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Business Etiquette Around the World

Alexia Y. Loreth

Department of Business, University of South Florida

MAN3025; Principles of Management

Dr. Marvin Karlins

April 17, 2022

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Engaging in the appropriate business etiquette is essential when traveling to a different

country. It is important to be aware of different countries customs so you can have more

meaningful interactions with your colleagues while being mindful of other cultures. Having the

proper business etiquette with your colleagues from other countries will show that you respect

their social customs and are mindful of how they approach business matters. While going about

business in Japan and India, there is proper etiquette that is considered normal in the business

setting to ensure everybody feels valued and respected. These values are important because if the

proper business etiquette is not shown, it can deter a potential business partner and relationship.

While engaging in business in Japan, one important aspect to be cognizant of is the

greeting. In Japan, it is common to greet one another by bowing as it is viewed as a sign of

respect and politeness. The bow is performed by men putting their hands to the side, eyes facing

down, and bending at the waist. For women, they clasp their hands in the front, eyes facing

down, and then bend at the waist (Day Translations Team 2012). In a formal setting such as a

business meeting, people would normally bow at 30 to 45 degrees and hold it for a couple of

seconds (Okamoto 2021). This is the proper etiquette to greet one another in Japan. Japanese

people may get very unconfident when you rush onto them, shaking their hands (Yokohama

2022). It is very common to not touch your business partner and keep at a distance.

In addition to the proper greeting, in Japan business cards are a very important aspect of a

business. It is very common to invest in a nice business card holder as the exchanging of

business cards is a very common practice. When giving and receiving business cards, it is

respectful to use both hands to pass along the information. On top of that, it is proper to keep

them on the table and be sure not to flick or write on them and make sure you are pronouncing

the name correctly (Uzialko 2018). During a meeting, tampering and playing with the business
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cards is a sign of disrespect. It is also considered disrespectful to put another person’s business

card away immediately as it gives off the impression that it is not cared for or wanted. It is

common business etiquette to review business cards right away and make positive comments

about them to show interest.

During meetings in Japan, snacks and refreshments such as green tea are often served at

these gatherings. It is considered rude to refuse to accept these offerings at meetings. In Japan, it

is proper etiquette to accept these snacks and refreshments and simply set them aside if you are

not interested in consuming them. Also, it is proper to wait until your colleague takes a sip first.

This is to avoid making it seem like you are more invested in the free refreshments than the

business topic. If you do decide to indulge in the offerings, the host will normally continue to

refill the cup when it is emptied. If you do not wish to have a replenished drink, it is common to

set it aside so you do not have to refuse a refill from the host (Okamoto 2021).

Another common business etiquette in Japan is being aware of the seating arrangements

during a meeting. The seating arrangements in Japan are conducted and assigned by rank. It is

common for higher-ranked employees to be sat closest to the meeting leader or the “Gicho”

(SoraNews 2017). The higher-ranked employees are considered those who are older and more

experienced. The ranking system is also a common practice in other Japanese business matters

such as loading into an elevator. While getting into an elevator, people of higher status are

expected to get on first, and the lowest-ranked person gets on last. The lowest status person takes

the position near the control panel to press the buttons or hold the door open for the other guest

(SoraNews 2017).

The Japanese culture honors a very modest and calm approach to business matters. While

conducting business in Japan, it is important to avoid being brash or overly assertive. The proper
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etiquette would be to talk in a quiet tone to give off a modest, calm, and humble impression

(Howard 2022). Trying to speed up the process of business may come across as disrespectful

(Martinuzzi 2022). It is valued to be gentle and calm while trying to be persuasive in Japanese

business settings because it helps build trust and relationships. It is common etiquette to not ask

many personal questions at the beginning of a business relationship because it can come off as

pushy and disrespectful.

