Session 10 AE

Business and finances.
• Vocabulary
Stark () a) subtle differences in meaning
To be conceived as () b) to be useful to someone in the future
Nuances () c) arrogant and self-important
To stand someone in d) extreme and obvious, often used with

good stead () ‘difference’ or ‘contrast
Pompous () e) to be thought of as
To pigeonhole f) boring, uninteresting or ordinary

someone ()
Mundane () g) to label someone and put them in a

restrictive category
Cultural behavior in business.
Much of today's business is conducted across international borders, and while the majority of the
global business community might share the use of English as a common language, the nuances and
expectations of business communication might differ greatly from culture to culture. A lack of
understanding of the cultural norms and practices of our business acquaintances can result in
unfair judgements, misunderstandings and breakdowns in communication. Here are three basic
areas of differences in the business etiquette around the world that could help stand you in good
stead when you next find yourself working with someone from a different culture.
Addressing someone
When discussing this topic in a training course, a German trainee and a British trainee got into a
hot debate about whether it was appropriate for someone with a doctorate to use the
corresponding title on their business card. The British trainee maintained that anyone who wasn't
a medical doctor expecting to be addressed as 'Dr' was disgustingly pompous and full of
themselves. The German trainee, however, argued that the hard work and years of education put
into earning that PhD should give them full rights to expect to be addressed as 'Dr'.
This stark difference in opinion over something that could be conceived as minor and thus easily
overlooked goes to show that we often attach meaning to even the most mundane practices.
When things that we are used to are done differently, it could spark the strongest reactions in us.
While many Continental Europeans and Latin Americans prefer to be addressed with a title, for
example Mr or Ms and their surname when meeting someone in a business context for the first
time, Americans, and increasingly the British, now tend to prefer using their first names. The best
thing to do is to listen and observe how your conversation partner addresses you and, if you are
still unsure, do not be afraid to ask them how they would like to be addressed.
Smiling
A famous Russian proverb states that 'a smile without reason is a sign of idiocy' and a so-called
'smile of respect' is seen as insincere and often regarded with suspicion in Russia. Yet in countries
like the United States, Australia and Britain, smiling is often interpreted as a sign of openness,
friendship and respect, and is frequently used to break the ice.
In a piece of research done on smiles across cultures, the researchers found that smiling
individuals were considered more intelligent than non-smiling people in countries such as
Germany, Switzerland, China and Malaysia. However, in countries like Russia, Japan, South Korea
and Iran, pictures of smiling faces were rated as less intelligent than the non-smiling ones.
Meanwhile, in countries like India, Argentina and the Maldives, smiling was associated with
dishonesty.
Eye contact
An American or British person might be looking their client in the eye to show that they are paying
full attention to what is being said, but if that client is from Japan or Korea, they might find the
direct eye contact awkward or even disrespectful. In parts of South America and Africa, prolonged
eye contact could also be seen as challenging authority. In the Middle East, eye contact across
genders is considered inappropriate, although eye contact within a gender could signify honesty
and truthfulness.
Having an increased awareness of the possible differences in expectations and behavior can help
us avoid cases of miscommunication, but it is vital that we also remember that cultural
stereotypes can be detrimental to building good business relationships. Although national cultures
could play a part in shaping the way we behave and think, we are also largely influenced by the
region we come from, the communities we associate with, our age and gender, our corporate
culture and our individual experiences of the world. The knowledge of the potential differences
should therefore be something we keep at the back of our minds, rather than something that we
use to pigeonhole the individuals of an entire nation.
Exercise 1.- Circle the correct answer.
Exercise 2.- Are the sentence true or false?

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Business and finances.

Stark () a) subtle differences in meaning

To be conceived as () b) to be useful to someone in the future

Nuances () c) arrogant and self-important

To stand someone in d) extreme and obvious, often used with

To pigeonhole f) boring, uninteresting or ordinary

Mundane () g) to label someone and put them in a

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