Part I: Developing your Cross-Cultural Knowledge Country | Asia | Spain | Europe | Common Greetings | Man greeting Man –shake hands when greeting and departing, and they sometimes also nod their head. | Man greeting Man - shake and maintain direct eye contact. A firm handshake is a sign of strength and honesty. The handshake is sometimes combined with slight touches on the arms and/or elbows.Good friends and family will engage in a hug combined with a few firm slaps on the back. | Man greeting Man –shake hands while maintaining direct eye contact. Good friends and family will engage in a light hug. Good friends and family may even exchange a kiss on each cheek. | Gift-Giving | Avoid gifts at first meetingGiving gifts of knives, scissors, or letter openers signify severing of a close bond. Clocks, cut flowers and anything in groups of four should be avoided.Gifts should be nicely wrapped and are not to be opened right away unless prompted to. Receive and give gifts with two hands. It is considered polite to refuse a gift several times before accepting. | Avoid gifts at a first meeting. If invited to someone’s house, it is best to bring flowers, wine, and/or chocolate. Do not give anything that is obviously expensive because it could be looked at as a bribe. Expect gifts to be opened right away. Avoid gifts like a letter opener, knives, and or scissors because they mean a severing of relations. | Gifts are not given in business settings, unless there is an important delegation that visits. Something locally made might be given as a souvenir in that case. If invited over for dinner you should always bring a gift. Either a bottle of high quality wine/liquor or sweets. Avoid gifts like a letter opener, knives, and or scissors. Gifts tend to be opened when received | Attire | For men: dark to medium colored conservative suits with shirts and ties.For women: conservative business suits or dresses and blouses. Don’t wear low necklines, high heels, and tight fitting or sleeveless attire. Jeans and business casual attire are not recommended.Slacks and a collared shirts are acceptable in warmer months | Argentines respect and appreciate people who dress well. For Men: conservative, blue, gray and/or brown colored suits with white or light blue shirts and conservative ties.For Women: wear suits or dresses that are elegant and feminine with good quality accessories. Women usually wear blue or muted colors with dark leather shoes. | Business dress is very formal. One’s manner of dress is a reflection of one’s public image. Brand names and sense of style are all important ways to judge someoneFor Men: Stylish suits with shirts and ties. Bright color shirts are acceptable.For Women: Stylish business suits or dresses and blouses. Accessories and high heels are worn. More revealing clothing is acceptable in certain situations. | Titles/Business Cards | Titles are very important. Address people by using their professional title or Mr., Mrs., or Miss, followed by the surname. In Chinese, the way of addressing people is last name + title. People are often called by their full name or a nickname. If you have the same last name as someone you work with, one could be dubbed “Old Smith” and the other “Young Smith.” It’s advisable to have one side of your business card translated into Chinese and to present your business card with two hands with the Chinese side facing the recipient. Give and receive business cards with two hands. It is polite to look at business cards after you receive them and show interest by examining them carefully. It’s best to place them on the table in front of you and never write on or fold a business card you are given. | Titles are very important. Address people by using their professional title only. If they do not have professional titles like, , they should be addressed as Mr., Mrs., or Miss, plus their surnames.There is no specific ritual surrounding the giving and receiving of business cards.It is advisable, to have one side of your business card translated into Spanish. Present your business card with the Spanish side facing the recipient. | Titles are important. Address people by using Mr., Mrs., or Miss, followed by the surname. People with university degrees are usually addressed as “Dottore” or “Dottoressa” followed by the family name.You should always wait to be invited to use first names before doing so.It is very common to have your title prominent on your business card.Before a meeting, business cards are often times exchanged using one hand. | Personal Space | Chinese stand a little less than an arms length from one another. When meeting strangers the distance is furtherIn conversation, there is little to no touching, unless it is with families, close friends or boyfriend/girlfriend relationships.Women who are friends often hold hands or link arms while walking. | Argentines stand close to one another while talking. It can be considered rude to back up or away from someone while they are speaking. There is a fair amount of touching between men and men, men and women and women and women while conversing. Including hand on shoulders, hand on arms, and hand on hands. | An arm's length distance or a bit less is appropriate amount of personal space during conversations. This space is considerably less between friends and family.Italians tend to touch quite a bit during conversations. This is more common with good friends and family then say in business or formal situations.It is common to see people hug in public; couples kiss in public, women interlock arms with men while walking in the