Transcript Business and Social Customs

Chapter 9:
Business and
Social Customs
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Topics
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Greeting and Handshaking Customs
Verbal Expressions
Male and Female Relationships
Humor in Business
Superstitions and Taboos
Dress and Appearance
Customs Associated with Holidays and Holy
Days
Office Customs and Practices
Customary Demeanor/Behavior
Bribery
Special Foods and Consumption Taboos
Customs

Customs are behaviors generally expected
in specific situations; they are
established, socially acceptable ways of
behaving in given circumstances.

Examples of U.S. customs include eating
turkey on Thanksgiving, starting
presentations with a joke, and greeting
people with “Hi!”
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Greeting and
Handshaking Customs
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U.S. persons are informal in their greetings,
often saying “Hi” to complete strangers.
U.S. greeting behavior is ritualistic; upon
arriving at work, one person says: “Good
morning, how are you?” to which the other
person responds: “Fine, thank you, and how
are you?”
Embracing is an inappropriate form of
greeting in the U.S., but in Latin America
people embrace after a handshake.
Bowing is the customary form of greeting in
Japan.
Handshakes
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U.S.
Asians
British
French
Germans
Latin
Americans
Middle
Easterners
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Firm
Gentle (except for Koreans who have a
firm handshake)
Soft
Light and quick; repeated upon arrival
and departure
Firm; repeated upon arrival and departure
Moderate grasp; repeated frequently
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Gentle; repeated frequently
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Verbal Expressions
Learn phrases in the country’s language:
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Hello
Goodbye
Please
I’m sorry
I am having a great time
Thank you so much
No, thank you
This is such a delightful country
Verbal Expressions
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In the U.S. people often respond to someone
with a one-word reply: “Sure,” “Okay,” and
“Nope.” Such brevity seems blunt by foreign
standards; it is simply an indication of the
informality typical of U.S. persons.
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People in the Southern U.S. will often say
“Y’all come to see us” when bidding
someone goodbye. The expected reply is
“Thanks! Y’all come to see us, too.” This
verbal exchange is only a friendly ritual and
not an invitation to visit.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Verbal Expressions
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“Don’t mention it” and “Think nothing
of it,” in response to a courtesy or
favor, are viewed by persons of other
cultures as rude. When being thanked
for a courtesy, a response of “You are
welcome” is preferable.
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“What’s up?” and “How’s it going?”
make no sense to persons for whom
English is a second language.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Verbal Expressions
A newcomer to the U.S. did not
accept a job on the “graveyard
shift” since he thought he
would be working in a
cemetery.
Dresser, Multicultural Manners
Chitchat (Small Talk)
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Chitchat is important in getting to know
someone.
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Chitchat often includes comments about
the weather, the physical surroundings,
the day’s news, or almost anything of a
nonsubstantive nature.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Chitchat (Small Talk)
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People of the U.S., Canada, Australia,
Great Britain, and France excel at small
talk.
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Chitchat in Saudi Arabia would not include
the family; in Mexico and Latin America,
on the other hand, chitchat does include
discussions about the health of family
members.
Chitchat (Small Talk)
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Small talk seems to pose problems for
people of some cultures.
 Germans simply do not believe in it.
Swedes, usually fluent in English, have
little to say in addition to brief talks about
their jobs. The Japanese are frightened by
the idea of small talk as are people of
Finland, who buy books on the art of small
talk.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Chitchat (Small Talk)
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When engaging in chitchat with
someone of another culture, the best
advice is probably to follow the other
person’s lead. If they talk about their
family, then you would talk about
yours. If they initiate political
discussions, you would join in the
discourse.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Male and Female Relationships
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In high-context societies, such as the Arab
culture, people have definite ideas on what
constitutes proper behavior between males
and females.
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In low-context cultures, such as the U.S., little
agreement exists. Thus, both people of the
U.S. and visitors from other cultures have
difficulty knowing how to proceed in malefemale relationships in the U.S. since a wide
range of behaviors may be observed.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Male and Female Relationships
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Acceptable male/female relationships
in any culture involve stereotypes.
