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"When overseas, you learn more about your own country than you do the place you're visiting " Clint Boren , American Activist.

A- What do you miss most about your own culture when you go abroad?

B- Why is cultural awareness important for businesspeople? Give examples.

C- What is culture? Choose the four factors that you think are the most
important in creating a culture. Give your reasons.

D- Do you think cultures are becoming more alike? Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Give reasons for your answers. Think about:

• improved communications • global business
• cheap foreign travel • trading groups (such as the E U , ASEAN, USAN)

E- How important are these things when doing business in your country? Are they a) important, b) not important or c) best avoided?

• exchanging business cards • shaking hands
• bowing • kissing
• being formal or informal • punctuality
• humour • eye contact
• socialising with contacts • small talk before meetings
• accepting interruption • giving presents
• being direct (saying exactly what you think) • using first names

Vocabulary : Idioms

Idioms

A- Complete the idioms in the sentences below with the followin words
end - eye - eye - fire - foot - water - water - ~~ice~~

1 Small talk is one way to break the ice when meeting someone for the first time.
2 I was thrown in at the deep when my company sent me to run the German office. I was only given two days' notice to get everything ready.
3 We don't see eye to with our US parent company about punctuality. We have very different ideas about what being 'on time' means. It's a question of culture.
4 I got into hot with my boss for wearing casual clothes to the meeting with the potential Japanese customers.
5 I really put my in it when I met our Spanish partner. Because I was nervous, I said 'Who are you?' rather than 'How are you?'.
6 I get on like a house on with our Polish agent; we like the same things and have the same sense of humour.
7 When I visited China for the first time, I was like a fish out of Everything was so different, and I couldn't read any of the signs!
8 My first meeting with our overseas clients was a real -opener. I hadn't seen that style of negotiation before.

B

Listen to eight people using the idioms from Exercise A and check your answers.

C- Consider the context of each idiom in Exercise A and decide which have:
a) a positive meaning b) a negative meaning.

1- break the ice

a positive meaning

a negative meaning.

None

2- thrown in at the deep end

a positive meaning

a negative meaning

None

3- we don't see eye to eye

a positive meaning

a negative meaning

None

4- got into hot water

a positive meaning

a negative meaning

None

5- put my foot in it

a positive meaning

a negative meaning

None

6- get on like a house on fire

a positive meaning

a negative meaning

None

7- fish out of water

a positive meaning

a negative meaning

None

8- a real eye-opener

a positive meaning

a negative meaning

None

D

Match the idioms to the correct meanings.

1- Break the ice

2- thrown in at the deep end

3- we don't see eye to eye

4- got into hot water

5- put my foot in it

6- get on like a house on fire

7- fish out of water

8- A real eye-opener

E

Work in pairs or small groups_ Discuss the following.

1 What tips do you have for breaking the ice at meetings with new clients/people from other cultures?
2 Talk about a place you have visited which was a real eye-opener.
3 Describe a situation when you
a) put your foot in it
b) felt like a fish out afwater
c) got into hot water
d) were thrown in at the deep end.

Listening

Cultural Differences

A- Jeff Toms is Marketing Director at an international cultural training centre. Listen to the first part of the i nterview and answer the questions.

1 What two factors affect the 'Middle East clock'?
2 What can cause problems for Americans when they do business with Latin cultures?

B- Listen to the second part of the interview and say what qualities companies should look for when sending staff abroad.

C- Listen to the final part of the interview and complete the gaps.

I think also one of the key features of the successful is to be non·
, For instance, if you're coming from an Asian culture to try and do business with a Western culture, for certain the way that people do things will be fundamentally different- the , the structure, the , the seniority and the of the people you're doing business with - will be fundamentally different.

D

If you could be sent anywhere in the world to work, which country would you choose? What aspects of its culture do you particularly like?

Reading

Culture shock

A- Read the article below quickly and decide which of the following (1-5) are:
a) referred to in a positive way in the text
b) referred to in a negative way in the text
c) not referred to at all.

1- understanding the culture of the country you are living in

a) referred to in a positive way in the text

b) referred to in a negative way in the text

c) not referred to at all.

None

2- asking British colleagues personal questions when you meet them for the first time

a) referred to in a positive way in the text

b) referred to in a negative way in the text

c) not referred to at all.

None

3- hiring staff who are flexible and tolerant

a) referred to in a positive way in the text

b) referred to in a negative way in the text

c) not referred to at all.

None

4- providing staff with practical support

a) referred to in a positive way in the text

b) referred to in a negative way in the text

c) not referred to at all.

None

5- looking at the role of the spouse (husband o r wife) in the selection of candidates
for overseas postings.

a) referred to in a positive way in the text

b) referred to in a negative way in the text

c) not referred to at all.

None

B

Read the article again and answer the questions.

1 What things are people from different countries in an organisation:
a) likely to have in common b) likely not to have in common?
2 What is 'cultural awareness'?

