Projectgroup 10

Making appointments
Arrange appointments in advance. Try to do so via telephone and confirm it with a letter or an
e-mail. It is a good idea to call a few days before to check that it is still convenient. Friday is
the traditional Islamic weekly holiday, although this is now Sunday in Turkey. Many Turkish
males will attend the Friday congregational prayer - Cuma which will take place from about
1-1:30 p.m. Times to avoid travelling to Turkey on business are the main summer months of
June, July, and August since most Turkish businesspeople take extended vacations to spend
time with family. . If travelling a distance to get to an office or meeting place, it is a good idea
to leave plenty of time for your trip. Turkish roads and transport can let you down. Most
Turkish businesspeople have a good command of English. Other international languages
spoken included Arabic, Greek, French and German. If you are unsure as to your counterpart's
linguistic capability, it may be worth investing in an interpreter. Remember to slow your
speech down and to speak clearly. Always confirm meanings, conclusions and agreements.
Rather than 'get down to business', engage in some small talk and always wait for the other to
initiate the change in topic.

Business dress
Business dress is conservative. You will be expected to wear a suit and tie. Similarly, women
should wear smart professional outfits. In the summer, and especially in the cities of Istanbul,
Izmir and Ankara, the weather is very hot and humid. It is acceptable to wear a shirt with
trousers and in most cases not to wear a tie. Women are advised to refrain from exposing their
legs and arms and to ensure clothes are not tight-fitting. Men should not wear shorts. At the
beach, normal beach wear is worn by Turk and foreigner alike. When visiting a mosque, bear
in mind that it is place of worship. Never enter a mosque with shoes. There is always a rack
where shoes can be kept. Make sure your feet are clean and will not bring in dust or mud.
Men should not wear shorts and must wear a shirt or t-shirt. Women should be covered fully,
especially their hair. If you do not have a scarf, ask an attendant as some are usually put aside
for foreign visitors.

Welcome topics of conversation

At initial meetings, it is a good idea to get to know your Turkish counterpart on a personal
level. Ask about his/her family without prying. Questions about children will be welcomed.
Find out about their work, role and company. The Turks are proud of their country and will
enjoy answering questions on their culture and history. Most Turkish men love football and
usually support one of three teams: Galatasaray, Beşiktaş or Fenerbahçe. Asking after their
team's recent fortunes will always produce lively and animated responses.

Topics to Avoid
Avoid giving opinions over sensitive issues involving Turkey, especially Turko-Kurdish
relations, the Cyprus issue and EU membership. Turkey has had a turbulent political history
which may be best left in the past. Try and avoid this subject as a whole. There is a West-East
divide in Turkey on the issue of Islam. Generally, the Eastern Turks are a lot more
conservative due to their closer adherence to Islamic values. Western Turks, especially those
in Istanbul, Ankara or Izmir are usually a lot more westernized. Islam takes on more of a
cultural feel rather than a religious one. Depending on where you are, be careful how you
approach any topic about Islam.
What you should know before negotiating
Always come to Turkey knowing two things. Your success is defined by your ability to build
effective personal relationships combined with a clearly outlined and well presented proposal.
Although this is changing with the influx of big multi-nationals and a more corporate culture
in some of the larger companies, many businesses are still family owned and run.
Turks will want to do business with those they like, trust, feel comfortable with and with
those that can provide a long term relationship. If they feel you are hiding something or there
is an element of suspicion about your motives, you may not get very far. Building a
relationship with your partner is therefore critical. The first meeting should be solely focused
on getting to know each other. Once a relationship has been established, you can safely move
on to business matters. As well as looking to the person, Turks are also astute businesspeople.
Ensure your proposal clearly demonstrates the mutual benefit and profitability of any
agreement or partnership. Turks are primarily oral and visual communicators, so in addition to
written statistics, projections and the like, try to present information vocally or with maps,
graphs and charts. Decision making can be slow. It is most likely that you will meet and
negotiate with less senior members of a family first. Once you are seen as trustworthy and
your proposal financially viable you will then move on to meet more senior members. A
decision is ultimately made by the head of the family/company. When negotiating, the Turks
will start at extremes in order to gage your response. Prior to negotiations know your target
figure and work slowly towards it through meaningful concessions. Do not use deadlines or
pressure tactics as the Turks will use this to their advantage and reverse the tactic by
threatening to cancel agreements or end negotiations. It may not always be necessary to focus
on financial benefits when negotiating. It is just as useful to point to areas such as power,
influence, honour, respect and other non-monetary incentives.

Acceptable public conduct

When meeting, shake hands firmly. When departing, it is not always customary to shake
hands--although it is practised occasionally. Friends and relations would greet each other with
either one or two kisses on the cheek. Always respect elders by kissing their right hand then
placing the forehead onto the hand. When entering a room, if you are not automatically met
by someone, greet the most elderly or most senior first. At social occasions, greet the person
closest to you, then work your way around the room or table anti-clockwise. Smoking is
practically a national past time in Turkey. Although a law was passed banning smoking in
offices, very few comply with the regulations. Luckily, all bus companies, cinemas and some
shopping malls are a lot stricter. When seated opposite someone, try not to sit with your legs
apart. Keep them together or cross your legs. Holding hands with someone from the opposite
sex is acceptable in the cities and beach resorts. In rural Turkey and the East, this would be
frowned upon.