As you make your way across the United States, you will hear similar words with different meanings. For example, if you are on either of the coasts, the word dinner means the last, and often largest, meal of the day. However, to older generations in the south or Midwest, dinner means the largest middle meal of the day, while supper refers…
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Packing for a leisure trip is a big hassle in itself, but it’s all the more difficult when you’re packing for business travel. You’re not just thinking of yourself when making preparations, you must also think about your job. To make packing for business travel a bit easier, here’s what you need to remember while…
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Asian cultures are said to be more collectivistic whereas American culture is said to be more individualistic. The very idea that you should be deferential to superiors doesn’t always jibe with the American sense of rugged individualism, perhaps best personified by the brash Gordon Gecko in the movie Wall Street. Although Gordon Gecko is clearly a…
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Businesses generally go to a lot of trouble to set up international business meetings. That’s why they’re often reserved for important deals and transactions where face-to-face interaction can make or break a deal. Consider how much time and effort you spend traveling out of the country for what could be a short meeting, it’s no…
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It’s easy to fall into the trap of putting cultural generalizations onto a country – when traveling somewhere on vacation, that’s usually not a problem, so long as you abide by local rules and customs on dress, public behavior, and social etiquette. However, the business world is very different, and before you travel, reading up…
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Anthropologists and cultural historians have long noted the differences in lifestyles and communication styles between the Japanese and Americans. While the Japanese prefer delicate wording and the opportunity to save face, Americans opt for a more direct communication style. Even in business, Japanese entrepreneurs are more attuned to body language and non-verbal cues, on average,…
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U.S. corporations, working with printed documents, need the services of a professional translator if, for example, they want their employee manual printed in German, they have reports they want to share with a Japanese subsidiary, or they are launching an advertising campaign in China. For non-linguists, buying translation services are daunting because written words reflect on…
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International business meetings are where cultural differences manifest. Every culture has its own interpretation of professional conduct and etiquette, and definitely has its own corporate rules too. As a result, professionals can and do clash during such meetings. Language barriers, for instance, can make communication difficult. It slows down the pace of a negotiation, and…
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