As mentioned before, Japanese people have a very modest and minimalist way to conduct

business and this is reflected in their dress code. The proper clothing etiquette while conducting

business is keeping it very minimal, neat, and fresh. The proper Japanese business attire consists

of dark shades only. It is common for men to wear a neutral shirt, jacket, and tie. Women are

expected to wear loose-fitting skirts that are longer, as well as low heels. It is also preferred that

jewelry is not worn or if it is worn, it should be extremely minimal. For men and women, hair

should be kept only acceptable shades of brown and black, even if it means dying their natural

hair color to meet these business standards (Kat 2022). Another important Japanese business

etiquette is taking off your coat before entering the building or meeting space. After the coat is

removed, it’s regarded as a professional practice to fold your coat around your arm before

entering the meeting room (Hopwood 2020). This is a common practice to avoid obstructing the

walkways and disrupting others.

While engaging in business in India, the first important aspect to ensure proper business

etiquette is the introduction. In India, there are two common ways to greet your business partner,

the handshake using only the right hand and the namaste. The namaste is a common greeting that

is done by pressing your palms together with fingers pointing upwards, and bowing. It is

common practice that Indian women must wait for men to extend their hands first while
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handshaking. The right hand is used while handshaking because the left hand is viewed as

unclean. Another common form of business etiquette is to greet the eldest person in the room

first. This is seen as a sign of respect. Also, before the meeting is conducted, it is perfectly

appropriate to ask about the family of the business partners (UKIBC 2016). This tends to build

trust and help develop relationships in the workplace.

Another typical etiquette in India to be cognizant of is the importance of using titles when

meeting someone. It is respectful to call an individual by their formal titles such as a doctor, Mr,

Mrs, Sir, and Madam. This is a very important aspect to remember especially if the individual is

older, as it is considered an overall sign of respect.

In India, it is common to enjoy lunch with your colleagues to help strengthen

relationships. It is common practice to build a business relationship and develop trust while

indulging in Indian cuisine. Typically, during these meals business matters are not discussed, and

is proper etiquette not to bring up business as these events are typically meant to develop

relationships with business counterparts. While eating, it is normal to eat with your hands,

especially while eating traditional banana-leaf foods. However, it is considered proper etiquette

to only eat with your right hand and keep your left hand off and away from the table at all times

(Rob 2021). Also, in India, the cow is considered a sacred animal, and it is considered

disrespectful to order any type of beef dish for any meal. It is typically proper etiquette to order

similar dishes to whatever everybody else is eating at the event, which will likely be vegetarian

dishes.

Also, it is proper business etiquette that individuals are sat based on their business

ranking. For example, the CEO of the company or the highest-ranked person within a company
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will likely be sat directly in the middle of the table. From them, the order of people will descend

depending on their importance in the business.

Another important aspect while engaging in business in India is your dress code. The

appropriate clothing for business functions tends to be comfortable and lightweight clothing.

Depending on the formality of the business, in many places, a jacket and tie aren’t expected from

businessmen. This is due to the warm climate of India. Women are expected to dress modestly.

The common etiquette for women’s clothing while in the workplace is clothing that covers your

knees and shoulders. Long cotton pajama bottoms and kurta and very commonly worn in the

workplace (Shira 2018). It is considered a sign of respect and a gesture of friendship if foreigners

wear traditional Indian wear such as a kurta or sari to functions (Shira 2018). Avoid wearing any

type of leather since the cow is considered a sacred animal in India.

In India, it is common etiquette to take your shoes off in certain places. However, it is

very important not to point your feet toward people or show the soles of your feet. The reasoning

behind this is that in India, feet are considered unclean so if you touch your feet or it touches any

object, you are expected to apologize. Indian people will sometimes touch their heads or eyes as

a show of apology (Cook 2019).

While conducting business in India, it is common to exchange business cards with

colleagues. These business cards are often exchanged during the greeting at the beginning of the

meeting and should only be given with the right hand. The text should be facing upwards while

the business card is being passed along. Also, expensive gifts in the workplace should be

declined as they may be considered a bribe. If the gift cannot be declined, it should be exchanged

with both hands or just the right hand. It is also proper etiquette not to open the gifts until the gift

giver leaves.
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Generally, the first time meeting a potential business partner, small talk is a must and

considered proper etiquette. It is very common to begin meetings with conversations about

personal matters, family, and general small talk (Santander 2022). They often base their

decisions on trust and intuition, so getting to know colleagues on more of a personal level is a

typical business practice in India. Also, being cognizant of body language is extremely

important. It is proper etiquette to be aware of your body language and avoid any aggressive

postures, such as folded arms or hands-on-hips (Santander 2022). This will also help gain the

trust of colleagues and potential business partners.

