+ Unlike many other Latin American countries where there is a distinct indigenous population, Brazilians have intermarried to the point that nearly everyone has a combination of European, African, and indigenous ancestry.

+ Brazilian conversations are fast-paced and animated with frequent interruptions. Exclamations and a great deal of physical contact are normal.

+ Soccer is a highly respected national institution. Never say that another country plays soccer better than Brazil.

+ Appearances matters to Brazilians both in business and daily life. This includes dressing well and staying at the best hotel that your budget can accommodate.
- Men should wear conservative, dark-colored business suits. Lighter colored suits may be worn in the summer. Three-piece suits generally indicate that someone is an executive.
- Business attire for women is extremely important. Brazilian businesswomen generally wear elegant business suits or dresses with high quality accessories.

+ In doing business, much time is spent developing a friendly relationship. It will usually take several visits to close a deal as Brazilians need to know who they are doing business with before they can work together.

+ A foreign businessperson should learn as much about the Brazilian economic and commercial environment as possible before conducting business.

+ Status in Brazil is based more on educational and professional accomplishments than on family background.

+ By nature, Brazilians are future oriented, yet strongly fatalistic at the same time. They have strong religious beliefs but do not see themselves as having total control over their destiny.

- from RW3 CultureWizard’s Country Profiles

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If you’d like some more culture tips for the UK, click here to read our previous post on the matter.

Mark
RW3 CultureWizard

RW3 CultureWizard

The following culture tips will come in handy when doing business with France.

+ The French are private people and have different rules of behavior for people within their social circle and those who are not. Although the French are generally polite, it is with their close friends and family that they express themselves freely and openly.

+ A well-rounded education indicates status and breeding. It is a good idea to become familiar with French history and culture to impress French colleagues.

+ People who are well read and can speak intelligently about the arts are considered of a higher class.

+ As a general business rule, French people are more serious in demeanor and do not smile without a reason. Although most French businesspeople understand that smiling is more commonplace in many other cultures, they may be unimpressed by expressions of humor or over-familiarity.

+ Foreign businesswomen will be treated with the same courtesy and respect that French men afford all women. Well-dressed women generally receive courtly attention from French men, including appreciative glances or a compliment about their clothes.

+ The handshake is a common form of greeting. Friends may greet each other by lightly kissing on the cheeks. The number of kisses–one to four–varies according to the region.

+ The French have a great appreciation for the art of conversation. Their communication style is direct, often interlaced with probing questions. Therefore, it is important to present a logical argument and be able to approach the situation from multiple angles.

+ Heated discussion and negotiation are part of French communication. The French enjoy confrontational discussion and see them as an opportunity to demonstrate their intelligence and knowledge of the subject matter.

Key French Business Values

- from RW3′s CultureWizard™ Country Profiles

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Strategies for Success in India

• Intensive management is viewed, for the most part, as good management. As a manager, provide explicit instructions and guidance to your teams.
• Clarify anything with a written checklist and open-ended questions.
• Ask for input since many may be reluctant to provide unsolicited feedback. Be conscious to save face when asking challenging questions in front of a group.
• Ask for regular feedback and frequently follow up on tasks in order to maintain schedules and meet deadlines.
• Avoid asking questions that can be answered by a “yes” or “no”.
• Ask questions in several ways to ensure that the way the question was phrased did not impact the response
• Prepare several “what-if” scenarios to help drive change.

Key Business Values in India

• Respect for elders and authorities
• Trust is very important, and is developed through building strong relationships over time
• Preference to work collaboratively
• Family obligations may take precedence over work
• Preference to not give or receive bad news
• Avoidance of giving overt negative response
• Relationship-building activities may take precedence over meeting schedules and deadlines
• Reluctance to take undirected initiative

- from RW3′s CultureWizard® Pocket Guides, also available on CultureWizard Mobile

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Whether you’re an expatriate or business traveler, part of a global team with members in Vietnam or working with Vietnamese customers, the following culture tips will prove essential to your success:

+ If someone disagrees with what another person says, rather than disagree publicly, a Vietnamese person might simply remain silent.

+ The concept of face is extremely important to Vietnamese. Saying a direct no to someone may cause that person to lose face. Face may also be lost through a person’s own actions such as publicly displaying emotion, losing self-control, becoming intoxicated, or rescinding an order.

+ The teachings of Confucius have had a strong impact in modern Vietnamese society. Confucianism stresses duty, loyalty, honor, filial piety, respect for age and seniority, and sincerity.

+ Vietnamese are very conscious of age and status. Everyone has a distinct place in the hierarchy, be it the family unit, the extended family, a social or a business situation. Be aware of the implications of hierarchy when managing a Vietnamese workforce.

+ Vietnam has a high context, indirect communication style. As such, it is important not to accept what is said at face value because the Vietnamese generally do not express their opinions clearly, as is more common in Western countries.

+ It is quite common for Vietnamese to ask what would be considered personal questions in more Western cultures. Expect to be asked about your age, marital status, or how much something costs.

+ There is a very distinct generation gap among the Vietnamese. Quite often the political systems they have lived through shape a person’s viewpoint. These differences are more apparent in the north where the changes have been the greatest.

- from RW3′s CultureWizard™ Country Profiles

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