Having received great feedback on my blog about the place of "tarof" in Persian culture, a few people have requested a brief guide to doing business in Iran for companies making the journey over.
So here goes....
Blogs for Culture Vultures
Will we see a business brain drain?
Britain’s impending exit from the EU has rallied a host of cries from its European brethren, encouraging businesses to continue accessing European skills and resources by relocating elsewhere.
These rallying calls have been heard. Whilst some UK based internationals wait to see the EU exit deal, others are charging ahead with the steam and energy of a power boosted intercity train; reviewing both the landscape and their options, should they choose to exit.
Weak Pound Signals Export Opportunities
If one thing is certain in this time of post-Brexit uncertainty, it’s that the Great British Pound is down the pan and looks like it might stay there for a while.
"Guanxi" (pronounced (jwan-see) is one of the most powerful forces in Chinese culture.
Though the direct translation of "guanxi" is "relationships", the concept as it is used and applied in Chinese culture is much richer and encompassing.
Globalisation, internationalization and trans-border trade are all terms that have been coined over the past decade(s) to reflect the reality of international trade.
Although international trade has long been in operation, the scale, frequency and speed at which it is conducted today is incomparable.
When Culture Ruins Marketing!
Although a little cruel, cross cultural marketing mistakes are a humorous means of understanding the impact poor cultural awareness can have when selling or working abroad.
Marketing is perhaps one of the trickiest elements to get right when taking your business or product into new and unchartered territories.
Language, culture, local practices and many other factors heavily influence success or failure.
Do you give presentations abroad or to multicultural audiences?
You don't want an audience looking like this do you?
This article gives great tips on delivering presentations across cultural lines:
How to Approach International Negotiations with Cultural Awareness
- Can your international negotiations feel like this sometimes?
- Do you feel cultural differences get in the way of a successful negotiation?
- Looking for tips on how to improve your negotiation style and techniques?
Then this is the article for you!
Business etiquette is essentially about building relationships with colleagues, clients or customers.
In the business world, it is these people that can influence your success or failure.
When doing business abroad it is important to understand the local culture.
Culture includes areas such as a country's norms, values, behaviours, food, architecture, fashion and art. However, one area of culture that is important for the international business person is etiquette.
Understanding business etiquette allows you to feel comfortable in your dealings with foreign friends, colleagues, customers or clients. Knowing what to do and say in the right places will help build trust and open lines of communication.
Many people love learning languages or would like to learn a language and use their language skills in a job.
In today's global economy the demand for language skills continues to grow as governments, businesses and organisations build relationships with foreign interests.
Judaism is the religion commonly linked to Jewish people.
Did you know Ramadan changes every year? It is not always on the same date like Christmas or New Year. That is because the Islamic calendar is lunar. Whenever Ramadan starts millions of working men and women from Morocco to Saudi Arabia to Indonesia will be fasting from dawn till dusk as of next week. Life changes for 30 days inevitably having an impact on business.
The Middle East is an area which carries many stereotypes and myths.
Before doing business in the Middle East it is imperative to learn about areas such as business culture, business etiquette, meeting protocol and negotiation techniques.