This infographic on Business Etiquette Around the World outlines how people introduce themselves in the workplace, how business meetings work, and how people interact when dining with coworkers or (potential) clients.
You can include information about intercultural and global influences on the different kinds of writing that you include in your Analysis Table, so this infographic should help you begin thinking about how writing and communication may change depending upon where your audience lives or what they cultural background is.
I’m not convinced that everything in the infographic is 100% accurate. For instance, it seems like a stereotype to think that everyone has to do a solo karaoke performance after dinner in South Korea. Does anyone know?
As you look at the infographic, you can respond to what you see here, following any of these ideas (or an idea of your own):
- Can you provide details that confirm or challenge claims in the infographic?
- Can you add information for a country—either something that is missing or a country that isn’t listed?
- Is there anything that surprises you? anything that you might need help adapting to?
- Can you share an experience where you did (or didn’t) follow intercultural expectations?
- Can you tell us more about any of the practices listed here (such as the significance of a practice or why things are done in a particular way in a culture)?
Note: This infographic has transcript, which is still being formatted. It will be online soon.
5 Comments
I think South Korea has one of the most interesting cultures around business etiquette. One of the hardest things for me to understand is customary pre-business chit-chat and light handshakes. This is because I can’t stand small talk and I’ve always been taught that the correct way to shake a hand is by squeezing the life out of there fingers. The best part about South Korea business culture is the obligatory Karaoke after a meal. As long as you are a little confident and you can hit those high notes, karaoke is a great way to connect with people.
Paul,
You make a good point about the change in cultural etiquette and how you were raised effects your interactions with other cultures. We all have our own way of communicating with people of our culture, but in an increasingly globalized world we will need to be considerate of others unique etiquette just as we are with ours. Understanding cultural etiquette can also be an effective way of better understanding how a society and the people within function, communicate and conduct business.
Gabriel Irigaray
I’ve been to Australia twice to visit family and we always like to tell this funny story about my brother who didn’t know that “tea” meant dinner. When my brother was about 10 years old, my aunt asked him if he wanted tea around dinner time. Each time she asked he would say no because he didn’t want to drink tea, but he was really hungry. If only he knew that tea meant dinner, he wouldn’t have been starving and eaten dinner at 9pm when he spoke up that he was very hungry.
I really like this article, I learn many thing about other county that I don’t know about it before. I’m from Saudi Arabia and it’s true that it considers rude if you give something by your left hand or you eat by you left hand. Also, in my county it’s rude to start eating before the guest which it is the opposite from Hong Kong.
I think it’s really interesting to see how differently cultures handle their professional environments. The only exposure I’ve ever had with another culture’s business customs is through in films when finance companies decide to do a deal with a Japanese country and the host is expected to show the utmost respect and bow to the Japanese visitors. The possibility of meeting with a businessman from another culture is very daunting to me, and I think that this infographic can serve as a good point of reference.