Chapter 8 Global Etiquette

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Chapter 8Global Etiquette
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Upon Completion of this Chapter

• Understand cultural differences in making
  introductions and business card exchanges
• Understand how position and status affect
  cultural interaction
• Be familiar with rules of etiquette
• Understand cultural differences in dining
  practice
• Be familiar with cultural differences with
  tipping
• Understand practices of gift giving in cultures
• Learn the importance of travel etiquette

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Global Etiquette

• As companies restructure and downsize,
  competition will become fiercer. Getting or
  keeping a job or being promoted will depend not
  only on how well qualified you are but also on
  how appropriately you behave and how much you
  look and act the part for a particular position.

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Global Etiquette

• Although the world seems to be shrinking in some
  ways, the necessity of respecting and observing
  the etiquette of another country is as important
  as ever. You need to know enough about the
  correct behavior of a particular country so that
  you do not unintentionally offend its customs.

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Etiquette includes manners and behavior
considered socially acceptable by people of the
culture. Protocol refers to customs and
regulations having to do with diplomatic
etiquette and courtesies expected in
international negotiation.
Definitions


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Introductions

• In the U.S. first names are used almost
  immediately Titles (Mr. Jones) are used
  infrequently.
• In Germany, use titles in Italy, address persons
  with a college degree as Doctor.
• In Britain, people who have been knighted are
  addressed as "Sir" with the first name only (Sir
  George).

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Introductions

• When introducing the Chinese, the surname comes
  first and the given name last. (Ching Lo Chang
  would be addressed as Mr. Ching.)
• In Latin American countries, people often add
  their mother's maiden name to their surname so
  you would use the next to the last name when
  introducing them. (Evelyn Rodrigues Castillo
  would be Señorita Rodrigues.)
• Introductions are accompanied by a handshake, an
  embrace, or a bow depending upon the culture.

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Business Cards

• In Japan and Korea, present a business card with
  both hands in Arabic African countries, use
  the right hand only. Business cards are used in
  Europe, Middle East, the Pacific, Asia, and the
  Caribbean. In the U.S. business cards informal.
• Treat the business card with respect place the
  card before you on the desk or conference table
  to properly refer to title, rank, and name.
• Print a translation of all identifying
  information on the back of the card in the
  language of the country you will visit.

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Business Cards

• Include your name and full title. Titles carry
  greater significance in other cultures than in
  the United States.
• Include your companys address and telephone
  numbers include foreign headquarters, as
  appropriate.
• Include your fax number and e-mail address.
• Avoid colored type and paper. Choose white with
  black ink for both sides. If in doubt, be
  conservative.

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Position and Status

• In the United States limited respect is shown for
  rank and authority the U.S. is not considered a
  nation of classes, but classes do exist.
• Distinctions are made by how much money you have
  and where the money came from (Drug dealers may
  have a lot of money, but no style or class)
  distinctions are made between inherited money and
  earned money.
• U.S. perceive office located on higher floor to
  be a sign of status. In France, executive on the
  outside of the work area.

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Position and Status

• Status is associated with educational level and
  with a person's occupation. Surveys show that
  medical doctors and college professors have high
  status in the U.S.
• India has a caste system determined at birth.
  Interaction between castes is limited.
• In Japan, the person of lower rank bows first and
  lowestthe higher rank the lower the bow. Highest
  ranking person enters first.

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Position and Status

• Gender is related to position and status. Women
  are considered as equal to men in the U.S. In
  other cultures (the Middle East), women are not
  considered equal. Rossman (International
  Businesswomen of the 1990s) predicted that the
  progress of U.S. women would set an example for
  change overseas.
• Age and hierarchy are important in such countries
  as the China. Age takes precedence over rank,
  but rank is important. The higher the rank of
  the person you are introduced to, the lower you
  bow. The person of lower rank bows first and
  lowest junior persons stop bowing first. You
  are also expected to sit and to go through the
  door in rank order.

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Electronic Communication Etiquette

• When communicating by telephone, the initial
  impression is formed more on vocal quality than
  on words spoken.
• Good telephone manners include answering the
  phone promptly, identifying yourself properly,
  and being courteous at all times.
• When using voice mail, be brief but complete when
  leaving a message.
• When using e-mail, avoid negative or personal
  information.

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Netiquette (Network Etiquette)

• Proper netiquette avoids the following
• shouting - typing the message in all capital
  letters
• dissing - speaking ill of someone
• flaming - sending vicious, insulting messages
• spamming - mass mailings of commercial
  advertisements or material cross-posted to
  numerous newsgroups

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E-mail Usage

• 68.8 of U.S. residents have Internet access
  (third highest of top 20 countries).
• 75 of Swedish persons have Internet access.
• 72.5 of residents in Hong Kong have Internet
  access.
• Approximately 66 in Iceland, The Netherlands,
  Australia, and Canada have access.
• 58.5 in the United Kingdom have internet access.
• 52.2 in Japan have internet access.

