The owner of a company, Mr. Schmidt, was very satisfied with the course of the business dinner. The conclusion of the contract was as good as perfect, his new partners obviously enjoyed themselves very much, everything was perfect. Perhaps he should not have drunk so much, he was no longer in command of his tongue […]
Your Chinese business partners will rarely show what they are actually thinking. Their facial expressions and gestures are very unexpressive and monotonous in business life. Emotions, particularly negative ones, aren’t shown outwardly. Eye contact In many business situations keeping eye contact is not as common as you are perhaps used to. If your Chinese conversation […]
Cooperation still risks failure though. In order to avoid negative developments, an intercultural team must be created with great care. Set game rules Tasks and rules must be defined at the beginning in accordance with the make-up of the team, if adequate foundations are to be laid for fruitful cooperation. For tasks where it is […]
Saudi Arabia boasts of a great cultural heritage and the most sacred mosques. The 33 million Saudi Arabs are composed mainly of various ethnic groups who are native to the Arabian Peninsula and share a common general Saudi culture. According to the 2010 census, Saudi nationals represent 74.1% of the total population. While the official […]
Basically, everything’s been sorted out. It has been decided how the cooperation in the new joint venture will proceed. Negotiations have been underway for months and the objectives and areas of work have been defined in several meetings. Both the Germans and the French expect important advantages from the cooperation. Special appreciation Today, the German […]
US-Americans often have little knowledge of the guest country and its inhabitants. They have a tendency to be not particularly good in dealing with foreign ways of behavior, and they expect to have everywhere the standards they are used to. That of course varies from one US-American to another, depending on their personality, experience in […]
Setting up a business in the Arab Gulf states is more of a personal endeavor than a business one, as personal relationships drive all business there. There is no separation between relationships and projects. Accordingly, business activities are preceded by many shared meals and after work activities. Topics discussed at these meals and activities will […]
Two factors which become apparent as soon as you begin planning a cooperative effort with a Polish business are firstly, their talent for improvisation, and secondly, their optimistic belief that any task can be successfully managed. Projects continue to be tinkered with right up until the very last minute, as changes occur constantly. Instead of […]
“Inshallah” – “If God wills”, “bukra” – “tomorrow” or “at some time or other”, and “malesh” – it doesn’t matter” or “no harm meant” are set expressions that are nourished from Arabic proverbs and will reach your ears several times a day when you are travelling in Arabic-speaking countries. Because of their conspicuously frequent use […]
The main thing is the belief in success – and in the American dream. In addition, equality and equal opportunities as well as creativity, helpfulness and friendliness are important. Believing in success In many areas American culture has been shaped by Protestant working moral which distinguishes itself by personal responsibility, self-monitoring, endurance, the value of […]
Polychronic cultures such as Bulgaria see time as a period in which several different things happen at the same time. Time is a force of nature, therefore it is difficult to “tame”. Bulgarians try to meet deadlines, but they are not always in command of their time. Unforeseeable events often occur that can influence even […]
For Gulf Arabs hospitality is very important, so demonstrate generosity and helpfulness to your visitors from the Arab Gulf states. Strengthen your relationships with common meals and activities. That will certainly pay off later. Arrival at the airport It is absolutely advisable to meet your Gulf Arab guests at the airport and drive them to […]
