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Kiss Bow or Shake Hands

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Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands
By Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conaway

Some countries you kiss the cheek, some countries you bow, some countries you shake hands, and some countries you do something totally else. The book Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands, is written specifically with those doing international business in mind. It is essentially a guide to over sixty countries and an explanation of their society and cultural customs. Knowledge of those with whom you are doing business not only can help you avoid costly blunders it can also give you an advantage when dealing with them.

The authors identify that there are three main factors that effect how people act, think, and make decisions:

* First is religion; in some countries faith plays an important role in all areas of life in the culture of the country and can influence many of their customs and behavior. * Second factor is that of fact. In many countries their greatest desire is to find the best deal and the best product or services. * The final factor is feeling, if a culture is based on feelings the people will conduct business accordingly. For example it would be essential to make a personal connection with this type of individual.

The rest of the book is spent discussing each of the countries in detail. For each country the authors give a brief explanation of the history of the culture. Then they give tips on what each country expects from a visiting businessman or businesswomen. This includes tips on whether or not it is okay to be late for meetings, proper behavior during a business lunch or dinner, and how to properly address people you come in contact with during your business trip. They also give a guide to phrases and gestures that might seem harmless, but actually have negative connotations in certain society. This is very important to keep from embarrassing yourself and from hurt

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