Working Across Cultures

Japan

Mexico

Brazil

Sweden

Spain

Italy

Egypt

- Business attire is formal and conservative. Dress well if you want to make a good impression.

- Men should wear dark coloured, lightweight, conservative business suits, at least to the first meeting.

- Men should avoid wearing visible jewellery, especially around the face and neck.

- Women must be careful to cover themselves appropriately. Skirts and dresses should cover the knee and sleeves should cover most of the arm.

- Dressing well is a priority in Italy.

- Men should wear dark coloured, conservative business suits.

- Women should wear either business suits or conservative dresses.

- Elegant accessories are equally important for men and women.

Spaniards are extremely dress-conscious and will perceive your appearance as an indication of your professional achievement and relative social standing.

It is important to dress con elegancia, which means top-quality, conservative clothing in relatively subdued colours. Men should wear dark woollen or linen suits and silk ties with white cotton shirts and women should wear well-cut suits (including trouser suits) or business dresses made of high-quality fabrics. Designer clothes and brand names will be noted with approval.

The female business traveller should strive to dress with the utmost modesty, as Spanish women are expected to avoid drawing attention to their physical sexuality and tend to emphasise their femininity through their immaculate clothes and hair.

Obviously the weather can be an important factor in determining what to wear. As the temperature approaches 40ºC in the shade at the height of summer, it becomes increasingly acceptable to wear lightweight suits and, outside an air-conditioned office, to loosen one's tie and throw one's jacket over one's shoulder.

As always, it is best to follow the example of your Spanish counterpart and to remember that it is 'cool' to look smart but also that it is smart to look literally cool.

On the other hand, it should not be forgotten that it can be very cold in January and February in the central meseta and surrounding mountain ranges and that, even in high summer, there can be an uncomfortably marked difference in temperature between, say, the heat of Madrid and the cool air of El Escorial in the adjacent foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama to the northwest of the capital.

When off-duty, you should bear in mind that shorts are not really acceptable in public, that the dress code for entering a church is both strict and strictly enforced [i.e. neither sex should display a disrespectfully excessive amount of bare flesh], and that top restaurants will expect at least 'smart casual' dress even in July-August.

'Smart casual' does not include un-ironed T-shirts, cheap jeans and trainers/sneakers

When doing business in Sweden, think conservative. For business purposes, men should wear good quality suits with silk ties and shirts. Women should wear suits or business dresses that are stylish yet understated. Trousers are acceptable for business women in Sweden.
The egalitarian values of Sweden mean you should remember to keep a low profile. Avoid wearing anything flashy. Even senior executives do not dress any more elaborately than average employees.

- Brazilians pride themselves on dressing well.
- Men should wear conservative, dark coloured business suits. Three-piece suits typically indicate that someone is an executive.
- Women should wear suits or dresses that are elegant and feminine with good quality accessories. Manicures are expected.

- Dress as you would in Europe.
- Men should wear conservative, dark coloured suits.
- Women should wear business suits or conservative dresses.

In Japanese business culture, men traditionally wore conservative suits, typically in blue or gray, with a white shirt and dark tie. Suits are still conservative in medium-sized and larger Japanese companies and government offices, but pastel shirts are now common.

Pastel shirts, and some even more colorful versions, are rapidly becoming common in Japan's business world. The foreign businessman in Japan can wear whatever shirt he usually wears...without any negative impact.

You may be expected to take your shoes off in temples and homes, as well as in some ryokan (inn) style restaurants. Consequently, it’s a good idea to wear slip-on shoes, since they can be taken off easily. Since your socks will be seen more than usual, ensure that you pack a supply of clean, conservative socks.

Business women should dress conservatively and use jewellery, perfume, and makeup only sparingly.

It is now common for many Japanese women to wear slacks, pant suits and high heels at work, depending on the kind of work they do. In factories, they generally wear uniforms. Office workers in many companies dress very much like female employees in Western countries. Some old-line companies continue to dictate conservative style.

Summers in low lying areas of Japan are hot and humid. It's a good idea to pack several changes of clothes, as this culture places an emphasis on maintaining a clean, neat appearance.

Business meetings are sometimes held in inns (“ryokans”), where you may be expected to wear a yukata robe to dinner. The inn provides the yukata.

Wrap a yukta (or kimono) left over right. Only corpses wear a kimono wrapped right over left.

By: Kate Berardo

Working across cultures requires a diverse skill set and a different approach from business in general. Regardless of which cultures are being bridged, certain strategies are crucial to international business success. Here are our top ten strategies for interacting with people from different cultures.

Дата добавления: 2014-01-11