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CONTENTS
........................ HANDBOOK & PROJECT 1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Who is the handbook intended for
2 OUR PRODUCTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Delish restaurant, website, quiz
3 SCHOOLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Participants of Comenius Project
RULES OF BUSINEES BEHAVIOUR IN: 1 2 3 4 5 6
GERMANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ROMANIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SLOVAKIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SWEDEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TURKEY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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This handbook will help you in doing business or working in a company in any of the participating countries!
INTRODUCTION Dear reader,
You are a student of English at a vocational school, at a college or a university, or just someone who is thinking about spending some time abroad to work in a company in one of the following countries: Sweden, Germany, Poland, Romania, Slovakia or Turkey? The following handbook of intercultural behaviour will sum up the most important rules and guidelines that you should follow in order to get along well in a business environment in these countries, no matter if you want to work abroad temporarily or for a longer period of time.
The handbook is the result of a two-year project financed by the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Commission and by the Swedish Council for Higher Education as part of the Comenius programme. The central theme of the project was to explore cultural aspects of operating a business in a range of cultural, social and legal contexts.
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In this handbook, you will find basic rules that you are advised to follow when doing business or working in a company in any of the participating countries.
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Who is the handbook intended for.
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OUR PRODUCTS
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You may also want to look at our project websites at https://sites.google.com/a/comeniusproject.eu/home/home https://sites.google.com/site/com1315delish/home
where you can find other related information, such as about the different legal and financial aspects of founding a business in these countries. This is explained by means of the “Delish” restaurant chain – an international model business with branches in each country. The comparison will enable you to see the intercultural differences that are involved in founding a branch of a company in each of the respective countries. You will also learn about the different food and typical dishes. Or perhaps you are interested in finding out about the cultural differences that exist between our societies by means of a quiz? Then you can view and take a quiz on the following aspects of the six countries on the same websites: Food and drinks Sights Social codes Economy Business behaviour Sports Entertainment
Delish restaurant, website, quiz.
OUR PRODUCTS There is a lot to discover. There are differences in doing business, but there are also quite a lot of similarities we have as Europeans. We hope that your interest in other European countries will grow, as ours did during the project, and that you might consider going abroad for some time to see for yourself. Best wishes!
QUIZ
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. Delish restaurant, website, quiz.
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SCHOOLS
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As stated above, the European Commission financed this program – however, the individual schools are responsible for the content of this handbook and the websites. These schools are: Sweden YBC - Young Business Creatives in Nacka Germany Berufskolleg der Stadt Bottrop Poland Technikum im. gen. Józefa Hallera in Owidz
Slovakia Obchodná akadémia, Nevädzová 3 in Bratislava Romania Colegiul Tehnic "Mihai Viteazul" in Oradea Turkey Anadolu Lisesi, Kırımlı Fazilet Olcay Anatolian High School in Istanbul
Participants of Comenius Project
Rules of Business Behavior in Germany 1. Being punctual: It is not just a clichÊ that Germans expect punctuality – being either too early, or worse, too late, is not appreciated as you do not appear to be a reliable business partner. If you cannot avoid being late for some reason, apologize politely and give a good reason to explain it. 2. Plan ahead: Germans tend to keep full and rather inflexible calendars, so be sure to schedule meetings well in advance. Do not expect to be able to change an appointment at short notice. Last minute cancellations are even worse than being late. 3. Knock first: Respect your German colleagues' privacy! If you are faced with a closed door, especially to a private office, always knock before entering. Equally, never call a German colleague you do not know well at home unless it's really an emergency. 4. Greeting: Shaking hands is the appropriate way to greet a business partner. As well as shaking hands to greet someone, Germans also shake hands with everyone in a room before and after a business meeting. If you have to leave early, you may want to shake everyone's hand again, starting with the most senior person. The German handshake is firm and brief in order to convey confidence and reliability. A weak handshake may suggest you are unsure of yourself and your abilities.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Germany 5.
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In conversations and interviews you should try to keep eye-contact with your partner. This is a polite way of showing respect for your partner and his ideas or comments.
