Greeting; (Men Shaking hands, women with kisses in cheeks, left then right.

Hugging and
back slap) if woman want to shake hand, she should extend her hand first). going to home,
hostess flower or small gift. purple and black sign of mourning. 30 minutes late for dinner
invitation, an hour for party and large gathering.

Brazil—Business Culture;
In both Brazil and the USA, men greet each other by shaking hands while maintaining steady eye
contact. Women greet each other with kisses in Brazil, starting with the left and alternating
cheeks. Hugging and backslapping are also common greetings among Brazilian close friends. if a
woman wishes to shake hands with a man, she should extend her hand first. Brazilians speak
Portuguese. if going to someone’s house in Brazil, bring the hostess flowers or a small gift.
Orchids are nice, but avoid purple or black, because these are mourning colors. arrive at least 30
minutes late if your invitation is for dinner and arrive up to an hour late for a party or large
gathering. never arrive early.
Brazilians dress with a flair and judge others on their appearance, so even casual dress is more
formal than in many other countries. always err on the side of over-dressing in Brazil rather than
under-dressing.
Avoid embarrassing a Brazilian by criticizing an individual publically; that causes that person to
lose face with all others at a business meeting, and the person making the criticism also loses
face because they have disobeyed the unwritten Brazilian rule. it is considered acceptable,
however, to interrupt someone who is speaking. Face-to-face, oral communication is preferred
over written communication. as for business agreements, Brazilians insist on drawing up detailed
legal contracts. they are more comfortable doing business with and negotiating with people than
companies. therefore, wait for a Brazilian colleagues to raise the business subject. never rush the
pre business relationship-building time. Brazilians take their time when negotiating. Use local
lawyers and accountants for negotiations because Brazilians resent an outside legal presence.
appointments are commonly cancelled or changed at the last minute in Brazil, so do not be
surprised or get upset. in the cities of Sao Paulo and Brasilia, arrive on time for meetings, but in
rio de Janeiro arrive a few minutes late for a meeting. Do not appear impatient if kept waiting,
because relationship building always takes precedence over adhering to a strict schedule.
Brazilians pride themselves on dressing well, so men should wear conservative, dark-colored
business suits or even three-piece suits for executives. Women should wear suits or dresses that
are elegant and feminine with good, quality accessories. and ladies, manicures are expected.
Germany—Business Culture
Business communication in Germany is formal, so the home is a welcome, informal place.
Germans take great pride in their home, which is generally neat and tidy inside and out. Only
close friends and relatives are invited into the sanctity of a person’s house, so consider that an
honor if you get that invitation, and bring a gift, such as chocolates or yellow roses or tea roses—
but not red roses, which symbolize romantic intentions. Also do not bring carnations, lilies, or
chrysanthemums, which in Germany symbolize mourning. If you bring wine to a German’s
home, it should be imported, French or Italian.
Always arrive on time but never early, and always send a handwritten note the following day to
thank your hostess for her hospitality.
When it is time to have dinner, remain standing until invited to sit down. As is custom in many
countries, you may be shown to a particular seat. Table manners in Germany are strictly
continental with the fork being held in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating. Do
not begin eating until the hostess starts or someone says guten appetit (“good appetite”). Wait for
the hostess to place her napkin in her lap before doing so yourself and do not rest your elbows on
the table. Cut as much of your food with your fork as possible because this compliments the cook
by indicating the food is tender. Break bread or rolls apart by hand, but if a loaf is in the middle
for all, then touch only what you extract to eat. This sanitary practice is a must in all countries
including the USA. Finish everything on your plate and indicate you have finished eating by
laying your knife and fork parallel across the right side of your plate, with the fork over the
knife.
Germans are like Americans in that they do not need a personal relationship to do business.
They are more interested in a businessperson’s academic credentials and their company’s
credentials. A quick, firm handshake is the traditional greeting, even with children. At the office,
Germans do not have an open-door policy and often work with their office door closed, so knock
and wait to be invited to enter. Appointments are mandatory and should be made one to two
weeks in advance.
Germans are often direct to the point of bluntness. Punctuality is extremely important in
Germany, so if you are going to be delayed, telephone immediately and offer an explanation. It is
rude to cancel a meeting at the last minute and this could jeopardize the whole business
relationship. German meetings adhere to strict agendas, including starting and ending times.
Germans maintain direct eye contact while speaking. There is a strict protocol to follow in
Germany when entering a room—the eldest or highest-ranking person enters first and men enter
before women if their age and status are roughly equivalent. Germans are detail oriented and
want to understand every innuendo before coming to an agreement.
Business decision making is autocratic and held at the top of the company. Final decisions will
not be changed and are expected to be implemented by lower level managers and employees
with no questions asked. Americans are more flexible in many respects than Germans.