CANADA

1. CANADA Appearance: • Plan for a very cold climate. • Has a strong influence of French architecture and culture. Behavior: • Don’t eat while walking in public. • Wait for your host to start business conversations during a meal. • If invited over, take candy, flowers, or liquor. Communications: • Men will wait for a women to extend her hand for a handshake. • For French Canadians, print all material in French and English. • Be open and friendly.

2. RUSSIA Appearance: • Standing with hands in pockets is rude. • Dark, well tailored suits. • Skirts should be worn rather than pants. • Men do not take off jackets during a negotiation. Behavior: • It is considered rude to shake hands with gloves on. • Expect people to be late to an event. • Showing the soles of feet is considered impolite. • Compromise is viewed as a sign of weakness. Communications: • Speaking or laughing loud in public is considered rude. • Russian is the official language. • 100% literacy rate. • Many Russians speak English.

3. ITALY Appearance: • Women dress in expensive elegance. • Shirts may be color or pin-striped, and they should be paired with an Italian designer tie. • Men should wear fashionable, high quality suits. Behavior: • Handshakes are common for both sexes, and may include grasping the arm with the other hand. • Avoid the number 17, it’s bad luck. • Italian cards are often plain white with black print. • The oldest person must get the best treatment. Communications: • Italian is the official language. • Avoid talking about religion, politics, and World War II. • Good conversations include culture, food, family, wire, and films. • English is spoken by most businessmen.

4. VENEZUELA Appearance: • People tend to stand very close together when conversing. • Dress for men is conservation (dark business suit, of tropical weight wool.) • Posture while seated is important, avoid slouching. • Fashion is very important to Venezuelan women. Behavior: • To indicate you have finished eating, place your utensils in parallel and diagonally across your plate. • Guests may bring or send flowers and candy to the host of the dinner. • Guests rarely sit at the end of the table. Appearance: • Good friends hug and women kiss cheeks. • Good conversation topics are business, art, history, and literature. • Avoid dominating the conversation, Venezuelans like to be in control.

5. FRANCE Appearance: • Patterned fabrics and dark colors are mostly accepted, but avoid bright colors. • Must dress in well tailored clothing. • The French are very conscientious of their appearance. Behavior: • Punctuality is treated very casually in France. • France is a highly stratified society, with strong definition and competition between classes. • Business can be conducted during any meal, but lunch is best. • The French handshake is brief, and is accompanied. Communications: • French is the official language in France. • Most individuals in business speak English. • The French have a great appreciation for the art of conversation.

6. BRAZIL Appearance: • The colors of the Brazilian flag are yellow and green, avoid wearing this combination in any fashion. • The OK hand signal is a rude gesture in Brazil. • Touching elbows, arms, and backs is very common. Behavior: • In Brazil, restaurant entertainment prevails versus at home. • Tipping is typically 10% in Brazil. • Business meetings usually begin with casual chatting. Communications: • Portuguese is the language of Brazil. • Good conversation topics include soccer, family, and children. • Bad conversation topics include Argentina, politics, poverty, and religion. • Women exchange cheek kisses when they meet.

7. EGYPT Appearance: • Women should always wear modest clothing in public. • Foreigners are expected to dress by local standards, although don’t adapt to natural clothing. • At business meetings men are required to wear a jacket and a tie, also long pants and a shirt. Behavior: • Try not to sit with your legs crossed, some may find having the sole of your shoes pointed to them as an insult. • It’s common to smoke in public, so be considerate and offer. • Sending gifts is good. • Egyptians tend to stand closer and moving away may be a sign of aloofness. Communications: • All Egyptians speak Arabic. • Arabic is read from right to left, so don’t be confused (even if printed in English.) • Since their names may be confusing, always ask for English name, and see how they should be addressed. • Appointments may be interrupted by a phone call, and or visit.