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A stereotype of U.S. women is that
they are aggressive, glamorous, and
promiscuous. Correspondingly,
American men are viewed as weak
and permit women to dominate them.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
“One tall and handsome Middle Eastern
graduate student said he had come to the
States with the notion that women were readily
available for sexual activities with people such
as himself. Everything that happened to him
during his first 2 years in the States confirmed
his opinion. After about 2 years, though, he
began to realize that the women who were so
readily available were not representative of the
whole society. They were a certain type of
person - insecure, socially marginal,
apparently unable to find satisfactory
relationships with American men, so they
turned to foreign students.”
Althen, American Ways
Male and Female Relationships
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Some U.S. men feel threatened by
the more assertive roles many
women are assuming. However,
most people accept the fact that men
and women can work side by side in
the workplace and that they can have
a friendship which does not have a
sexual component.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Male and Female Relationships
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In Mexico, treatment of men and women in
the workplace differs substantially from that
of the U.S. Male supervisors customarily
kiss their female secretaries on the cheek
each morning or embrace them.
Despite this custom, seen as undue
familiarity by U.S. managers, problems with
sexual harassment and gender
discrimination are uncommon according to
Mexican managers. (However, U.S.
managers interviewed reported the
opposite.)
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Humor in Business
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Using humorous anecdotes is a way
of breaking the ice and establishing a
relaxed atmosphere prior to getting
down to business.
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In the U.S., presentations are often
started with a joke or cartoon related
to the topic.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Humor in Business
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Most European countries also use humor
during business meetings.
Asian humor finds little merit in jokes
about sex, religion, or minorities; they
take what is said quite literally and do not
understand American humor.
Germans, too, find humor out of place
during business meetings.
British and Egyptian humor is selfdeprecating – but visitors may not join in.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Types of Humor
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U.S. – sarcasm and kidding accompany
humor.
Australians – humor is barbed and
provocative.
Belgians – direct humor at their
neighbors the Dutch (likewise the Dutch
direct humor at the Belgians).
British – direct humor at the Irish
(likewise the Irish direct humor at the
British).
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Humor in Business
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Perhaps jokes should be avoided around
persons of diverse cultures; American
humor is hard to export and appreciate.
Although the intention of humor is to put
your international colleagues at ease, the
risk of offending someone of another
culture, or of telling a story that no one
understands, is great.
In short, we do not all laugh at the same
thing.
A New York businessman, who frequently traveled to Japan
on business, often used a translator for his speeches. After
one such speech, he learned that the Japanese interpreter’s
version of his opening remarks went like this:
“American businessman is beginning speech with thing
called joke. I am not sure why, but all American
businessmen believe it necessary to start speech with joke.
(Pause) He is telling joke now but frankly you would not
understand joke so I will not translate it. He thinks I am
telling you joke now. Polite thing to do when he finishes is to
laugh. (Pause) He is getting close. (Pause) Now!”
The audience not only laughed appreciatively but stood and
applauded as well. Later he commented to the translator:
“I’ve been giving speeches in this country for several years,
and you are the first translator who knows how to tell a good
joke.”
Axtell, Do's and Taboos of Hosting International Visitors
Superstitions and Taboos
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Superstitions are beliefs that are
inconsistent with the known laws
of science or what a society
considers true and rational.
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Examples: a belief that special
charms, omens, or rituals have
supernatural powers
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Superstitions
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Superstitions, which are treated
rather casually in Europe and North
America, are taken quite seriously in
other cultures.
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In parts of Asia, fortune telling and
palmistry are considered influential
in the lives and business dealings of
the people.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Superstitions
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In many cultures, bad luck and even
death are associated with certain
numbers.
People of the U.S. think that 13 is an
unlucky number.
– Most American hotels do not have a
13th floor, and even a hotel room
number ending in 13 may be refused.
