Топики 1 курс / топик Crossing barriers

Crossing barriers

Nowadays most of business people try to do business internationally. So they visit different countries and negotiate contracts with people all over the world. People from different countries have different customs and traditions and business people should get along well with all of them.

Something can be possible in one country, but it’s also can be impossible in another country. For example, it’s very often when business people in South Korea ask their foreign business partners about their family, salary, age, family life and other things. These conversations usually take a lot of time. On other hand, conversations in Brazil tend to be fast and lively. In addition, there are some other different customs and traditions in these countries. Firstly, giving gifts is a common practice in the workplace, and the receiver is expected to give a gift in return in South Korea, but in Brazil giving a gift is a not a necessary during a first meeting. It’s more usual to offer to buy a lunch or dinner and use this opportunity to learn more about guest’s tastes. Secondly, there is a different entertainment in these countries. For example, drinking is an important part of doing business in South Korea. People usually invite foreign business partners to a restaurant or to a bar there will be a lot of alcohol. On the other hand, entertaining in Brazil is conducted over lunch or a dinner and business partners are expected to arrive on time.

Summing it up, I want to note, that there are crossing barriers in customs and traditions in different countries and business people should know about them to negotiate contracts with their foreign business partners successfully.