C- Work in pairs. What do you think should be covered in a cultural training course?

D- Write a paragraph using information from the article and giving tips to people doing business in the UK.

LANGUAGE REVIEW : Advice, obligation and necessity

Advice, obligation and necessity

1 Advice
o We can use should and shouldn't to give or ask for advice.
Global companies should never underestimate the effect that culture can have.
• For strong advice, we can use must or mustn't.
You mustn't invade a British colleague's personal space tao soon.
2 Obligation/Necessity
o We often use must when the obligation comes from the person speaking or writing.
We must show more cultural understanding.
o We use mustn't to say something is prohibited or is not allowed.
You mustn't smoke inside any building.
o We often use "have to" to show that the obligation comes from another person or institution, not the speaker.
You have to get a visa to enter the country. (This is the law.)

3 Lack of obligation / Lack of necessity
o Don't have to and mustn't are very different.
don't have to = it is not necessary
You don't have to hurry. We have plenty of time.

Choose the most appropriate verb, There are some situations where both verbs are possible. Can you say why?

1- If you are invited to a Brazilian's house for dinner, you ____ arrive at least 30 minutes after the time mentioned.

must

should

2 - You _____ give purple nowers as a gift in many countries.

mustn't

don't have to

3- All personnel_____read the health and safety notices in the building.

should

must

4- Staff _____ disclose information on the project unless authorised.

don't have to

mustn't

5- I think you______encourage the team to develop interpersonal skills.

should

must

6- Simone______ work so hard - she is looking very tired.

doesn't have to

shouldn't

7- When going to a new country to do business, you ____do some research into their culture.

should

must

8- You _____ pay immediately. We can offer you credit.

mustn't

don't hove to

B

Read these notes on Chinese business protocol. How does each piece of advice compare with the situation in your country?

Skills

Social English

A- Listen to a conversation between two people who have recently met. What is wrong? How can it be improved?

B- Work in pairs. In what business situations would you use these expressions?

C- What would you say in the following situations?

1 You don't hear someone's name when you are introduced to them.
2 You have to refuse an invitation to dinner with a supplier.
3 You are offered food you hate.
4 You want to end a conversation in a diplomatic way.
5 You have to greet a visitor.
6 You have to introduce two people to each other.
7 You offer to pay for a meal.
8 You have to propose a toast.
9 Your colleague has been made redundant.
10 You arrive half an hour late for a meeting.

D- Listen and compare your answers to Exercise C.

E- What can you say in the first five minutes of meeting someone?
Match the questions (1-10) to the answers (a-j). Listen and check your answers.

1 Is this your first visit to the region?   a) At the Metropolitan Hotel.
2 Oh really! What do you do?    b) Nearly five years now.
3 How long have you been there?    c) No, I come here quite a lot, but usually to Hong Kong.
4 Have you been to Tokyo before?    d) I'm an Account Director for a marketing company.
5 Business or pleasure?    e) Business, I'm afraid.
6 How long have you been here?    f) Until tomorrow evening.
7 How long are you staying? g) No, this is my first trip.
8 Where are you staying?    h) Six days.
9 What's the food like?    i) I really like it. There's so much to see and do.
10 So, what do you think of Tokyo? j) It's very good, but eating at he Metropolitan can be quite expensive.

F

What are the 'safe' topics of conversation for this sort of situation?
Which topics would you avoid?

G- In your opinion, which of these items of advice for a successful conversation are useful and which are not?

1 Listen carefully. 5 Ask questions.
2 Give only 'yes' or 'no' answers. 6 Stay silent.
3 Interrupt a lot. 7 Keep eye contact.
4 Be polite. 8 Be friendly.

Study Case

A group of managers is attending an informal briefing a bout the business culture of your country.

Background
who are visiting your country for the first time. A group of top managers will shortly be visiting your country in order to decide on the location of an overseas subsidiary. During their visit, the managers will attend meetings with a number of business people, and be entertained at their homes or in restaurants. They also plan to do some social visits and excursions. You will run an informal business culture briefing for the management group, informing them about aspects of business culture in your country and answering their questions.

Discuss what kind of topics you could include in your briefing about the business culture of your country.

Rosana, a Brazilian client, is planning a European trip to Germany, France and Russia. She asks Enrique, who works for Better Business Communications, for advice about the countries she'll be visiting. Note down the five topics that Rosana mentions. Are they on your list as well? Do you agree with what Enrique says about the three countries? Give your reasons .

Task

1 Work individually or in national groups. Prepare an informal talk about the business culture of your country or a country you know well. Use the list of topics and questions below to structure your talk. During each talk, the other members of the class will play the role of the top managers.
2 Give your talk to the top managers. Try to answer any questions they may have.
3 In one group, discuss the talks. What advice/information surprised you? Which was the most interesting talk? Why?

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