specific protocols to follow when it comes to addressing others
and giving and receiving business cards.

Punctuality
Being punctual and on time isn't particularly significant in Uzbekistan. In other
words, you show up whenever you please. This is part of the reason why
unemployment or underemployment is so high in the country (25
percent) because Uzbeks don't feel like being enslaved by time or adhering to
a set schedule. This also means that a lot of Uzbeks have a vast sum of free
time.

 _____________________________________________________________________

Hello everybody,

As you know, professional habits may differ from one country to another. In order to help newly
arrived expats better understand their new professional environment in Uzbekistan, we warmly
encourage you to share information and insights about the do’s and don’ts in the workplace.

For instance, are there office manners? How do you greet your co-workers? Do you greet your
management differently? Is there a dress code? Particular rules to observe? Maybe a professional
body language?

On another level, what is key for a successful professional meeting? Are there any steps to follow?
How do you a start a negotiation?

In other words, what are the most important things to know for a successful professional integration
in Uzbekistan?

Thank you in advance for sharing your experience!

Julien