1. Communicating and Cooperating with Brazilians Presenter: Richard R. Gesteland Global Management (USA)

2. Patterns of Brazilian and Danish Business and Management Behavior: Comparing Two Business Cultures

3. What is a business culture? What is a business culture? A set of expectations and assumptions about how business people communicate, negotiate and manage. A set of expectations and assumptions about how business people communicate, negotiate and manage. There are over 6900 different cultures in the world today. There are over 6900 different cultures in the world today.

4. Challenge: How can we avoid using stereotypes when comparing business cultures?

5. Solution: We avoid stereotyping by comparing cultural tendencies.

6. Cultural Cultural stereotyping: tendencies: Cultural Cultural stereotyping: tendencies: A lazy way of describing ethnic differences. A lazy way of describing ethnic differences. “Brazilians are like that...” “Brazilians are like that...” Description of differences based on systematic observations. Description of differences based on systematic observations. Fact: No two Brazilians (or Danes) are alike. Fact: No two Brazilians (or Danes) are alike.

7. Differences within Brazilian culture which may affect how your counterparts there tend to do business: North/south and urban/rural divides North/south and urban/rural divides Generational divide, level of education Generational divide, level of education Degree of international business exposure Degree of international business exposure Corporate culture: Global versus traditional firms Corporate culture: Global versus traditional firms Individual personalities. Individual personalities.

8. Comparing Danish and Brazilian cultural tendencies in business and management behavior: Patterns. Comparing Danish and Brazilian cultural tendencies in business and management behavior: Patterns. Deal-Focus and Relationship-Focus Deal-Focus and Relationship-Focus Direct and Indirect Communication Direct and Indirect Communication Egalitarian and Hierarchical Business Behavior Egalitarian and Hierarchical Business Behavior Monochronic and Polychronic Time Monochronic and Polychronic Time Nonverbal Communication (body language) Nonverbal Communication (body language)

9. Let’s start by comparing Deal-focused and Relationship-focused business cultures

10. Only very few of the world’s business cultures are classified as Deal-focused: North America North America Northern Europe, including Danes. Northern Europe, including Danes. Australia, New Zealand. Australia, New Zealand.

11. A few more business cultures are Moderately deal-focused: France, Belgium, Southern Europe France, Belgium, Southern Europe Russia, East and Central Europe Russia, East and Central Europe Hong Kong and Singapore Hong Kong and Singapore

12. The vast majority of the world’s business cultures are Relationship-focused: Asia, except Hong Kong and Singapore Asia, except Hong Kong and Singapore Middle-East, Africa Middle-East, Africa Latin America, including Brazil. Latin America, including Brazil.

13. 1. Now let’s compare Deal-focused and Relationship-focused communication and negotiating behavior

14. Deal-focused Relationship-focused Danes: Brazilians: Deal-focused Relationship-focused Danes: Brazilians: Face-to-face meetings are less important. Face-to-face meetings are less important. Task-focused: Get down to business quickly. Task-focused: Get down to business quickly. Prefer low-context, direct language. Prefer low-context, direct language. Face-to-face meetings are very important. Face-to-face meetings are very important. Relationship first: More small talk before business. Relationship first: More small talk before business. Often use high- context, indirect language. Often use high- context, indirect language.

15. 2. Direct and indirect language: 2. Direct and indirect language: Relationship-focused people tend to communicate using high-context (indirect) language. Relationship-focused people tend to communicate using high-context (indirect) language. Deal-focused people tend to use low- context (direct) language. Deal-focused people tend to use low- context (direct) language.

16. Comparing High-context and Low- context communication behavior: In low-context, direct language the meaning is contained in the words of the message. In low-context, direct language the meaning is contained in the words of the message. In high-context, indirect language the meaning is often contained in the context surrounding the words rather than in the words. In high-context, indirect language the meaning is often contained in the context surrounding the words rather than in the words.