6. Keep your distance: Germans don't tend to be the touchy types. Observe the personal space of others and do not pat shoulders, arms and generally avoid any physical contact beyond a handshake. 7. Use titles and surnames: German workers tend to stick to roles and usually do not step out of office hierarchies, so always address colleagues and business partners using their title and surname, unless or until they invite you to use first names. If you are hosting, introduce your highest ranking guest to everyone else using full names and job positions. Always be friendly and polite in a business context respecting the age and rank of your business partners. Greet your superiors first and treat everyone with respect! Don’t interrupt someone or put your hands in your pocket, as this is regarded as being rude. 8. Presents in a business context are only acceptable if they are neither too expensive nor too personal and if you do not appear to be bribing your business partner! 9.
Although the mobile phone is very important for staying in contact in business Germans find it irritating when your mobile starts ringing at a meeting and you do not switch it off or mute. It is considered as rude when you interrupt the conversation or meeting for a phone call or if you check your mails or messages. RULES OF BUSINEES BEHAVIOUR
Rules of Business Behavior in Germany 10. Guten Appetit: If attending a business lunch or other meal, wait for the host to initiate everything - drinking, eating and conversation. Make sure to wish everyone Guten Appetit before starting to eat. When toasting say Prost! or Zum Wohl!, and look other guests in the eyes when clinking glasses. Hopefully, the meal will follow the German rule: First take care of business, then drink and laugh! 11. Say what you mean: In negotiations, Germans tend to be direct and frank about what they want and they will expect you to do the same. If you are starting a project, remember making a decision can be a long process, so present all the facts thoroughly. If Germans are presenting a proposal, be prepared to be shown a selection of figures, graphs, tables or pie charts.
12. We German like plans, time schedules and we also like to fix agreements e.g. by taking the minutes – in other words writing down what everybody has to do to achieve the intended aims. This simply gives us a feeling of security. 13. Germans have a reputation of trying to be perfect – there is some truth in it. This is the reason why it bothers people a lot if something goes wrong!
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Rules of Business Behavior in Germany
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14. Outer appearance: A well-groomed outer appearance is important if you want to appear to be a serious and reliable business partner! Companies do have different rules and regulations for business clothes depending on the firm or the contact to clients etc. Generally, suit and tie or skirt and blouse are worn. So, if you want to work in a German company, inform yourself in advance what the rules are! Most Germans still have a traditional business attitude. That is maybe why people chewing bubble gum leave a bad impression.
15. Effectiveness: Germans tend to be effective when doing business – they will usually work during working hours, not chat too long with a colleague or lose time doing something else so that they can finish their work on time.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Poland 1. Greeting: While greeting between a man and a woman, the woman extends a hand first. First, we introduce ourselves and then people accompanying us. If a client walks into our office, we are the first who extend a hand. The same is true in the relationship between employee and employer – a person occupying a higher position extends their hand first. It is allowed to kiss a woman's hand, especially during business dinners, banquets. Effusive displays of emotions (such as hugging) are unwelcome.
2. Place of business meetings: Business meetings are held at the earlier appointed date, usually in an office or restaurant- at a booked table with a guarantee of a peaceful atmosphere for talks. A bad place for a business meeting are discos, public places and private houses. 3.
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A characteristic feature of Polish people in business relationships is not responding to the offer within the scheduled period. Often we tarry making a final decision, which may irritate our business partners from other countries.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Poland
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4. Unwelcome behaviors during a business meetings are: being late, being unprepared to the talk, effusive display of emotions.
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The feature that might surprise foreigners in Polish business behavior is the lack of long-term thinking. For instance, while establishing the company we do not take into consideration how it will look like in a few years, we do not assume a detailed tactical development.
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Polish people like it when the rules of the company are clearly defined - working hours should be strictly scheduled. They do not like it when someone e.g. comes to do the job or tries to contact you for matters related to work after the appointed time.
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In business dealings we turn to each other with respect, usually using polite phrases: "ProszÄ™ Pana...," "Panie..." "Pani...". We address each other by our first names only when we are asked to do so by the person with whom we are speaking.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Poland 8. Be patient! Formal errands related to being in business in Poland take a long time. This is caused by a huge bureaucracy, which means that you often have to stand in queues in the offices of state institutions.
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In the relationship between employer and employee the distance is advisable. Treating your workers or employers as close friends is unwelcome in Polish culture. We try to isolate the private life from work.
