Appearance:
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Plan for a very cold climate.
Has a strong influence of French architecture and culture.
Behavior:
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Don’t eat while walking in public.
Wait for your host to start business conversations during a meal.
If invited over, take candy, flowers, or liquor.
Communications:
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Men will wait for a women to extend her hand for a handshake.
For French Canadians, print all material in French and English.
Be open and friendly.
Appearance:
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Standing with hands in pockets is rude.
Dark, well tailored suits.
Skirts should be worn rather than pants.
Men do not take off jackets during a negotiation.
Behavior:
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It is considered rude to shake hands with gloves on.
Expect people to be late to an event.
Showing the soles of feet is considered impolite.
Compromise is viewed as a sign of weakness.
Communications:
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Speaking or laughing loud in public is considered rude.
Russian is the official language.
100% literacy rate.
Many Russians speak English.
Appearance:
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Women dress in expensive elegance.
Shirts may be color or pin-striped, and they should be paired with an Italian designer tie.
Men should wear fashionable, high quality suits.
Behavior:
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Handshakes are common for both sexes, and may include grasping the arm with the other hand.
Avoid the number 17, it’s bad luck.
Italian cards are often plain white with black print.
The oldest person must get the best treatment.
Communications:
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Italian is the official language.
Avoid talking about religion, politics, and World War II.
Good conversations include culture, food, family, wire, and films.
English is spoken by most businessmen.
Appearance:
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People tend to stand very close together when conversing.
Dress for men is conservation (dark business suit, of tropical weight wool.)
Posture while seated is important, avoid slouching.
Fashion is very important to Venezuelan women.
Behavior:
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To indicate you have finished eating, place your utensils in parallel and diagonally across your plate.
Guests may bring or send flowers and candy to the host of the dinner.
Guests rarely sit at the end of the table.
Appearance:
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Good friends hug and women kiss cheeks.
Good conversation topics are business, art, history, and literature.
Avoid dominating the conversation, Venezuelans like to be in control.
Appearance:
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Patterned fabrics and dark colors are mostly accepted, but avoid bright colors.
Must dress in well tailored clothing.
The French are very conscientious of their appearance.
Behavior:
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Punctuality is treated very casually in France.
France is a highly stratified society, with strong definition and competition between classes.
Business can be conducted during any meal, but lunch is best.
The French handshake is brief, and is accompanied.
Communications:
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French is the official language in France.
Most individuals in business speak English.
The French have a great appreciation for the art of conversation.
Appearance:
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The colors of the Brazilian flag are yellow and green, avoid wearing this combination in any fashion.
The OK hand signal is a rude gesture in Brazil.
Touching elbows, arms, and backs is very common.
Behavior:
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In Brazil, restaurant entertainment prevails versus at home.
Tipping is typically 10% in Brazil.
Business meetings usually begin with casual chatting.
Communications:
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Portuguese is the language of Brazil.
Good conversation topics include soccer, family, and children.
Bad conversation topics include Argentina, politics, poverty, and religion.
Women exchange cheek kisses when they meet.
Appearance:
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Women should always wear modest clothing in public.
Foreigners are expected to dress by local standards, although don’t adapt to natural clothing.
At business meetings men are required to wear a jacket and a tie, also long pants and a shirt.
Behavior:
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Try not to sit with your legs crossed, some may find having the sole of your shoes pointed to them as an insult.
It’s common to smoke in public, so be considerate and offer.
Sending gifts is good.
Egyptians tend to stand closer and moving away may be a sign of aloofness.
Communications:
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All Egyptians speak Arabic.
Arabic is read from right to left, so don’t be confused (even if printed in English.)
Since their names may be confusing, always ask for English name, and see how they should be addressed.
Appointments may be interrupted by a phone call, and or visit.
Appearance:
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Don’t point your finger at anyone.
For business, men should wear a lightweight suit.
Women should wear a blouse and a skirt, or a dress.
Good eye contact is important during business situations.