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FAX Etiquette

• Call ahead to confirm the fax number and to alert
  the person that you are sending a message the
  message should follow within 15 minutes.
• Avoid faxing certain documents lengthy
  documents of more than 10 to 12 pages,
  personal/confidential information, and negative
  news.
• Avoid using the fax when impressions are
  important, such as résumés and proposals.

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Dining Practices

• Good table manners are always a sign of breeding
  and education. Table manners reveal much about a
  person those who are insecure, disorganized,
  greedy, insensitive, or ill at ease will reveal
  these qualities in their dining behavior.

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Dining Practices

• In the U.S., the main meal is in the evening in
  Mexico, the main meal is from 2 to 4 p.m.
• In the U.S., salads are served first in Italy
  and France, salads are served after the main
  course.
• In the U.S., informal meals have two or three
  courses. In Latin American countries, even
  informal meals usually have numerous courses.
• Serving coffee at the end of the meal is common
  in most cultures.

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Unusual U.S. Dining Practices

• Serving a glass of ice in water in restaurants.
  (Countries that serve water, serve no ice.)
• Offering coffee at the beginning of a meal
• Giving people a choice of regular or
  decaffeinated coffee
• Designating certain sections in restaurants as
  smoking/nonsmoking
• Having breakfast business meetings

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Eating Styles

• The U.S. eating style is called zigzag
  cutting the meat with the knife held in the right
  hand and the fork in the left, then placing the
  knife on the plate, shifting the fork to the
  right hand, and eating.
• Continental (European) style placing the fork
  in the left hand and the knife in the right, then
  using the knife to push food onto the back of the
  fork and moving the food into the mouth, with
  fork tines down.

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Eating Styles

• Asians use chopsticks, especially for eating
  rice, but may use a spoon for some foods.
• Tahitian food is eaten with the fingers in the
  Middle East eat with your fingers if the host
  does, but use the right hand only.
• In Bolivia you are expected to clean your plate.
  In the U.S., you are not expected to clean your
  plate.

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Eating Styles

• When eating something strange looking in another
  culture, never ask what it is cut it in small
  pieces and swallow quickly pretend it looks like
  chicken.
• In some countries business meals are not eaten in
  restaurants. Some prefer to serve them at home.
• A dining practice in France that seems unusual to
  those in other cultures is the custom of bringing
  pet dogs into restaurants where the waiter takes
  the dog into the kitchen to be fed a treat. Dogs
  in most cultures are not allowed in public eating
  establishments.

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Dining Practices

• A wealthy American couple were touring Asia
  accompanied by their pet poodle. They decided to
  dine one evening at a nice looking restaurant
  where, as it turned out, restaurant employees
  could speak no English. Since the tourists could
  not speak the local language, they ordered from
  the menu by pointing to certain items they also
  tried to order food for their poodle.

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Dining Practices

• After several attempts using a type of sign
  language, the waiter seemed to understand. He
  pointed to the dog, then pointed to the kitchen.
  The couple, thinking this meant that the dog
  could eat in the kitchen but not in the dining
  room, nodded their agreement. After a lengthy
  wait, the waiter proudly entered and lifted the
  lid of one the serving platters to display a
  well-cooked poodle.

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Tipping

• People communicate nonverbally by their tipping
  practices those who are basically stingy and
  those who are basically generous will reveal
  these traits by their tipping behavior.
• Insult tipping (leaving a few coins) shows a
  lack of breeding and is inappropriate regardless
  of how poor the service was.
• Although a tip of 15 percent of the bill used to
  be considered a generous tip in fine restaurants,
  20 percent is now closer to the norm when the
  service is excellent.

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Tipping

• Traveling in the U.S. involves numerous tipping
  situations including cab drivers and service
  personnel who may carry your luggage.
• Tipping in a nontipping culture can offend or
  insult the people of that culture. Tipping in
  Japan is frowned upon the Japanese consider
  carrying your luggage a gesture of hospitality.
• In many places (Europe) a service charge is added
  to your restaurant/hotel bill you need not leave
  an additional tip.

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Gift Giving

• Each country has its seasons and occasions for
  giving gifts. Gift giving in some cultures is an
  art and is considered an integral part of
  building intercultural professional/social
  relationships.
• U.S. business gifts are modest in price the rule
  because of tax regulations is to limit the price
  to 25.
• Gifts in the U.S. are opened in front of the
  giver, admired, and thanks are expressed orally
  and in writing.

