General information about business negotiation

1. General rules of behaviour for business persons

Gestures, Do's & Don'ts

Common do' and don'ts include, etiquette concerning removal of shoes, how you hand items to others, how women are treated, touching, giving criticism and showing emotion. Mos, if not all of the do's and don'ts simply about accepted local etiquette and showing respect to others. All this can be very confusing and misunderstood by those who have not bothered to study the culture they intend to work with.

For example, in many countries the left hand is considered "soiled" as it is used in personal toiletry. (This does not suggested hands are not washed) Consequently, you do not hand anyone an item with the left hand as it is considered insulting to do so. If the item is heavy, eg. a large plate, you use both hands, preferably with the left hand underneath supporting the plate. Conversely, in other countries, the etiquette in presenting someone an item involves using two hands. This can extend to little items such as business cards. This etiquette may also extend to passing a business report to someone. To simply toss a report across a table to a Japanese negotiator would be considered very poor manners and lack of respect for your potential business associate. Is this the type of attitude you wish to present?

Gestures can also be quite confusing and very often gestures can be interpreted as quite insulting either by the visitor or the locals. The typical two finger "salute" is only insulting in Australia and the United Kingdom. In all other parts of the world, the two finger gesture (shown either way) is interpreted as a sign for victory. So, you can readily understand how an insult can quickly occur if you have not studied the issue. There are many examples of such misunderstandings. It is hoped that the examples discussed above provide some insight to the importance of studying a foreign business culture. Be also aware that this small article has only touch the tip of the iceberg. International experts all agree that time taken to understand a foreign culture will generally be rewarded many fold in helping establish and build a successful international business relationship. Such knowledge can be gathered in international marketing courses, commercial cultural reports and cultural training courses.