street, etc. | Communication Style | Most Chinese speak in an indirect manner. There's usually a deeper meaning of their words and sometimes what they mean is the opposite of what they said. | Avoid hard selling and conflict or confrontation. Argentines respond much better to the “soft sell.”The issue of saving face is important so they may seems to agree to everything you say and then you might find out later what they really felt.Final decisions are usually made by the highest ranking officers. | Italians tend to be direct in a diplomatic way. The will tell you the truth but often in a polite way. Communication tends to be more on the formal side when in public and less so in private.Italians are known to be very animated and dramatic during conversations. Large displays of emotion are very common. It may appear that people are arguing when in fact they are just talking | Negotiation | Chinese value relationship building and harmony so avoid hard selling, conflict or confrontation. Saving face is important.Decisions are made by the head of the group and can take a long time to reach. Be patient and flexible.Chinese use an indirect communication style and will avoid using no as an answer (maybe...)It is common to be taken outto dinner during negotiations and drinking is encouraged. | Avoid hard selling, conflict or confrontation. The issue of saving face is important so they may seems to agree to everything you say and then you might find out later what they really felt.Final decisions are usually made by the highest ranking officers.Final decisions are usually made by the highest ranking officers. | Be straight forward and direct. The farther south one goes, the less formal and direct people tend to be.Sometimes one’s job description does not exactly correspond with the real decision making power. | Eye Contact | Chinese tend to favor direct eye contact. Eye contact is considered polite, and when dealing with an unfamiliar elder one may lower their head as a sign of respect. | Argentines favor direct eye contact. Maintaining eye contact is viewed as respectful and interest in the person who is speaking.During conversations sustained eye contact is common. | Direct eye contact is expected and appreciated. It is considered rude to not look someone in the eyes when speaking and shaking hands. | Gestures | Beckoning or pointing with the index finger is considered bad form. Using your whole hand, palm flat, instead. People beckon one another by extending an arm and making a scratching motion with their fingers. Spitting in public after clearing ones throat is also common | A chin flick, flicking your fingers under your chin, means you don’t know or don’t care.People beckon one another by extending an arm and making a scratching motion with their fingers.Making a circular motion using the index finger while pointing to the side of one’s head means you are having or making a phone call. | Italians talk with their hands a lot. In conversations, hands are waving around giving emphasis to what is being said. Tapping the side of your head with the index finger mean someone is “crazy”.Flicking your fingers under your chin signifies not knowing or not caring. | Do’s | The concept of 'face' translates as 'honour' or 'respect'.Four types of “face”:1) Diu-mian-zi: this is when one's actions or deeds have been exposed to people.
2) Gei-mian-zi: means giving face through showing respect.
3) Liu-mian-zi: is developed by avoiding mistakes and showing wisdom in action.
4) Jiang-mian-zi: when face is increased through others, i.e. someone complementing you.
You must avoid losing face or causing the loss of face at all times. | You should arrive on time for meetings, although the person you are meeting may not.Name-dropping and nepotism do not have the negative connotations and can be used to your advantage.Argentina is a relationship-driven culture, so it is important to build networks and use them. | Appointments are mandatory and should be made in writing (in Italian) 2 to 3 weeks in advance.Reconfirm the meeting by telephone or fax.In the north, punctuality is viewed as a virtue and your business associates will be on time. | Taboos/Don’t | Using your feet to move something or putting one’s feet on the furniture is rude.Avoid sticking your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice as it is reserved for funerals Avoid sucking and biting your chopsticks.Avoid whistling and finger snapping at someone. | The inverted American “OK” sign is an obscene gesture Slapping the inside of the thighs is too.Yawning is considered rude. Pouring wine with the left hand while grasping the neck of the bottle is badStanding with one’s hands on his hips may signify anger, boredom, and/or a challenge. | Don’t be late to meetings. Don’t give intermittent eye contact, it should be consistent. | Other Interesting Facts | Collectivism vs. IndividualismThe Chinese are a collective society with a need for group affiliation, whether to their family, school, work group, or country.In order to maintain a sense of harmony, they will not do anything to cause someone else public embarrassment and act with decorum at all times.They are willing to subjugate their own feelings for the good of the group. | The more important the person you are meeting, the longer they will keep you waiting.Do not immediately begin discussing business. Small talk will help establish a rapport. | Italians prefer to do business with people they know and trust.A third party introduction will go a long way in providing an initial platform from which to work. |