Minority Career News
July - September 2001

International Assignments Require International Courtesies

Preparation and some general guidelines are necessary when interacting with other nationalities during the process of conducting business. Research of a country's culture, customs, form of government and history make the business process less blunder prone. Likewise, basic knowledge of some general courtesies that are almost ubiquitous can smooth the process. Listed below are 10 of these courtesies.

• Do not address someone by his or her first name until you have been invited to do so.
• Refrain from the usage of hand gestures and keep your feet on the floor.
• Learn the proper titles of those you will interact with.
• Pay particular attention to dress codes and follow examples of those you must interact with.
• Be aware of local holidays so that you can avoid attempts to schedule meetings on these days.
• Be prompt and punctual for all meetings.
• Pay particular attention to the manner in which handshakes, embraces and greetings are carried out.
• Business card exchanges and gift-giving/receiving can vary widely therefore location specific protocol should be followed.
• Never criticize, attempt to tell a joke in a nonnative language, or disdain dietary customs.
• Respect, respect, respect!

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