10. In business relations it is obligatory to wear rather modest wardrobe, simple and subdued (gray, blue, white and black colours). Too colorful clothes in business relationships indicate carelessness and cause a lack of confidence. 11. Unwelcome behavior in business discussions is boasting one's achievements. This type of behavior arouses antipathy. In Poland there is a proverb: "The great talkers are not the great doers". 12. During business meetings it is allowed to give and receive symbolic gifts unless they are expensive.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Poland
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13. Despite the many actions conducted to combat corruption, harassment and discrimination based on sex, race or creed, rarely you can meet such behavior in Polish companies. 14. Make up for work and business meetings – the professionally made-up woman is one who senses the balance between the lack of makeup and its excess. Heavy and expressive makeup is inadvisable. The basic principle in the business makeup is a healthy and beautiful complexion. 15. During dinner or business lunches we possess a large hospitality. Often we try to show so-called "Polish hospitality" based on the fact that guests are served numerous dishes and drinks.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Romania 1.
We are extremely flexible and adapt rather than to be applying some rules.
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In Romania, when business partners meet for the first time it is the custom to shake hands and greet him with a formula such as "Hello, how are you?" the simplest form of greeting.
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Refusal to shake hands will offend Romanian partners, so it is important to advise your partner if you have certain restrictions that prevent you from taking his hand.
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The first meeting is formal, it is therefore advisable to avoid jokes and to maintain a professional look. At the first meeting, you must address your partner and those assisting with "Mr." or "Mrs". At future meetings, after the relationship is closer, formality tends to soften and conversations are much more cordial. It is important to know your partner very well and respect his attitude before trying to have a more relaxed conversation. The first meeting is very important. Romanians are very hospitable and therefore any small gesture, movement, apparently insignificant, could offend. Also, your attitude must inspire confidence because the partner shall believe that you are the one with whom to start a business relationship. RULES OF BUSINEES BEHAVIOUR
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Rules of Business Behavior in Romenia 5.
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Romanians are reliable business partners that respect signed contracts, deliver the agreed terms and pay their debts.
6. Hospitality is very well-known and Romanians have a good attitude and are friendly with visitors. 7.
Most people who live in urban areas know at least one foreign language (English, German or French) which helps to overcome any linguistic barriers easily.
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If you are talking on the phone it is important to always be polite, no matter what you are talking about. Always answer a call if you are available and if you are not in a position to provide the information that you are required, you have to promise that you will return the call when the information is available. If you promise a continuation of the discussion, it is also extremely important to do this in the expected time.
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In Romania business meetings are taken very seriously and should take a very professional attitude and an approach that is correct for the Romanian counterpart. Your ideas must be clear and precise with evidence to support your arguments and the means to achieve the objectives. This will allow you to demonstrate that you know how to communicate and that you are well-organized, which will also reflect on your proposals.
10. Addressing others formally in a business meeting is conservative but also a form of manifestation of our esteem for the Romanians. It could be understood to be a form of protection of the individual.
RULES OF BUSINEES BEHAVIOUR
Rules of Business Behavior in Romania 11.
If kissing a woman's hand was a rule in our society, today women no longer expect this gesture, especially in a business meeting. Is this a loss of feminity? Rather, it is a manifestation of the idea that a businesswoman believes that she has a business relationship equal to that of a man.
12. Punctuality is an important aspect for Romanians, so it is common practice to arrive earlier than at the scheduled time for the meeting. 13. Bureaucracy is a fact that sometimes makes it difficult to carry out a business, and the legislative system is much too complex to encourage entrepreneurship. 14. We plan all actions ahead of time. If we are responsible for arranging a business meeting, we plan everything before sending notifications. We make sure that all interested parties are invited.
15. We are very tolerant, and we have the ability to understand people with different sets of values, standards and lifestyles different from ours. We have the ability to comply with what our business partners consider to be very important to them.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Slovakia 1.
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Be on time: you are expected to be on time; 5-minuteswaiting can be accepted, if you have a good reason, but „only the king can be 15 minutes late”.