– Friday the 13th is perceived as an
unlucky day; many U.S. persons will not
schedule important events, such as
weddings or major surgery, on this day.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Superstitions
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The Chinese, who also believe that
good or bad luck is associated with
certain numbers, feel that 4 is the
most negative number, because it
sounds like the word for death.
– Hotels in China, Hong Kong, and
Taiwan often have no 4th floor.
– Some Asian airports have no Gate 4.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Superstitions
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Conversely, according to Chinese beliefs,
some numbers have positive meanings.
 Example: the number 6 represents happiness
and 9 represents long life.
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The number of people in a photograph will
also have significance. Many Chinese
people believe that having 3 people in a
photograph will result in dire
consequences, that the middle person will
die.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Superstitions
Superstitions held by persons in some cultures
include:
– What happens on New Year’s Day foretells what will
happen for the entire year.
– Attaching old shoes to the car of newlyweds
assures fertility.
– Walking under a ladder will bring bad luck as will
breaking a mirror.
– Giving too much attention to a newborn would
place the child in jeopardy; the evil spirits will harm
the baby if it receives too much attention.
– Putting your purse on the floor will result in
your money running away.
Bosrock, Put Your Best Foor Forward
Taboos
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Taboos are practices or verbal
expressions considered by a
society or culture as improper or
unacceptable.
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Taboos are rooted in the beliefs
of the people of a specific region
or culture and are passed down
from generation to generation.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Application of Feng Shui

Construction of the Building
32
©Copyright
Mark Du, School of Inter’l Trade of JUFE
Nanchang BaYi Plaza
Early 80’s
33
©Copyright
Mark Du, School of Inter’l Trade of JUFE
Taboos
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In Arab countries, it is considered
taboo to ask about the health of a
man’s wife.
In Taiwan, messages should not be
written in red ink, as this has death
connotations.
Writing a person’s name in red also
has negative associations in Korea,
parts of Mexico, and among some
Chinese.
An American English teacher made
comments and constructive criticisms in
red ink on her students’ papers. While
U.S. students were accustomed to this
practice, her Korean students were not.
These red-inked notes sent shock waves
through the families of Korean students,
who associated red ink with death. When
the families told the principal of this
taboo, he asked all teachers to refrain
from using red ink on any student’s paper.
They changed to other colors.
Dresser, Multicultural Manners
Dress and Appearance
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Clothes can enhance your credibility
or destroy it.
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The general rule for business
everywhere is that you should be
“Buttoned up”: conservative suit and
tie for men, dress or skirted suit for
women.
Axtell, Do's and Taboos Around the World
Creating a Professional Appearance
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Men's Business Attire:
– A suit, preferably in a
dark color
– Long sleeve dress shirt
– A tie
– Black or dark brown
dress shoes
– Dark socks to
complement your suit
– Minimal jewelry
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Men's Business
Casual:
– Neat slacks or trousers
– Button down, tucked in
shirt
– Leather casual shoes
(no sneakers or
sandals)
– A jacket is optional
Creating a Professional Appearance
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Women's Business
Attire:
– A suit in a dark color
Black, charcoal, navy
and other dark colors
are appropriate.
– Conservative blouse
– Closed-toe dress shoes
and hose
– Minimal jewelry,
perfume and makeup
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Women's Business
Casual:
– Skirt or pressed slacks
– Blouse, sweater, or
twin set
– Low-heeled
professional shoes
– A jacket is optional
Cultural Differences in
Dress and Appearance
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In Canada, people
dress more
conservatively and
formally than
people in the U.S.
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In Europe, business
dress is very formal;
coats and ties are
required, and jackets
stay on at all times.
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Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
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In Japan, dress is
also formal.
Women dress
conservatively and
wear muted colors
to the office.
Casual attire is
usually
inappropriate.
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In the Philippines,
men wear the
barong, a loose,
white or creamcolored shirt with
tails out, no jacket
or tie.