8. EL SALVADOR Appearance: • Don’t point your finger at anyone. • For business, men should wear a lightweight suit. • Women should wear a blouse and a skirt, or a dress. • Good eye contact is important during business situations. • Yawning in public is considered rude and should be avoided. Behavior: • Business is only done after a relationship has been established. • The main meal of the day is noon. • Avoid giving white flowers, they are associated with funerals. Communications: • Keep the vocal component of your greeting soft, many Salvadorians do not like loud people. • Titles are important, address of a person directly by using his or her title only. • Have two surnames, their fathers and mothers, only the fathers surname is used when addressing someone.

9. Japan Appearance: • Those who dress according to status or position impress the Japanese, always dress to impress. • Casual dressing are never appropriate in a business setting. • Shoes should be easy to remove, as you will do so often. Behavior: • Never pour a drink for yourself, allow someone else to do so. • Tipping is not expected. • Gifts should be given at the end of a visit. Communications: • In business, situation business can’t begin until an exchange occurs. • The number 4 is bad luck. • The customary greeting is to bow.

10. MEXICO Appearance: • Standing with your hands on your hips suggests aggressiveness, and keeping your hand in your pockets is impolite. • Mexicans may not make eye contact, this is a sign for respect and should not be taken as an affront. • Men should wear a conservative suit and tie. Behavior: • Working breakfasts are popular, meeting at 8:00 or 8:30 at your hotel, and usually lasting two hours at the most. • Conversations take place at a close physical distance. • Pay for store purchases by placing money in the cashiers hand. Communication: • Refrain from using first names until invited to do so. • Titles are important and should be included on business cards. • Do not use red ink anytime you are writing someone’s name.

11. Colombia APPEARANCE: • Colombians indicate that someone is stingy by tapping their fingers on their elbows. • It is impolite to yawn in public. • The “OK” symbol is thumb and forefinger touching to create a circle. BEHAVIOR: • Punctuality is relaxed although as a foreigner you are expected to be on time. • Let the host make a toast first, then you may wish to make one. • Lunch is the main meal of the day and a popular choice for a business meal. COMMUNICATIONS: • Bullfighting is popular, don’t make negative comments about it. • Good conversation topics are history, culture, soccer, and coffee. • Bad conversation topics are drug traffic, politics, and religion.

12. INDIA APPEARANCE: • Men can only wear shorts when they are exercising. • The use of leather is considered offensive. • Women should wear long pants when they are exercising. BEHAVIOR: • Never touch someone else’s head. • Whistling and winking are impolite and may be interpreted as either an insult or a sexual proposition. • If your shorts or feet touch another person, apologize. COMMUNICATIONS: • Do not thank your host of the end of meal, “Thank you” is considered a form of payment and therefore insulting. • Titles are very important, always use professional titles. • Never directly refuse an invitation, a vague “I’ll try” is an acceptable refusal.

13. ARGENTINA APPEARANCE: • Don’t dress like a person from a culture that isn't your own. • Eating on public transportation and in the streets is considered very rude. BEHAVIOR: • Business people work long hours late into nighttime. • Long meals and long conversations is normal. • Guests wait for the host to sit down before sitting. COMMUNICATIONS: • Good topics for conversations are soccer, history, culture, home, children, and opera. • Bad conversation topics are religion. • Other languages spoken: Italian (2nd) and German (3rd.)

14. SOUTH AFRICA APPEARANCE: • Generally wear Western dresses. • Dress well in public. • African woman wear a sari. BEHAVIOR: • Gifts will be open upon receipt. • Business meetings can be held over lunch or dinner. • Do not present gifts with the left hand. COMMUNICATIONS: • Use titles and surnames to address people. • Prefer a “win-win” situation. • Business cards have no formal exchange protocol.

15. TAIWAN APPEARANCE: • Winking is not appropriate in any situation. • Do not touch another persons shoulder. • Do not touch or point at anything with your feet. Behavior: • Translate all written documents. • Good conversation topics are art, family, and Chinese sight seeing. • Give and receive gifts with both hands. • Food is a good gift. Communications: • A nod of your head is an appropriate greeting. • Punctuality has great importance in Taiwan. • Always wait for instructions.