Anglais Devoir 3: le christianisme

Individual employees, whether trying to market a product or doing business on the phone or in person, must be just

as careful. Out of respect for the person you are dealing with, you should learn the basics of the local language, do

research about the country, its customs and social etiquette. If you are actually going there, details such as what you

should wear, body language and how to greet people may be more important than you think.

In America, we take business very seriously, but our appearance and manner are less formal than in Asia and most

European countries. As for greetings, you should check out the customs. Should you greet a client with a firm handshake

as in North America? Or be prepared to loosely hold hands as is the tradition in many African countries? Or

put your hands together as if in prayer and bow as in Asia? Kiss your host on either cheek, or how many times? Rub

noses as the Inuits?

Likewise, find out the traditions concerning corporate gift-giving. In the USA and the UK it is not popular, but it is a

tradition in many countries. Still, be careful: in China a desk clock is a symbol of bad luck, white lilies in England,

Canada and Australia symbolize death as do chrysanthemums in France and Germany. Giving a knife in Italy, Russia

or Argentina may be interpreted as cutting off a relationship.

In the USA, we value taking initiatives and speaking out, but that is not necessarily appreciated in other countries,

particularly in Asia where a lot of business takes place behind the scenes. In China, the government is often involved

in decision making, and in Japan, top executives often let someone of lesser importance do all the talking.

So as you see working abroad is an adventure in many ways and it is important to be well-prepared to avoid a few

pitfalls and be successful. Now that I’ve got the ball rolling, let’s continue the discussion in an interactive way. I am

eager to hear your remarks and questions

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