2. Greeting: the business meeting starts with greetings and shaking hands, kisses in the cheeks are not appropriate and considered too personal. Moreover, it is considered rude and disrespectful to have one’s hands in the pockets during a formal conversation or a greeting. 3. Use titles and surnames: it is common in Slovak business life to address people by their surname as well as title. Using the first name is too personal and can be used only after many years of successful business cooperation. In the Slovak business life the degrees or functions are often used instead of the surnames, especially in medicine, jurisprudence, schools, (say Mr. doctor, Mr. headmaster instead of Mr. Lean). 4. Presents: giving and receiving presents on business visits is not unusual. On special occasions (anniversaries, New Year‘s Eve) giving small presents to good business partners is fitting and even expected as a sign of good business relationship and friendship.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Slovakia 5. Be polite and respectful: on business meetings you should be polite, do not interrupt colleagues or partners during their speech. Strong emotions are not appropriate in business settings, be prepared, however, that Slovaks have a bit of a temper and may sometimes be too emotional and react sharply to rudeness or any sign of disrespect. 6. Dress code: for many professional positions in Slovakia, casual business clothing is appropriate. In some types of jobs employers demand of their employees to wear custom-made clothes with business logos or to follow strict dress codes.
7. Work without clever tricks: at work one is supposed to work silently without disturbing the others. Slovaks simply are not used to be jovial or overly friendly at work. They tend to draw a strict line between work and private life. Going out together with their colleagues after work is not very common, either, only with colleagues that Slovaks consider to be also personal friends. Do not use any clever tricks or make jokes about people you do not know very well and who are not on first-name terms with you.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Slovakia
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8. In the office: colleagues in a workplace are usually expected to greet each other, be nice and polite. But be prepared to meet people who are rude and impolite. 9. Conversation: during the coffee break or lunch break some neutral conversations are appropriate, sitting silently at the table is a sign of antipathy. With colleagues – good friends- private life and jokes can also be discussed. 10. Relationships: many times among colleagues good friendships or very good personal relationship appears (the best marriages started at work) – the work ethics don’t ban close personal relations at work as long as it doesn’t affect one’s performance at work. 11. Team building: teambuilding activities are often used to make the business atmosphere better - sport or cultural activities in the afternoon or at the weekend.
12. Gender discrimination: although it is getting better, women are still faced with gender discrimination especially when it comes to salary. Men are preferred over women for the leading positions, especially women with children.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Slovakia 13. Organisation and creativity: business life in Slovakia is organised on regular meetings or briefings, plans and time schedules are prepared. Often unexpected events appear that must be solved immediately and Slovaks are known to be creative and come up with a suitable, if rather unconventional, solution.
14. Working time: officially the working week in Slovakia has 42 hours. However, Slovaks are known to be quite hardworking and responsible, so be prepared to check the tasks or e-mails regularly, even outside regular working hours. 15. Business laws in Slovakia are „baby-friendly“ – parents can stay up to 3 years on paid maternity or paternity leave and return to the same position. Many employers offer company kindergartens as one of the benefits.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Sweden 1.
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In a Swedish business environment, being pleasant and cooperative is valued. Showing strong emotions is usually not appropriate. Calmness, especially in a crisis, is considered an important attribute.
2. For many professional positions in Sweden, smart casual clothing is appropriate. For international negotiations though, the representatives of an organisation may dress more formally. 3. It is common in Swedish business life to address people by their first name. This does not imply lack of respect. The use of titles is rare in Swedish and the informal form of “you”, “du”, is used in almost all settings. Relations between persons in an organisation may though be more formal than these informal codes would suggest and this formality is expressed in other ways, such as greater caution in communication. In international negotiations, the representatives of an organisation may use titles in English. 4. You normally greet someone for the first time with a handshake. This may be long, but should not be too tight. It is considered rude to speak to someone with your hands in your pocket.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Sweden 5.
Colleagues in a workplace are usually expected to greet each other, but long conversations are not necessarily appropriate. Social interaction mostly takes place during designated coffee breaks and company- or employeeorganised social events.
6. While doing business, respect is shown to someone who has knowledge and experience. It is important to be well prepared for meetings. It is though also important not to appear to be boasting. An appearance of quiet competence is generally respected. 7.
Harmony is considered to be important in working life in Sweden. People may be cautious in expressing opinions that could create divisions, unless this is really necessary.
8. Punctuality is considered important in Sweden, particularly for meetings and appointments. Be sure to be on time. 9. In many workplaces, employees are expected to be available for questions relating to their work even outside of regular working hours, via e-mail, mobile phone, or other media.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Sweden
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10. Equality is considered an important value, including in many workplace situations. Many organisations have a horizontal business structure. Hierarchies are not always easily visible. 11. In business life, many internal decisions are made in meetings or by committees. For some internal matters, these involve the trade unions as partners in the discussion. Meetings tend to be structured, with minutes taken.