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Gift Giving in Japan

• Gift giving is very important they give gifts to
  customers as expressions of appreciation for
  business. They reward employees on July 15 and
  December with large bonuses.
• Wrapping of the gift and presentation are
  important. The color of wrapping (no bows)
  should be consistent with the occasion red,
  gold, and white for happy events black and
  purple or black and white for other occasions.

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Gift Giving in Japan

• Japanese do not open a gift in front of the
  giver dont open your gift in their presence.
• Avoid giving a gift when someone else is present.
• Do not surprise your Japanese host mention the
  gift ahead of time.
• Favorite gifts for the Japanese are imported
  liquor, designer-made products (Gucci, Tiffany),
  also musical tapes and CDs.

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Gift Giving in China

• Exhibitors at a trade show could not understand
  why Chinese visitors were not stopping by their
  booth. Workers were wearing green hats and were
  using them as giveaways as well. They later
  learned that for many Chinese persons green hats
  are associated with infidelity the Chinese
  expression He wears a green hat indicates that
  a mans wife has been cheating on him. When they
  discarded the green hats and gave out T-shirts
  and coffee mugs instead, they had plenty of
  Chinese visitors.

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Global Gift-Giving

• Avoid giving a gift of a clock in the Peoples
  Republic of China it is considered a symbol of
  bad luck.
• Avoid gifts of perfume or wine to the French
  those are their specialties.
• Do not give gifts of cowhide to people in India
  the cow is sacred.

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Global Gift-Giving

• Avoid gifts of liquor or wine in Islamic
  cultures alcohol is illegal.
• Avoid gifts of a handkerchief or knife in Latin
  America. The knife is interpreted as a wish to
  sever a relationship the handkerchief is
  associated with tears.
• In Korea business gifts are usually given at the
  beginning of formal negotiations.

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Global Gift-Giving

• In Germany business gifts are seldom exchanged at
  the beginning of negotiations but may be given at
  their conclusion. Avoid gifts of carnations since
  they are associated with cemeteries.
• In Latin American countries, present gifts only
  at the conclusion of negotiations.
• When dining in a persons home in Western Europe,
  present your gift when you arrive so that it does
  not appear to be intended as payment for the meal.

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Global Gift-Giving

• Gifts to Germans should not be wrapped in black,
  brown, or white.
• A striped tie is not a smart gift to a British
  man it may be a copy of a British regiment other
  than his own.
• In Islamic countries avoid admiring personal
  possessions you will probably find yourself the
  recipient of the object you have admired.

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Global Gift-Giving

• When people in the U.S. select business gifts,
  the gifts should be made in the U.S.
• Good international U.S. gift choices include U.S.
  Indian art or jewelry, videotapes of U.S. movies,
  U.S. made sports equipment, or food that is
  uniquely U.S., such as candy or nuts.
• Avoid gag fits people of some other cultures do
  not appreciate them.

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Travel Etiquette

• Approach international travel with a positive
  attitude and a sense of adventure.
• Dress appropriately strangers will judge you
  first on your appearance.
• Pack conservative business attire dark suits
  for men and women, classic leather shoes, and
  good quality accessories and luggage.
• Treat airline personnel courteously.

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Travel Etiquette

• A passenger standing in line at an airline ticket
  counter listened to a person yelling and
  screaming at the ticket agent. After the mad,
  rude customer left, the passenger complimented
  the ticket agent on his patience, attitude, and
  calm demeanor. The clerk replied Thank you
  for your kind words, but dont worry its all
  right. The passenger asked, How can it be all
  right? The clerk answered Its all right
  because, you see, that man is going to Cleveland,
  but his luggage is going to Singapore.

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Proper Flight Behavior

• Refrain from wearing strong fragrances.
• Respect the preferences of those seated next to
  you related to conversations.
• Do not place your seat in a reclining position
  when traveling in the main cabin without first
  asking permission of the person seated behind
  you.
• Stay out of the aisles as much as possible, limit
  time on the telephone and in the bathroom, and do
  not permit children to disrupt or offend others.
• Handle problem situations appropriately and
  politely.

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Final Travel Tip!

• A helpful rule to remember in most cultures is to
  follow the lead of the people in the other
  culture. If they shake hands, so do you. Eat
  what they eat and when they eat. If the other
  person gives you a gift, be prepared to
  reciprocate.

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Topics Covered

• Introductions
• Business Card Exchange
• Position and Status
• Electronic Communication Etiquette
• Dining Practices
• Tipping
• Gift Giving
• Travel Etiquette