Hereissomemust-knowinformationfromahandbookonhowpeoplebehaveindoingbusinessinsomecountries.

InBrazil

Braziliansarewarmandfriendly.Theyoftenstandclosewhentalkinganditiscommonforthemtotouchthepersonontheshoulder.Peopleoftengreeteachother(particularlywomen)withlightcheekkisses.Schedulestendtobeflexible,withbusinessmeetingssometimesstartinglaterthanplanned.Buttobesafe,beontime.Mealscanstretchforhours—there’snosuchthingasrushingamealinBrazil.Lunchesalsocanstartinthemidtolateafternoon.Braziliansaresocial,preferringface-to-facecommunicationovermailsorphonecalls.

InSingapore

Singaporeansshakehandswhentheymeetandoftenalsogreeteachotherwithasmall,politebow.Businesscardsshouldbeofferedandreceivedwithtwohands.Arrivinglateisconsidereddisrespectful.Sobeontime.Efficiency(效率)isthegoal,someetingsanddealingsoftenarefast-paced.Singaporeansaredirectintheirdiscussions,evenwhenthesubjectisaboutmoney.Rankisimportantandauthorityisrespected.Thisdeterminesbothpeopleinteractinmeetings.Forexample,peopleavoiddisagreeingoutrightwithsomeonewithahigherrank.

IntheUnitedArabEmirates

IntheUAE,statusisimportant,sothemostseniororoldestshouldbegreetedfirstwiththeirtitles.Thehandshakeseemstobelongerthanelsewhere.So,donotpullawaythehandshake.Womenshouldcoverthemselveswhenitcomestodress.Menalsotendtobecoveredfromnecktoelbows(肘部)anddowntotheknees.Peopledonotavoidentertainingintheirhomes,buttheyalsoholdbusinessmealsatrestaurants.Touchingorpassingfoodoreatingwithyourlefthandistobeavoided.Whenmeetingsareone-to-one,ifyourhostoffersyoucoffee,youshouldrefuse.Itmightseemodd,butitisaculturaltradition.Coffeeshouldonlybeacceptedifitisalwayssetoutorpresented.

InSwitzerland

TheSwisstendtobeformalandaddresseachotherbylastname.Theyalsoarerespectfulofprivatelives.Youshouldbecarefulnottoaskaboutpersonaltopics.Punctuality(守时)isvital,somethingthatcomesfromadeeprespectforothers’time.Arriveatanymeetingoreventafewminutesearlytobesafe.Theyalsohaveclearstructureintheircompanie