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In Saudi Arabia,
the traditional
Arabic white,
flowing robe and
headcloth may be
worn. However,
U.S. persons
should not attempt
to dress in a like
manner.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
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Color of clothing is an
important consideration.
Do not wear black,
purple, or solid white in
Thailand.
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Avoid wearing all white
in the People’s Republic
of China as white is the
symbol of mourning.
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Shoes are inappropriate in certain situations
in various cultures. They should not be worn
within Muslim mosques and Buddhist
temples. Shoes should be removed when in
a Japanese home. In the Arab culture, the
soles of your feet should not be shown.
Women should be especially careful to
conform to local customs. In Arab countries,
women should avoid wearing pants and
should wear clothes that give good
coverage. In Europe, women do not wear
pants to the office or to nice restaurants.
As a general rule for business, dress
conservatively.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Business Casual Dress
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Business dress in U.S. firms has become
increasingly casual in the past decade.
Over half of European firms have a casual
dress policy.
Sweden has the greatest percentage of
companies with casual dress policies
while England has the smallest.
Some companies are beginning to revoke
casual dress policies because casual
attire is having a negative impact on
image and credibility.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Holidays and Holy Days
That May Affect Business
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U.S.
– Christmas
– Thanksgiving
– Independence
Day
– New Year's Day
– Labor Day
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Canada
– Canada Day
– Labor Day
– All Saints Day
– Christmas
– Boxing Day
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China
-Chinese Lunar
New Year and
Spring Festival
- Labor Day
- National Day
- People’s
Liberation Army
Day
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England
- May Day
- Spring Bank
Holiday
- Late Summer
Holiday
- Christmas
- Boxing Day
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France
- Mardi Gras
- Liberation Day
- Ascension Day
- Bastille Day
- World War 1
- Armistice Day
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Germany
- Good Friday
- Whit Monday
- Ascension Day
- Day of German
Unity
- Day of Prayer and
Repentance
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Japan
– Coming of Age Day
– National Foundation
Day
– Vernal Equinox
– Greenery Day
– Children's Day
– Respect for the Aged
Day
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Mexico
– St. Anthony's
Day
– Carnival Week
– Birthday of
Benito Juarez
– Cinco de Mayo
– Corpus Christi
– Columbus Day
– Day of the Virgin
Guadalupe
Office Customs and Practices
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In U.S. offices, usual hours of work are 9
a.m. to 5 p.m.
In Iran, business hours are from 9:30 a.m.
to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday.
In some South American countries, such
as Brazil and Colombia, the workweek
is 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through
Friday (12 noon to 2 p.m. lunch).
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Office Customs and Practices
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Lunch period in U.S.
firms varies from 30
min to an hour;
break times are
usually one 15-min
period in the
morning and a
second 15-min
period in the
afternoon.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
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Europeans have a 1
- to 1 1/2 - hour
lunch break, 20-min
morning and
afternoon breaks
(often including beer
or wine)
and 15 min at the
end of the workday
for cleanup time.
Office Customs and Practices
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Hiring and firing practices vary according to the
culture.
– In the U.S. hiring and firing are based on job
effectiveness and job performance; no job is
permanent.
– In Europe everyone in the firm has a contract that
virtually guarantees permanent employment regardless
of the company’s financial condition.
– Likewise, in such countries as Japan, employees
consider their jobs to be permanent.
– Employees who are dismissed receive
generous severance pay by U.S. standards.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Office Customs and Practices
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The degree of formality or informality
found in U.S. offices varies; in major
corporations, more formality often
exists than in small companies in
rural areas. This informal
atmosphere does not indicate a lack
of respect, which would be true in
many European countries.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
U.S. Demeanor/Behavior
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Be punctual. Most U.S. persons will feel
offended if you are more than 10 min late.
If you agree to meet someone, keep the
appointment.
Treat females with the same respect given
males.
Treat clerks, waiters, secretaries, taxi
drivers with the same courtesy you would
show someone of higher rank and
position.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
U.S. Demeanor/Behavior
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When talking, keep an arm’s length away.
