Multi-Level exam Practice test 1

Part 4
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. 
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. 
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. 
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 
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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. 
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