How culturally-aware are

you?
CULTURAL AWARENESS ADVICE
PRESENTATION

Canada Indonesia France

If you are invited for a meal, you Never point to anything with When eating out, keep both
should arrive on time - not early your foot. hands on or above the table.
or late.

South Korea Egypt Thailand

Don't eat anything with your Never touch anyone – especially
Always use both hands to pass
something to an older person . left hand. a child -on the head.

Does your culture follow any of these customs? Do any of these customs seem unusual to you ? Explain.
What other interesting customs do you know?
What customs should a visitor to your country know about ?
 Culture Quiz

a You meet a Spanish business contact you haven't seen for ages who wants to stop
and chat, but you're running late for an appointment. Do you stay or do you make your
excuses and go?

b A British salesman is giving you a demonstration of a new office product. He seems to like
telling a lot of jokes. Do you join in the joke-telling or wait until he gets to the point?

c You are having a pre-negotiation coffee at a potential client's headquarters in Berlin.

Do you mingle with the opposing team or stick with your own people?

d Your new American boss organizes a weekend barbecue. You find yourself amongst a
lot of people you've never met. Do you join in the fun or slip away quietly?
 Culture Quiz

a Business people from Latin and Arab countries tend to have a more flexible,
'polychronic' attitude to time than their ·'monochronic' North American and
European counterparts, for whom time really is money. Their 'high-context’ culture also
places greater emphasis on personal relationships than 'low-context' Northerners
do.

The message' Try not to be too busy for Brazilians or Italians and don't mess up
Americans' tight schedules.

What about in Japan?

 Culture Quiz

a You meet a Spanish business contact you haven't seen for ages who wants to stop and
chat, but you're running late for an appointment. Do you stay or do you make your excuses and
go?

b A British salesman is giving you a demonstration of a new office product. He seems to

like telling a lot of jokes. Do you join in the joke-telling or wait until he gets to the point?

c You are having a pre-negotiation coffee at a potential client's headquarters in Berlin.

Do you mingle with the opposing team or stick with your own people?

d Your new American boss organizes a weekend barbecue. You find yourself amongst a
lot of people you've never met. Do you join in the fun or slip away quietly?
 Culture Quiz

b A good sense of humor is an admired quality in many cultures - notably British,

American and most Latin countries - though the type of humor may vary from
wordplay to sharp sarcasm. In other cultures, however - particularly Germanic ones
- humor is not usually considered appropriate in a business context.

The message? You don 't have to be a comedian with the Americans, but always
smile at their jokes. With Germans or Swiss, leave the jokes for the bar after the
meeting.

What about in Japan?

 Culture Quiz

a You meet a Spanish business contact you haven't seen for ages who wants to stop and
chat, but you're running late for an appointment. Do you stay or do you make your excuses and
go?

b A British salesman is giving you a demonstration of a new office product. He seems to like
telling a lot of jokes. Do you join in the joke-telling or wait until he gets to the point?

c You are having a pre-negotiation coffee at a potential client's headquarters in

Berlin. Do you mingle with the opposing team or stick with your own people?

d Your new American boss organizes a weekend barbecue. You find yourself amongst a
lot of people you've never met. Do you join in the fun or slip away quietly?
 Culture Quiz

c The amount of socializing you do prior to and during a negotiation will depend both
on your own and the opposing team's negotiating styles and where the negotiation
is being held.

ln Japan, for example, the negotiation process is long and relationship-building plays
an important part. The same is true of the Middle East. In the USA things move
faster and their negotiating style tends to be both more informal and competitive. In
Germany there may be little time for small talk.

The message? Follow your opponents' lead, but do all you can to create rapport.

What about in Japan?

 Culture Quiz

a You meet a Spanish business contact you haven't seen for ages who wants to stop and
chat, but you're running late for an appointment. Do you stay or do you make your excuses and
go?

b A British salesman is giving you a demonstration of a new office product. He seems to like
telling a lot of jokes. Do you join in the joke-telling or wait until he gets to the point?

c You are having a pre-negotiation coffee at a potential client's headquarters in Berlin.

Do you mingle with the opposing team or stick with your own people?

d Your new American boss organizes a weekend barbecue. You find yourself
amongst a lot of people you've never met. Do you join in the fun or slip away quietly?
 Culture Quiz

d Mixing with colleagues out of work time; is an integral part of business in America
where many companies are run like sports teams with the boss as both captain
and coach. Elsewhere, there may be a strong dividing line between work and home.

The message? In social situations simply be yourself. Neither do anything that

offends you nor that you think may offend your hosts.

What about in Japan?

 Meetings: In different cultures
USA Japan Germany
UK Finland France Spain & Italy

1 ___ Formal introduction. Sit down. Begin.

2 _ Formal introduction. Cup of coffee. Sit down. Begin.

3 ___ Informal introduction.Cup of coffee. Joke. Begin.

4 _ Formal introduction. Cup of tea and biscuits. 10 mins small talk (weather. sport).
Casual beginning.