U.S. persons do not like it when people get
too close.
Avoid bowing and other behavior that is
intended to display respect as most
Americans are uncomfortable with such
displays.
Do not speak loudly in public places except
at sports events and similar outdoor events.
Keep to the right when walking in malls or on
the street.
U.S. Demeanor/Behavior
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Do not touch other
people in public.
(Pushing your way
through a crowd is
considered rude.)
Wait your turn when
standing in line at the
post office, bank, or
theatre. Give priority
to the first person who
arrives (rather than to
people who are older
or wealthier).
U.S. Demeanor/Behavior
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Do not block traffic;
do not block
someone’s view at a
ballgame or other
public events.
Be considerate of
nonsmokers; many
buildings in the U.S.
are smoke free.
Bribery
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Bribery is the
giving or
promising of
something, often
money, to
influence another
person’s actions.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin

While bribery is not officially
sanctioned in any country, it is
unofficially a part of business in many
cultures and is considered neither
unethical nor immoral in many
countries.
 Example: In Nigeria one must pay customs
agents to leave the airport, while in Thailand
and Indonesia getting a driver’s license
involves giving a tip to an agent.
Bribery
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The U.S. has the most restrictive laws against
bribery in the world. Companies found guilty
of paying bribes to foreign officials can be
fined up to $1 million, and guilty employees
may be fined up to $10,000.
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Many U.S. competitors, including Italian,
German, and Japanese firms, not only use
bribery in international transactions but may
deduct the amount of the bribe on their taxes
as a necessary business expense.
Intercultural Business Communication, 3rd ed., Chaney & Martin
Bribery
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As business becomes more globalized,
different perceptions exist regarding the
appropriateness of certain incentives.
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What is perceived as bribery is culturally
relative just as a person’s conscience can
become “culturally conditioned.”
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What is considered a tip (to ensure
promptness) in one culture is considered
illegal in another.
Harris & Moran, Managing Cultural Differences
Mike Lorelli of Pizza Hut shared this
experience related to bribery in other
cultures:
“In the Middle East or Brazil, they would
think you are crazy for not offering a
bribe, because to them there is
absolutely nothing wrong with bribery.
You’re an oddball, but there is not a
thing you can do about it.”
Engholm & Rowland, International Excellence, p. 133
Bribery
Professional go-betweens are
sometimes hired to assure that the
proper persons are tipped to avoid
delays in approvals and delivery.
People of the U.S. cannot, of course, be
involved in paying these commissions;
this responsibility would be left to the
local joint-venture partner or
distributor.
Unusual Foods
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U.S. - corn-on-thecob, grits, popcorn,
marshmallows,
crawfish
South Korea - dog
meat
Saudi Arabia sheep's eyeballs
Mexico - chicken's
feet in chicken soup
China - duck's feet
More Business
Travelers are Going Global
Master of 5 languages, Patrick
Larbuisson eats sheep intestines to
help grease business deals in Saudi
Arabia. He swallows with a smile
but is "sick like hell the next day."
(At least he knew the rule to follow:
eat what you are offered.)
Jones, USA Today
Consumption Taboos
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U.S. - horse meat, dog meat
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Strict Muslims - pork and alcohol
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Orthodox Jews - pork, shellfish,
meat and milk together
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Hindus - beef
True - False
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U.S. greetings are considered informal by
persons of other cultures.
The handshakes of U.S. persons and the
British are quite similar.
How much things cost is an appropriate topic
for small talk in most cultures.
People in Mexico do not waste time with “small
talk”; they get right down to business.
A stereotype of U.S. women is that they are
aggressive.
True - False
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What is perceived as humorous in the U.S. may
not be humorous in Japan.
When conducting business in another country,
wear what the people in that country typically
wear.
In some cultures, bad luck is associated with
certain numbers.
In the U.S., employees consider their jobs to be
permanent.
What is perceived as bribery is culturally relative.