Culture club
a similar feature appeared as ABTA magazine's special report, May 2003

At a G7 conference Blair asked Bush, 'Tell me George, why is it we can never do deals with the French?' 'You know Tony,' Bush replied, 'The French don't even have a word for entrepreneurŠ' Entrepreneur of course, being a French word. Whether or not this conversation is true, there is no better example of cultural blindness than between America and France over the war on Iraq. The French taking a typical stance, opted for the moral high ground, diplomacy and caution. The Americans, typically pragmatic, cowboy and Indian and kickass responded by criticising and poking fun at them, calling them 'old Europe' and presuming they could buy they way out of it. National nerves were frayed, and the result? Intransigience.

'People operate interculturally in two ways' says David Solomons, MD of cross-cultural training agency, Culture Shock Consulting. 'Either as a monocultural person or a multicultural person.' With little awareness of another culture, the monocultural person acts from their own cultural viewpoint creating resistance which blocks the business process. When things go wrong, they blame anything but their own cultural unawareness. The multicultural person with a greater understanding of the culture they're dealing with, talk less and listen more. This cooperative environment, grows good business.

'Many business people are centred around themselves and their objectives,' explains Solomons. 'They press to get results and, operating with little peripheral vision, their behaviour may be offensive.'

'People have problems overseas because they are fully trained in the systems they operate, but not how to get on with people,' says Barry Tomalin, Chief Consultant with Culture Shock Consulting. 'Because we can use the English language everywhere, there is no incentive to understand the fundamental differences in attitude which affect day to day business procedures.'

It's easy to see how business may be compromised through a lack of cultural comfort in the example of silence, used by many Far Eastern businesspeople to reflect, respectfully considering what they've been told. You can imagine a Western businessperson putting forward a price and lowering it in the ensuing silence - the interpretation of cultural behaviour being what matters.

Make it your business to understand how your counterpart approaches his or her job, what constraints they're working under, how teams organise and operate and the way decisions are taken and communicated.

'These factors build or diminish trust and cooperation between business partners,' explains Tomalin. 'Ultimately, cross cultural communication is not about how different 'they' are from 'us', but how much on their wavelength you can get ­ how you can build trust in order to do business together.'

Reading and ruminating

The first step in doing business overseas is to educate yourself about the culture. Humorous yet informative, the Culture Shock! Guides give the cultural low down for over 80 countries from Argentina to the UAE. The publishers, Kuperard, also publish Secrets to Maximise Business Success for various countries and Culture Smart! ­ a quick guide to customs and etiquette, a new series specifically aimed at those going on short term visits. US company Cendant Mobility's GlobeSmart, a web tool for business travellers, offers a useful self assessment cultural profile, demonstrating how your style differs from that of your target culture.

'While reading about a culture is important, those you're doing business with are the real source of information,' says Solomons, warning against the dangers of stereotyping. 'If you listen, you'll get the relevant information from the relevant person at the relevant time.'

Globalisation

'Globalisation is no longer simply a trendy catch phrase,' says Solomons. 'There are no longer national borders in business - emails from other countries mean we operate in a global workplace everyday.'

And, like any intercultural communication, the way a message is sent may not be how it is received. The American-French merger, Vivendi Universal is an example of this. American emails are straight to the point, don't include social niceties and require an immediate response. French emails are based on protocol and courteous and diplomatic. Inevitably, the French found the American emails rude, while the Americans thought 'for goodness sake get to the point!' on receiving French emails.

'We advise someone upset by an email to consider carefully before hitting the reply button,' says David. 'It's sometimes best to just get on the phone.'

A united Europe?

Despite being closer in distance, Corus, the merger of British and Dutch steel, also experienced cross-cultural problems.

'The Dutch see the British as devious, whereas the British see themselves as diplomatic,' explains Solomons. 'The British see the Dutch as rude whereas the Dutch see themselves as direct'.

These difficulties are magnified as we try to move towards a united Europe. 'A key difference between continental Europe and Britain is the Napoleonic code, a system of universal rules which govern relationships between people,' says Tomalin. 'The British legal system is entirely different with a more pragmatic approach to examining situations, which deals with people on merit. In practice, the British apply their pragmatism rigidly and the French or Spanish apply their dogmatism flaccidly.' So do we all end up in the same place? No, says Tomalin.

The other big divide in Europe is between task and relationship centred cultures. Southern Europeans and Mediterranean people are relationship centred whereas Northern Europeans apply systems regardless of who they're dealing with. This can lead to business hiccups.

Help at hand

You only get one chance to make a first impression wherever you're doing business, so it may be worth considering training to help you make a good one. In their business briefing seminars, Culture Shock Consulting change peoples mindsets from a mono to multicultural awareness, develop the ability to listen for cultural clues and enhance awareness and comfort when operating in different cultural environments.

'The ability to communicate cross culturally is the most prized possession any company could have,' says Solomons. 'It's no longer optional, but a core management tool.'

Cultural differences in the main business capitals

Abu Dhabi

• You'll need time ­ delays are usual
• Communicate indirectly and expect interruptions and silences
• Tolerance, patience and diplomacy win
• Bargaining is usual
• Oral agreements are binding, not written ones
• Hospitality is important ­ accept everything

Athens

• Greeks are logical, and value clarity of mind
• However, paradox, ambiguity and contradiction are normal!
• With a high sense of honour, they don't like to lose face

Madrid

• Meetings are noisy, with interruptions
• Business is over a lengthy meal
• Back-slapping among men and kissing women is normal
• The Spanish are fashionable, smart dressers
• Lack of punctuality, changes of plan and cancellations are usual

Milan

• Negotiations are convivial and leisurely, often over lunch
• Good conversation topics are regional specialities, literature and art
• Address people by titles, Signor or Signora
• Business procedures are old-fashioned and hierarchical
• Pleasantries come before business
• Italians are subtle negotiators - bargain at the appropriate moment

New York

• Meetings can be any time of day
• Business first, chit chat later
• Turn up on time
• Manners are informal ­ matey and on first name terms
• Americans are fast, direct, action oriented and uncompromising
• Smoking and drinking is increasingly frowned upon

Amsterdam

• Make appointments well in advance
• Turn up on time, and don't stay too long
• Business is conducted in a straightforward manner
• Efficiency, directness and honesty are valued

Paris

• Negotiation is conducted like a grand debate, often heatedly
• A good conversationalist will go far
• Authority is centralised, and decisions reached slowly
• Always use the 'vous' form in business
• Handshakes are with minimal pressure and little eye contact

Prague

• A calm, quiet profile leads to success
• The use of titles is strictly adhered to, and first names never used
• Eye contact is crucial on greeting, leaving and exchanging business cards
• Good conversation topics are traditions, interests and family
• The pace of business is slow, and business dealings indirect
• Bribes are common, but regarded as low class

Tokyo