12. In conversation, it is common to keep private life separate from working life. Be cautious in asking questions about someone’s private life in a workplace setting, even if this is intended to be part of small talk. It is better to let colleagues volunteer information, or to speak about more neutral topics, until you know each other well. 13. Giving and receiving presents in a business setting is less common in Sweden than in many countries. 14. Parents of young children can take maternity or paternity leave. Paternity leave is common. Employers often hire a substitute for the period of absence. Be prepared for changes in the persons responsible for a business matter during this period.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Sweden 15. Reorganisations, outsourcing, downsizing, and changes in duties are common, as is in-service training. The key terms “flexibility” and “social competence” are often used by employers in job advertisements and are highly valued. In work interviews, be prepared to describe situations in which you have demonstrated these qualities.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Turkey
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While meeting, shake hands firmly. When departing, it is not always customary to shake hands although it is practiced occasionally.
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In the business context most women will shake hands with men. However, this may not be the case in Eastern or rural Turkey where people are more conservative. If unsure, wait for the woman to extend her hand.
2. When addressing a Turk, the most common method is to call a man by his first name followed by 'bey' (pronounced bay). ErtanBey. Similarly, a woman's first name would be followed by 'hanim' (pronounced hanum). Where professional titles exist such as Doctor or Professor, always use them either on their own or before the first name. Curiously this is also the case with many other professions such as lawyers, engineers and managers. 4. Do not back away, as this can be understood as being unfriendly.
5. Courtesy is crucial in all business dealings.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Turkey 6. This is unfair but Turks expect foreigners to be on time to business meetings. Call if you are going to be late. Do not expect your Turkish colleagues to be punctual. Expect to wait if you arrive for a meeting on time.
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When doing business in Turkey, initial meetings should always concentrate on relationship building. Engage in some light conversation to establish rapport. Questions about children will be welcomed. The Turks are proud of their country and will enjoy answering questions on their culture and history although be sure to avoid political history. Most Turkish men love football (soccer) and usually support one of three teams: Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş or Galatasaray. Asking for their team's recent fortunes will always produce lively and animate responses.
8. When doing business in Turkey it is likely you will be taken to restaurants. Turks enjoy food and the meal is a time for relaxing and engaging in some good conversation. The protocol of Turkish hospitality dictates that the host always pays for the meal. The concept of sharing a bill is alien. You may try and offer to pay, which may be seen as polite, but you would never be allowed to do so. If doing business in Turkey the best policy is to graciously thank the host, then a few days later invite them to dinner at a restaurant of your choice. It may be a good idea to inform the restaurant manager that under no circumstances are they to accept payment from your guests.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Turkey 9.
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If you are going to Turkey to do business, know two things: Your success is defined by your ability to build effective personal relationships combined with a clearly outlined and well-presented proposal. Business is personal in Turkey. Although this is changing with the more corporate culture in some of the larger companies, many businesses are still family-owned and run.
10. Turks will look at doing business with those they like, trust, feel comfortable with and with those that can provide a long-term relationship. As well as looking at the person, Turks are also astute business people. Ensure your proposal clearly demonstrates the mutual benefit and profitability of any agreement or partnership. 11. Turks are primarily oral and visual communicators so in addition to written statistics and projections they like to present information vocally or with maps, graphs and charts. 12. If you’re doing business in Turkey involving negotiating, it may not always be necessary to focus on financial benefits. It is just as useful to point to areas such as power, influence, honour, respect and other non-monetary incentives.
13. Decision-making can be slow. It is most likely that you will meet and negotiate with less senior members of a family or company first. Once you are seen as trustworthy and your proposal as financially viable you will then move on to meet more senior members. A decision is ultimately made by the head of the family/company.
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Rules of Business Behavior in Turkey 14. Prior to doing business or entering negotiations in Turkey know your target figure and work slowly towards it through meaningful concessions. When conceding ensure you present this as a favour and a decision made out of respect and liking for your counterpart(s). Try and concede only once you have gained agreement on a reciprocal concession on a separate or related issue. 15. Do not use deadlines or pressure tactics as the Turks will use this to their advantage and reverse the tactic by threatening to cancel agreements or end negotiations. Be patient.
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Projekt został zrealizowany przy wsparciu finansowym Komisji Europejskiej. Projekt lub publikacja odzwierciedlają jedynie stanowisko ich autora i Komisja Europejska nie ponosi odpowiedzialności za umieszczoną w nich zawartość merytoryczną.