The topic of business etiquette is a significant matter while in the workforce. While in the

business world, it is important to understand the proper etiquette of different countries to build

good relationships, as well as make sure everybody feels respected. Having poor business

etiquette will limit your potential business partners as well as harm your professional

relationships. It is of the utmost importance to be educated on proper business etiquette to be

successful in the business world.

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References

Cook, S. (2019, May 16). Don’t Make These Etiquette Mistakes in India. TripSavvy. Retrieved

April 12, 2022, from https://www.tripsavvy.com/indian-etiquette-donts-1539435#:

%7E:text=Feet%20are%20considered%20to%20be,you%20should%20apologize

%20straight%20away.

Day Translations Team. (2020, September 2). Japanese Business Culture: Everything You Need

to Know. Day Translations Blog. Retrieved April 12, 2022, from

https://www.daytranslations.com/blog/japanese-business-culture/#:%7E:text=One

%20often%20overlooked%20Japanese%20business,in%20the%20walkway%20or

%20lobby

Hopwood, S. (2020, September 2). Japanese Business Culture: Everything You Need to Know.

Day Translations Blog. Retrieved April 12, 2022, from

https://www.daytranslations.com/blog/japanese-business-culture/#:%7E:text=One

%20often%20overlooked%20Japanese%20business,in%20the%20walkway%20or

%20lobby.

Howard, L. (2022, February 1). Japanese business culture and etiquette. Asialink Business.

Retrieved April 12, 2022, from https://asialinkbusiness.com.au/japan/conducting-

business-in-japan/japanese-business-culture-and-etiquette?doNothing=1

Kat, K. C. (2022, March 3). Dress codes in Japan. Yourjapan. Retrieved April 12, 2022, from

https://itsyourjapan.com/dress-codes-in-japan/#At_the_Workplace.

Martinuzzi, B. (2022, January 24). A Guide to Japanese Business Etiquette. Business Class:

Trends and Insights. Retrieved April 12, 2022, from

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https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/trends-and-insights/articles/doing-

business-in-japan-10-etiquette-rules-you-should-know/

Okamoto, M. (2021, April 14). Business Manners & Etiquette in Japan. Tea Ceremony Japan

Experiences MAIKOYA. Retrieved April 12, 2022, from

https://mai-ko.com/travel/culture-in-japan/manners-in-japan/business-etiquette-in-japan/

Santander. (2022, February 3). Business practices in India - Santandertrade.com.

SantanderTrade. Retrieved April 12, 2022, from

https://santandertrade.com/en/portal/establish-overseas/india/business-practices

Shira, D. (2018, May 28). Traveling in India – Business Etiquette and Culture. India Briefing

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india-business-etiquette-culture-6766.html/#:%7E:text=Business%20attire%20in

%20India&text=It%20is%20common%20to%20find,very%20common

%20%E2%80%93%20and%20very%20comfortable.

SoraNews. (2017, January 26). 10 Japanese Business Etiquette Rules. All About Japan.

Retrieved April 12, 2022, from https://allabout-japan.com/en/article/2695/

UKIBC. (2016, October 14). Business culture in India. UK India Business Council. Retrieved

April 12, 2022, from https://www.ukibc.com/india-guide/how-india/business-culture/

Uzialko, A. (2018, April 4). 15 International Business Customs That Could Make or Break a

Deal. Business News Daily. Retrieved April 12, 2022, from

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5176-unusual-international-business-customs.html

Yokohama. (2022, January 2). Business Etiquette in Japan. Yokohama. Retrieved April 12,

2022, from https://yokohama-city.de/en/business-etiquette-japan/