Report on Doing Business in Norway

Introduction
This report provides all the information necessary for anyone intending to conduct business with the Norwegians. The information is based on interviews and observations.
General appearance
Norwegians are very distinctive looking people. They are all tall, slim, blond and athletic. They all have very blue eyes and pale skin. It is really easy to spot a Norwegian abroad since s/he always carries a backpack wherever s/he goes.
Democratic Decision Making Process
Norwegians believe wholeheartedly in democracy and there is no difference between salaries no matter which position a person occupies in a company. All decisions are referred to the workers and are taken on a group basis. Bosses should always listen to the needs of their subordinates. Adopting an authoritarian style of management would really be asking for trouble.
The unions have a very strong position and the state plays an extremely important role in business life. All Norwegians support public ownership of services because they strongly believe that everyone should have the same rights, regardless of their income or where they live.
Doing Business with the Norwegians
In business Norwegians are absolutely honest, trustworthy and reliable. On arrival in a Norwegian company, you will find your Norwegian counterparts already seated at the negotiating table, prepared to do business with no time set aside for establishing a relationship or even breaking the ice. They are direct, straight to the point, and hate being distracted from the business at hand.
They are confrontational and are not experts at sidestepping or hedging on sensitive issues. They see things in one perspective only and are always looking for the “right answer”.
Punctuality
Norwegians are incredibly punctual people. If they say three o’clock, they really mean three o’clock. If you are