...International Business Business Customs Paper County: Brazil When conducting business in Brazil, there is a lot to know about how this country interprets gestures, how they perceive Americans and the best ways to conduct business that will impress them. There are some formalities and policies we may not be aware of in the US. They are important to know in order to conduct successful business in Brazil. Relationship building is key, along with formal attitude and attire and always showing professionalism. Brazil is quite different from the US, so remembering and practicing all of the following will help to insure your business will be successful in Brazil. One important aspect to understand when conducting business with Brazil is their negotiations. In Brazil, business is negotiated in a way that shows Brazilians expect things to go “their way.” This is because they do not have a lot of experience negotiating with other countries. However, younger generations may be more flexible in this aspect. (Global Negotiation Resources) Brazilians also do not like loud and boisterous behavior or anyone who acts rude or impatient towards them. No matter how enthusiastic or heated a discussion may get, theses emotions should never be shown. When initiating contact with a Brazilian, choosing to use a local intermediary, or despachante, is highly recommeneded. This will help create a connection between US and Brazilian culture and business will be more effective. (Global...
Words: 1706 - Pages: 7
...Associate Level Material Appendix C XCOM/285 01/26/2014 University of Phoenix |Cross-Cultural Communication | |Country |Preferred Communication Style |Nonverbal Communication Practices |Business Communication Norms |Strategies to Increase Cross-Cultural | | | | | |Communication | | |Ireland |Meeting and greeting |The Irish are not very time conscious |The most important strategy to increase | | | |It is expected that men, women and children|and may not be punctual for business |cross cultural communication is knowledge. | | | |shake hands with eye contact upon arriving |and social meetings. They have a |The understanding that not all cultures are | | | |and leaving with everyone present at a |relaxed sense of time and may be a |the same, becoming familiar with the culture| ...
Words: 1032 - Pages: 5
...strange and quite different from what you are used to in Canada. One of the major differences is that Brazil is a collectivistic culture as measured on Hofstede’s Individualism Index, in contrast to Canada’s individualistic culture (Hofstede, 2014). Brazil’s collectivist nature will have many impacts on your daily interactions, including the Brazilian importance of family, which will often be place above work priorities (Training, 2012). Brazil is also different in its communication style, which tends to be more informal and indirect than Canada’s formal and direct style. Brazil is also considered a high-context culture, therefore it is important to pay attention to what is said, how it is said, and what is not said (Suderman, 2008). Another major aspect of Brazilian culture is the importance of building relationships before commencing business. Brazilians expect to get to know their business contacts through multiple meetings, in order to establish trust, and hopefully a friendship (DiPaolo, 2006). This process may take some time as it illustrates Brazil’s Polychronic orientation, which is more relaxed (slower) in nature and where the prevailing attitude is that “things will get done in their own time” (Suderman, 2008). Brazil is also very comfortable with inequality as evidenced by their high score on Hofstede’s Power Distance Index (Hofstede, 2014). As a manager in Brazil you will be expected to take absolute responsibility and to use an authoritarian style of leadership...
Words: 2632 - Pages: 11
...International Body Gestures In the first article I read, I found out that a body gesture in the United States could have a totally different meaning in other countries. The United States gesture for “all right” does not mean the same thing in every country. For example, in Japan it means “money”, in France it means “zero”, and in Brazil it means an “unmentionable orifice.” Another interesting body gesture is the way you sit in a chair. If you were in the presence of some Muslims or Thai people you would not want to cross your legs when you sit down. The foot is considered the lowest part of the body, physically as well as spiritually in Middle Eastern countries and Thailand. It is also offending to reach for more food in Pakistan with your left hand, because it is seen as being unclean. The left hand is to wash your private areas in Pakistan. Another body gesture that is unusual is sticking your tongue out at another person. In the United States, sticking your tongue out at another person means your being silly or being “punk’d.” But, in some parts of Tibet, sticking your tongue out at another person is a way of greeting people. One of the most disrespectful body gestures in the United States is spitting on another person. But, if you find yourself at a wedding in Kenya, spitting on the head is a form of blessing. Although, this old tradition is fading away, when Kenyans shake hands the older of the two will spit in his hands before hand. This means he is transferring...
Words: 381 - Pages: 2
...XBCOM/275 Velvalee Wiley Cultural Evaluation Paper (Brazil) “Brazilians are friendly and free-spirited, with an incredible zest for life. They are very risk-oriented and very creative. Family, educational and socioeconomic backgrounds are important to Brazilians” (eDiplomate, 2014, p. 1). Brazilians would want a presentation of arguments to be light and personal, but still it needs to have all of the informative and educational information that needs to be presented. Before presenting arguments to individuals of Brazil, there are many characteristics an individual should take into consideration. Greeting. Brazilians like to know each other on a personal and family-oriented basis. It is a great idea to take the time to greet each individual as they are escorted to their seats before the presentation. This will allow them to meet the individual on a personal basis. Also it is a good idea to tell each individual good-bye after the presentation to let them know that you care about them as an individual. Body language while presenting. When presenting to Brazilians, it is a good idea to be as close as possible to them, because they like to be close to one another. If there would happen to be a stage in front of an audience, it might be a good idea to stand close the edge of the stage or walk through the crowd while presenting certain points. “The O.K. sign is considered very rude and vulgar; the thumbs up gesture is used for approval. Wiping your hands together while speaking...
