Spain Country Report
Feb. 14, 2013

Doing business in a foreign Country can be a very difficult thing to do if you are not familiar with proper business etiquette in the Country in which you are doing business. It also helps to have a good understanding of family life and the culture, ad well as social customs in the new country. This report will tell you, our valued employee’s, how to be successful in Spain, the home of our newest expansion branch. The figure to the left shows the current trends in the unemployment rates in Spain compared to the US, Portugal, and the UK. It is very important with the constant rise in unemployment in Spain that you go to the new branch prepared and therefore everything in this report should be considered important.

Business Etiquette

The first thing that you need to know when doing business in Spain is how to properly introduce yourself in a business setting. The most common and accepted way to professionally introduce yourself in a business setting in Spain is with a firm handshake with direct eye contact being kept throughout the gesture. Men should wait for women to extend an offer to shake hands if she wishes. When verbally addressing people in the business setting “Try to address people by their title and last name until invited to do otherwise.” (Coleman, 2011) For people in Spain, calling them by their title and last name is a sign of respect and this will go along way with them. These are two small things that will gain you the respect of your business partners and/or co-workers in your new place of business.

Now that you are able to introduce yourself to your Spanish colleagues it is important that you understand how and where business transactions take place. The most common setting for a business transaction is the office. Business meetings, proposals, presentations, and all other transactions occur in the office and are very formal. It is crucial that you arrive on time, dressed professionally of course. Something that you must realize is that Spaniards have different values than Canadians and to them sometimes how you present yourself is just as important if not more than what you are actually presenting.

As I’m sure you all know, the way that people behave at work in Spain is different than how Canadians behave in the office. In Spain for example, women are not often in positions of authority and they are usually placed at lower levels of management. Men and women must both dress appropriately meaning men should wear suits to work, and women should dress fashionably, but also formally. In Spanish offices “Doors are usually closed; knocking before opening them is expected. They should be re-shut upon leaving.” (“Cultural Advice” 2005) Something that will not change is how you can interact with your co-workers, meaning that just like here in Canada it is acceptable to joke with your colleagues and make the office experience better for everyone involved. As you can see, there are some changes when it comes to doing business in Spain rather than doing business in Canada and it is important that before you arrive at the new branch you are able to present yourself professionally to your business partners and colleagues. Below is a table summarizing the key similarities and differences of business etiquette in Spain as opposed to Canada.

Topic | Similarities | Differences | Introductions | Hand shake, Eye contact, Address by tile and last name. | Women do not always shake hands, Sometimes exchange hugs/kisses. | Business Setting | Office, Conference centers, very formal atmosphere, punctuality is crucial. | Extreme focus on personal presentation. | Office Behavior | Fun atmosphere, Dress code. | Women have less authority, Doors are always shut. |

Family Life

Generally, Spanish families are open, welcoming, and love to have large family get-togethers quite often. The different roles throughout the family have started to become more modernized, as they have been everywhere, which results in more women getting involved in the work force. Traditionally in Spain, the father works and provides for the family as the mother manages the household. Siblings usually have to share rooms because housing and apartments in Spain tend to be smaller. (Sediter, 2012) The father of the family is known to be the decision-maker, in regards to the purchasing decisions. Comparing this to Canadian living where the lady or wife of the house is noted as the decision maker because women make around 90 percent of the purchasing decisions in Canadian households. The youth of Spain is highly focused on academics and only schoolwork is to be done at school with sports and other activities occurring after.

Above is an illustration of the order of decision makers for a family in Spain.

When moving to a new country, whether it is far away or right close by, for work or for family, it is a difficult task to do if you don’t have any knowledge on how people live and act differently in other countries. In Spain, people tend to have very strong family ties and depend on immediate and extended family to always be there for support and comfort. For example, this is a quote from a Spanish husband and father of two, explaining why Spain can survive longer in a recessive economy in comparison to other countries. "To understand why we can sustain the situation a bit longer than many other northern European countries, you have to understand the concept of family support and solidarity, the idea that no matter how much you suffer, your extended family will be there for you, which creates this safety network, this idea of protection, which is important not only practically but psychologically.” (Cochrane, 2011) This clearly shows the dependence upon the whole extended family, and the strong bonds that Spanish families have.

Category | Amount | Total Population | 46,077,000 | Births Per Year | 498,000 | Life Expectancy at Birth | 81 | Adult Literacy Rate | 98% | Average Yearly Income | 21,500 Euros |

Below is a few key statistics from family life and society in Spain.

Social Customs

Social Customs in Spain are a very important factor in both social and business life. The social customs that are most important are Meeting Etiquette, Dining/Table manners, and Relationship/ Communication Etiquette. When it comes to meeting etiquette in Spain there are social norms that exist that differ from those seen in Canada. For example, when meeting new business colleagues you are expected to shake hands, most males will use a firm handshake. This demonstrates your respect for them, and your willingness to have an open and honest working relationship. In a pre-existing relationship men should embrace or pat each other on the shoulder, while females will kiss each other’s cheeks, starting on the left.

Effective communications, like any other country depends on what age groups you are dealing with. In Spain the population distribution is slightly different then in Canada. In Canada there is a greater concentration on the age group of 40-64 years of ages, while in Spain the concentration is 25-45 years of age.

The Spanish prefer to do business with only those that they trust, so it is important to have a good relationship with your business colleagues. Face to face communication is preferred in the business world, as Spaniards over analyze body language. Rank plays a very important factor in business dealings. In Spain people prefer to work with people of the same working level. Above all else you should try to avoid confrontation; Spaniards do not like to be publicly embarrassed and/or to admit when they are wrong. | | When interacting with Spaniards one must be aware of the language barrier that may exist. Seventy- four percent of the population speaks Castilian Spanish, but the remaining twenty-six percent speak a combination of three other native languages.

In Spain it is normal to be invited over for dinner at a colleague’s home. This is done because Spaniards prefer to do business with people that they know well. If you are invited to a Spaniards home it is a courtesy to bring a bottle of champagne, flowers, or some form of dessert. Table manners when invited to dinner are more in-depth then traditional Canadian methods. When invited over for a meal you should remain standing until you are invited to sit down and do not begin eating until the host starts, and keep your hands visible throughout the meal. It is also impolite to eat any food with your hands; all food should be eaten with a knife and fork. It is usual for the host to be the first to give a toast, after their toast you should thank them for the meal.

Bibliography

Coleman, Denise Youngblood. Country Watch Incorporated, "Spain Country Review." Last modified 2011. Accessed February 5, 2013. http://ra.ocls.ca/ra/login.aspx?inst=conestoga&url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=58490752&site=eds-live.

Kwintessential, "Spain- Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette." Last modified 2012. Accessed February 6, 2013. http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/spain-country-profile.html.

Going Global Inc., "Cultural Advice." Last modified 2005. Accessed February 6, 2013. http://ra.ocls.ca/ra/login.aspx?inst=conestoga&url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=18021218&site=eds-live.

Kwintessential, "SPAIN - LANGUAGE, CULTURE, CUSTOMS AND ETIQUETTE." Last modified 2004. Accessed February 6, 2013. http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/spain-country-profile.html.

Reeman, Susan. Countries and Their Cultures, "Spain." Last modified 2007. Accessed February 6, 2013.

http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Spain.html.