Yawning in public is considered rude and should be avoided.
Behavior:
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Business is only done after a relationship has been established.
The main meal of the day is noon.
Avoid giving white flowers, they are associated with funerals.
Communications:
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Keep the vocal component of your greeting soft, many Salvadorians do not like loud people.
Titles are important, address of a person directly by using his or her title only.
Have two surnames, their fathers and mothers, only the fathers surname is used when addressing someone.
Appearance:
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Those who dress according to status or position impress the Japanese, always dress to impress.
Casual dressing are never appropriate in a business setting.
Shoes should be easy to remove, as you will do so often.
Behavior:
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Never pour a drink for yourself, allow someone else to do so.
Tipping is not expected.
Gifts should be given at the end of a visit.
Communications:
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In business, situation business can’t begin until an exchange occurs.
The number 4 is bad luck.
The customary greeting is to bow.
Appearance:
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Standing with your hands on your hips suggests aggressiveness, and keeping your hand in your pockets is impolite.
Mexicans may not make eye contact, this is a sign for respect and should not be taken as an affront.
Men should wear a conservative suit and tie.
Behavior:
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Working breakfasts are popular, meeting at 8:00 or 8:30 at your hotel, and usually lasting two hours at the most.
Conversations take place at a close physical distance.
Pay for store purchases by placing money in the cashiers hand.
Communication:
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Refrain from using first names until invited to do so.
Titles are important and should be included on business cards.
Do not use red ink anytime you are writing someone’s name.
APPEARANCE:
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Colombians indicate that someone is stingy by tapping their fingers on their elbows.
It is impolite to yawn in public.
The “OK” symbol is thumb and forefinger touching to create a circle.
BEHAVIOR:
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Punctuality is relaxed although as a foreigner you are expected to be on time.
Let the host make a toast first, then you may wish to make one.
Lunch is the main meal of the day and a popular choice for a business meal.
COMMUNICATIONS:
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Bullfighting is popular, don’t make negative comments about it.
Good conversation topics are history, culture, soccer, and coffee.
Bad conversation topics are drug traffic, politics, and religion.
APPEARANCE:
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Men can only wear shorts when they are exercising.
The use of leather is considered offensive.
Women should wear long pants when they are exercising.
BEHAVIOR:
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Never touch someone else’s head.
Whistling and winking are impolite and may be interpreted as either an insult or a sexual proposition.
If your shorts or feet touch another person, apologize.
COMMUNICATIONS:
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Do not thank your host of the end of meal, “Thank you” is considered a form of payment and therefore insulting.
Titles are very important, always use professional titles.
Never directly refuse an invitation, a vague “I’ll try” is an acceptable refusal.
APPEARANCE:
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Don’t dress like a person from a culture that isn't your own.
Eating on public transportation and in the streets is considered very rude.
BEHAVIOR:
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Business people work long hours late into nighttime.
Long meals and long conversations is normal.
Guests wait for the host to sit down before sitting.
COMMUNICATIONS:
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Good topics for conversations are soccer, history, culture, home, children, and opera.
Bad conversation topics are religion.
Other languages spoken: Italian (2nd) and German (3rd.)
APPEARANCE:
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Generally wear Western dresses.
Dress well in public.
African woman wear a sari.
BEHAVIOR:
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Gifts will be open upon receipt.
Business meetings can be held over lunch or dinner.
Do not present gifts with the left hand.
COMMUNICATIONS:
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Use titles and surnames to address people.
Prefer a “win-win” situation.
Business cards have no formal exchange protocol.
APPEARANCE:
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Winking is not appropriate in any situation.
Do not touch another persons shoulder.
Do not touch or point at anything with your feet.
Behavior:
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Translate all written documents.
Good conversation topics are art, family, and Chinese sight seeing.
Give and receive gifts with both hands.
Food is a good gift.
Communications:
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A nod of your head is an appropriate greeting.
Punctuality has great importance in Taiwan.
Always wait for instructions.