Words: 441 - Pages: 2
...Arrival: Brazil The main point the author is making under this topic “Arrival: Brazil” is that Brazil is the largest country in South America according to its geographical size and the population it holds. Amazon rainforest is very significant to Brazil because it covers up the vast portion of the country. Brazil’s largest cities are mostly found along the coastline. Brazil was colonized by the Portuguese and they discovered that Brazil is the land enriched with fertile soil (good to grow crops) and natural resources. Brazil was one of the center of triangular trade where the slaves from Africa were brought to work on plantations such as coffee, sugar and tobacco. African slaves were also brought to work when the gold mines were discovered. Getúlio Vargas is one of the important political figure in the history of Brazil who became president and started revolution with the help of military support, urban working and middle class resulting many social and economic reforms. (I)...
Words: 436 - Pages: 2
...|Non-verbal communication practices |Business communication norms |Strategies to increase cross-cultural | | | | | |communication | | |Italy official language is Italian, |Silence is rare and usually signals that |Always shake business men hands when |Learn to speak other languages to communicate | | |address men and women as signor or |there is a problem (Cross, n.d.). |meeting and departing (Cross, n.d.). |better with people of different language. | | |signora (Krazt, 2008). |Gestures and body language can be | | | | |Italians touch when verbally speaking;|extensive, It is oft en not a good idea |Space and distance mean cold and |Try to over look misunderstandings don’t hold | | |greets and say goodbye with a kiss on |to imitate Italians, though they tend to |unfriendly (Cross, n.d.). |it against a person that have no knowledge of,| | |each cheek (Krazt, 2008). |gesticulate a lot a (Cross, n.d.). | |it could lead to bad business decisions. | | |People may not get straight to the ...
Words: 683 - Pages: 3
...INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION Introduction Communication is the process of creating and sharing information with one another. Rapid changes in technology, transportation and immigration are making the world into a small-intersected community, where understanding how different cultures communicate is extremely important. In order to achieve effective intercultural communication we have to understand how different cultures communicate. Communication styles differ by how power is distributed within an organization. There are essentially two types: hierarchical, and democratic. In a hierarchical structure the most power is held by the highest ranking individual, where as in a democratic structure, power distribution is uniformed among the individuals. The classification of high-context versus low-context cultures based on the amount of information that is implied versus stated directly in a communication message. In high-context cultures, the meanings of the messages are found in the situation and in the relationships of the communicators, or are internalized in the communicator’s beliefs, values, and norms. In low-context cultures, less emphasis is placed on the context. Instead they rely on explicit verbal messages. Understanding these differences is essential to accurately decoding the message. Communication specialists estimate that three-fourths of our communication is nonverbal and takes place through our behavior. Nonverbal cues serve as the markers of ones’ identities...
Words: 1886 - Pages: 8
...linguistic means. It is comprised of behavioral display such as artifacts, chronomics, haptics, kinesics, proxemics, and silence/time. We will discuss each of these so as to get a better insight on the nonverbal communication techniques in Brazil. * Artifacts - The result of conscious management of general appearance, dress and physical surroundings. They are considered material objects that are an extension of one’s self. Clothing has the power to influence. Brazilians emphasizes in the artifacts as triggers of a conversation, or also as impediments by the time to have a good conversation. * Chronomics – This refers to how time is used to communicate. In Brazilian business culture this point is essential. This concept is related with managing time, the delays in appointment times and the lack of planning in the management of the time. * Haptics - Refers to all the elements related with corporal touching during conversations. Handshakes, hugs and kisses are associated to this topic. In Brazil these actions are very common in the business environment. * Kinesics – This is the study of body language and how people preserve it. More specifically, it involves facial expressions, eye contact, body language, gestures, and physical appearance. Brazilians appreciate the eye to eye contact as a manner to show respect, they use different gesticulations during conversations and this is a peculiar custom of their culture. * Proxemics - This element...
Words: 357 - Pages: 2
...Introduction What is culture you say? Well this means the collection of values, beliefs, language and many more. However cultural variations means communicating is influenced by having verbal and non verbal communication meaning different things in different cultures. This affects communication because verbal and non verbal communication depends on the culture and their differences in language an words. Service users from different Cultures find it hard to understand non verbal communication as certain gestures, words, expressions, eye contact can get transmitted wrong in their language and they will think that we are insulting them. Therefore we wouldn't understand what was happening. I personally think that before anyone travels or speak to another culture or person who speaks English well as their own language it's always best to have an interpreter to make sure they understand the communication they were receiving, however they won’t have an interpreter all the time. Speech [pic] Speech is a very important part communicating. In the British culture we use speech to communicate as it shows interest with open and closed questions. By using open questions with a client you are allowing them to give answers in details and to clarify responses. Closed questions are easier for clients who have dementia, strokes, speech impairment etc., these are easier for them to answer so their brain doesn’t think about the question much. http://environment.uwaterloo.ca/ . Expressing your...