5 ___ Formal introduction. 15 mins small talk (politics and scandals). Begin.
6 ___ Formal introduction. Formal seating. Green tea. 15-20 mins small talk (pleasantries).
Signal from superior. Begin.
6 ___ 20-30 mins small talk (football, family) while others arrive. Begin when everyone's there.
CONVERSATION

Yuko: Guess what?.., I just got invited to my boss’s

house for dinner.
Sharon: Oh, how nice!
Yuko: Yeah, but what do you do here when you are
invited to someone’s house?
Sharon: Well, it’s the custom to bring a small gift.
Yuko: Really? Like what?
Sharon: Oh, maybe some flowers or some
chocolate.
Yuko: And is it all right to bring a friend along?
Sharon: Well, if you want to bring a friend, you’re
expected to phone and ask if it’s Ok.
FOCUS ON LANGUAGE
When you are invited to someone’s house…
If you want to bring someone…
A Match the sentence halves in A and B.
A B
1 If you've been to a friend’s home for dinner...
2 If you plan to visit someone at home . . . . ..
3 When you have been invited to a wedding….
4. When you go out on a date…
5. If the service in a restaurant is good, . .
6. When you meet someone for the first time,…
It’s the custom to bring a small gift.
you aren't supposed to arrive early.
you're supposed to check with the host.
it's not acceptable to arrive without calling
you're expected to call first and ask.
a. you're supposed to call first.
b. you're expected to leave a tip.
c you aren’t supposed to kiss him or her.
d. you are expected to respond in writing.
e. it’s the custom to call and thank him or her.
f. it's acceptable to share the expenses.
B How are the customs in part A different in your country?
Be sure to BOOST your answer.
C Complete these sentences with information about your country.

1. In …. , if people invite you to their home, . . .

2. When you go out with a friend for dinner, . . .
3. If a friend gets engaged to be married, . . .
4. When a relative has a birthday. . .
5. If a friend is in the hospital . . .
6. When someone is going to have a baby, . .
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and give the advice that you think is correct, then check your answer.
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Culture Quiz

1 If you're doing business with a German, you have to shake hands…

a when you meet.
b when you leave.
c when you meet and when you leave.
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1 Answer:

You have to shake hands when you're coming or going in

Germany, but in Britain you usually only shake hands when you
meet someone for the first time.
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2 If an Indian says 'Come anytime,' he or she expects you to

a arrange a visit immediately.
b visit him/her the next day.
c ignore the invitation.
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2 Answer:

'Come any time' means 'I want you to visit me' in India. If you don't
suggest a time and arrange a visit immediately, an Indian will think
you are refusing the invitation. But if an English person says 'Come
any time', they will think you are bad-mannered if you start fixing a
date.
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3 If you're doing business in Thailand, you must…

a shake hands firmly.
b bow.
c make sure you don't touch your head.
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3 Answer:

In Thailand you have to shake hands very gently. It's not like America
where a weak handshake can indicate a weak character.
In Japan you have to bow when you meet someone for the first time
but in Thailand you have to put the palms of your hands together in a
prayer gesture. And you mustn't touch someone's head in Thailand .
It’s bad manners.
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4 In the Middle East you have to give presents to business

contacts
a in private.
b in public.
c every time you meet.
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4 Answer:

You have to give your present in public in the Middle East to

show it's not a bribe, but it's good manners to give your
present in private in Asia.
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5 If you're giving a present to your Latin American customer, you mustn't give
a cutlery.
b food and drink.
c a clock.
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5 Answer:

You mustn't give cutlery in Latin America because it suggests

that you want to cut off the relationship.
You mustn't give food or drink in Saudi Arabia because it
suggests you think your hosts aren't offering you enough to
eat and drink.
You mustn't give a clock in China because the Chinese word
for clock is similar to the word for funeral.
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6 You can’t do business in Muslim countries…

a on Wednesdays.
b on Fridays.
c on Sundays.
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6 Answer:

Offices are usually closed on Fridays in Muslim countries.

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7 If a Japanese person gives you their business card, you have to…
a take it with both hands and study it carefully.
b put it straight into your wallet or pocket.
c write notes about them on it.
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7 Answer:

You must treat your contact’s business card with respect in

Japan. You have to study them before you put them away and
you mustn’t write on them.
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8 If an American nods his/her head, it probably means
a I understand.
b Yes.
c I'm interested.
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8 Answer:

Americans usually mean 'Yes' when they nod their heads. An

English person probably just means 'I understand', and an
Asian is just showing interest.
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9 At a social occasion with an Indian client,…

a you can discuss business.
b you mustn't discuss business.
c you don't have to discuss business.
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9 Answer:

It's bad manners to discuss business at a social occasion in India.

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10 If you're in a pub in England, you have to buy a drink

a for yourself.
b for everyone in the group you're with.
c for everyone in the pub.
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10 Answer:

In an English pub you are expected to take turns buying everyone

“a round”. Drinks for everyone in your group.