17. When do Brazilians tend to use indirect language? To be polite: In some situations using direct language sounds rude to them. To be polite: In some situations using direct language sounds rude to them. To avoid losing face. To avoid losing face. To avoid offending or disappointing others, especially high-status people such as bosses -- and customers. To avoid offending or disappointing others, especially high-status people such as bosses -- and customers.

18. Why do Danes tend to use low-context, direct language? To be clearly understood. To be clearly understood. To be “honest.” Danes often equate directness with honesty. To be “honest.” Danes often equate directness with honesty. Danes see no need to use cautious, indirect language with bosses or customers. Danes see no need to use cautious, indirect language with bosses or customers.

19. Edward T. Hall found that directness in language varies predictably across cultures: Germans, Dutch and German-Swiss tend to be the most direct communicators. Germans, Dutch and German-Swiss tend to be the most direct communicators. Danes also tend to be direct speakers. Danes also tend to be direct speakers. Most people from Asia, the Middle East and Latin Americans, including Brazilians, tend to use indirect language in many situations. Most people from Asia, the Middle East and Latin Americans, including Brazilians, tend to use indirect language in many situations.

20. Differing expectations of directness or indirectness cause misunderstandings: In some situations a Brazilian counterpart may avoid saying ‘No’ directly, thus confusing Danes. In some situations a Brazilian counterpart may avoid saying ‘No’ directly, thus confusing Danes. Danish frankness may sometimes be misunderstood as rudeness. Danish frankness may sometimes be misunderstood as rudeness.

21. 3. Egalitarian and Hierarchical Business Cultures

22. Egalitarian: Hierarchical: Egalitarian: Hierarchical: Nordic countries including Denmark Nordic countries including Denmark North America North America Australia, New Zealand Australia, New Zealand Great Britain, rest of Europe Great Britain, rest of Europe Asia, Africa, Middle East Asia, Africa, Middle East Latin America including Brazil. Latin America including Brazil.

23. Egalitarian Hierarchical Danes: Brazilians: Status differences are small. Status differences are small. Do not defer to the boss. Do not defer to the boss. Status is achieved. Status is achieved. Few layers of management. Few layers of management. Status differences can be large. Status differences can be large. Tend to defer to authority. Tend to defer to authority. Status is ascribed. Status is ascribed. More layers of management. More layers of management.

24. 4. Monochronic and Polychronic Time Cultures

25. Monochronic Time Cultures: Germans and German-Swiss (very monochronic) Germans and German-Swiss (very monochronic) North Americans, northern Europeans including Danes. North Americans, northern Europeans including Danes. Czech Republic, Hungary, Japan Czech Republic, Hungary, Japan

26. Polychronic Time Cultures: Southern and Eastern Europe, East Asia Southern and Eastern Europe, East Asia Latin America, including Brazil. Latin America, including Brazil. South and Southeast Asia, Middle East, most of Africa (very polychronic) South and Southeast Asia, Middle East, most of Africa (very polychronic)

27. Monochronic: Polychronic: Monochronic: Polychronic: Punctuality is expected. Punctuality is expected. Meetings usually follow an agenda. Meetings usually follow an agenda. It is rude to interrupt meetings. It is rude to interrupt meetings. People are less punctual. People are less punctual. Meetings may not follow an agenda. Meetings may not follow an agenda. Meetings may be often interrupted. Meetings may be often interrupted.

28. 5. Nonverbal Communication: Danes and Brazilians

29. Danish and Brazilian body language issues: Facial expression Facial expression Space bubble Space bubble Touch behavior Touch behavior Gestures. Gestures.

30. Tips for communicating and negotiating with Brazilian customers: Take time to build trusting personal relationships Take time to build trusting personal relationships Be prepared for indirect, vague language when your local counterpart faces a difficult or embarrassing situation. Be prepared for indirect, vague language when your local counterpart faces a difficult or embarrassing situation.

31. Communicating and Cooperating with Brazilians Presenter: Richard R. Gesteland Global Management (USA)