Words: 1838 - Pages: 8
...in Week Three. |Cross-Cultural Communication | CountryPreferred Communication Style Nonverbal Communication PracticesBusiness Communication NormsStrategies to Increase Cross-Cultural CommunicationBrazilIn Brazil you will discover that they prefer to carry out with individuals instead of company. When you work with other companies you will find that they interaction is more on a personal basis instead of company. Face to face interaction is the favored type of communication. In Brazil it is important to make eye contact when welcoming someone, and that is complemented by a solid hand shake. Also in Brazil it is very common to stand very close to the person you are talking to. This is to provide the feeling of connection and relationship. Brazils business contacts are not the same that they are in the US. Brazil likes to participate in non-business connected chat, while in the US we get to the point while we are talking about business. In Brazil they like to talk about family, sports, and...
Words: 755 - Pages: 4
...D1: Analyse cultural variations can influence communication The world culture is a word for people's 'way of life', meaning the way groups do things like for example when you are Muslim you choice to where a burkas in public and if you are a Hindu you choice where about they put their bindi if it is high on their head to represent if there rich or poor. In families the culture of the family will be passed down for example if you are born into a family that believe in wearing a burka so the young children will be brought up to wear it and it will be passed down through the family. Different groups of people may have different cultures. A culture is passed on to the next generation by learning, whereas genetics are passed on by heredity. Culture is seen in people's writing, religion, music, clothes, cooking, and in what they do. Culture refers to the ethos of a group of people that believe in the same things and they believe it to be a culture. A culture of participation should demonstrate a commitment to the involvement of children and young people that might be shared by managers, practitioners, children and young people. Culture has frequently been identified as a barrier to communication. As Davies and Marken (1998) suggest 'our popular and official culture in deeply embedded ways defines young people as too uninformed, unreliable and untrustworthy to carry responsibility.' There is a fear that somehow children are going to ask for the wrong things or say the wrong thing to...
Words: 1224 - Pages: 5
...Communication therefore involves a complex, multilayered, dynamic process through which we exchange meaning first condition of communication is must sender(encoder) and receiver(decoder) without it we cant communicate.encodeing shows the message has been send and decoding shows message has been receiving The sender must be sure that his/her meassage is easily catch the receiver. he or she must try tocommunicate with simple words or symbols.and make sure symbol which he use receiver understand or not. for example: "Thumb and index of dominant hand meet making a circle while the remaining finger point up slightly separated". so it is "ok" sign in USA ,in japan its use for money, in RUSSIA for zero and BRAZIL it is use for insult.so if america person show that sign during communication to the brazil person and misunderstanding arise. In some cultures,looking people in the eyes is assumed to indicate honesty and straightforwardness,in others it is seen as challenging and rude so it is also lead to misunderstanding. A american person wants to tell his australian client that he (american) is uninterested in a particular sale. To be polite, the american says, "That will be very difficult." The australian interprets the statement to mean that there are still unresolved problems, not that the deal is off. He responds by asking how his company can help solve the problems. The american, believing he has sent the message that there will be no sale, is mystified by the response.cross cultural...
Words: 1699 - Pages: 7
...Audience Analysis Yesid Andrés Rodas Introduction to Business Communications/285 April 14, 2011 Eartha Barnett * Communication is essential for humans in any role, but for business communication is even more important, especially in the sales industry where the interaction between the vendor and the customer requires being in touch directly with each other. * If I were ask to present quarterly sales information meeting to a group of manager, salespeople, and customer; I would make sure to prepare well for the meeting. I would make some important research in preparation for the meeting. I would consider audience characteristics, communication channels, and diversity. I also ensure my message will be effective. * Audience characteristics Standing in front of a group of people and providing them with information can be very challenging for even a veteran speaker. However, by taking a little time to learn about whom is attending and how to best give them what they need it can save time. During this process it must take into consideration who is the audiences, what the information means to the audience, and which communications channels will be most appropriate. In...
Words: 1170 - Pages: 5
...Cultural Difference Basing on Brazil Physical or special distances (during conversation) Brazilians tend to get close to each other, no matter what the relationship is between them. Personal space and physical space are not emphasized. Between 30 and 40 cm is an average distance when conversing. It is acceptable to touch someone when speaking to them, no matter the gender or the relationship. A touch on the arm or a pat on the back is common in normal conversation. It is considered rude if one steps back. At the meantime, eye contact is important, as a demonstration of sincerity and interest in the conversation and in the person being spoken to. Greeting protocol (method) Handshaking, kissing, hugging, backslapping, embracing and holdings hands are common forms of greeting. Kissing on both cheeks is common among family members, relatives, friends and acquaintances. Generally, men shake hands when greeting one another, while maintaining steady eye contact. If a woman wishes to shake hands with a man, she should extend her hand first. Women friends greet with a kiss on each cheek, starting with the left and alternating cheeks. Married women kiss twice, while a single woman receives a third kiss. 1 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT First names should normally be used, but titles are important. In business, men are addressed as "senhor" plus their surname, while women as "senhora" plus the surname. Business cards (either in your language or Portuguese)...
Words: 727 - Pages: 3
