Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Business Dining
Business Dining
Business Dining
As a host:
Invite the guest personally
Confirm the date, time and place in writing
Apprise the invitee of your guest list
Personally check the seating arrangements
Receive the guest personally outside the dining hall
FOOD PREFERENCES
It is courteous to ask the guest to order
his/her choice of dishes/food and soft
drinks.
And you as host, make the payment of
the bill.
Similarly you should arrange to pay for
the cab to take the guest to his/her
place of stay
Cont
If you receive your dinner plate with too much
food, do not worry. Just eat whatever you want
and indicate that you have finished by placing
your knife and fork together in either the four
O clock or six Oclock position on your plate
TABLE MANNERS
Indians prefer to eat food with their hands. The only
cutlery used by them would be a spoon. Eating with the
hands is just fine. But, if you are using knife and fork,
then you should know how to use them for different
things. Some general rules of correct use of cutlery are
given here:
Cutlery set for a formal style serving
Placed from left to right away from you:
A blunt butter knife placed on bread and butter plate
Dessert spoon together with dessert fork
Water glass
Coffee cup and saucer
Soup spoon
Dinner knife
Dinner plate
Dinner fork
Salad fork
Dinner napkin
Cont.
The best rule for anyone to follow is
to eat the way you are accustomed
to. Use whatever cutlery you have
been regularly using, with elegance at
formal business meals. If you are
comfortable eating with hands, use
your hand. If you need a spoon , ask
for it.
British
British share most of their culture
with the Europeans. They are formal
in meetings and personal style.
French- they greet you both while
meeting and parting by shaking
hands. They embrace and kiss each
other on meeting and parting
Germans
They are highly formal and punctual.
People are addressed by their surnames.
To show respect to senior businessman they
are sometimes called as Herr Doktor
Similarly businesswoman are always addressed
as Frau
Dutch
They speak good English and most of
them are polyglots
They are relaxed in their approach to
business meetings and personal
relations
They enjoy fun and frolic at the
meeting proceedings.
Japanese
Japanese businessmen generally greet the U.S or U.k
businessmen by shaking hands, and not with a bow. You
should also do the same.
You should offer and accept business cards with both the
hands.
The Japanese always like to maintain a personal space.
Hence never back slap or hold their elbow while chatting.
Address the Japanese visitor by using Mr./Ms before the
name, never by the first name
Do not embarrass a Japanese businessmen by insisting
on a point to the extent that he has to say no to your
point, saying no is considered impolite
Cont
Japanese consider giving gifts as an
important part of the business. A gift has to
be in keeping with the status of the
person. Gifts in paira are considered slucky
like pen and pencil set, cufflinks. But not in
fours- the word for death.
Do not send red greeting cards to Japanese
business acquaintances. Red cards in Japan
are funeral notices.
Arabs
Arab businessmen are known for their warmhearted meeting and parting.
They greet by sayingsalaamalayakum (peace
be upon you) accompanied by a firm
handshake.
To show greater warmth and closeness an Arab
visitor may embrace you while placing the right
hand on the heart and the other hand on your
right shoulder and kiss you on both cheeks. Do
not reciprocate his act, unless you are an arab
Cont
To an Arab businessman, giving gifts is a
part of hospitality
As token of gratitude for favors received
expensive gifts are given which are
received as part of business culture.
But never give handkerchiefs as gift, as
they symbolize tears and parting.
Alcohol is not to be served in business
meetings.
Indians
Indians have groomed themselves as international hosts
and global visitors with a mix of modernity and tradition.
Shaking hands at a meeting or parting is common
practice.
Indians are known for their hospitality.
Business meetings are punctual, well planned and
formally conducted.
Protocol of seniority is observed
Business cards are exchanged and presenting a
memento is considered as the gesture of goodwill
Cont
Very important persons are received
at the threshold of the businessmeeting venue, by senior persons
and are presented by bouquets. They
are also normally accompanied back
to their vehicles and duly seen off.
Business-to-business Etiquette
Do not criticise your organization before
your colleagues from other companies.
Feel proud of your organization's
achievements. Keep yourself fully informed
of the new developments of the company.
No company can be free from problems and
setbacks. But highlight the positive gains
and not the losses.
Confidential matters
Keep confidential matters only with a
few people in your company
Secure records and use code names if
the information involves protecting
the concerned persons
Help others develop trust in you. Do
not leak others secret to protect your
own secrets from getting leaked.
Cont
Good manners breed good
understanding and mutual respect
necessary for good business relations.
Treat all colleagues with respect, and
recognize the fact that just you have
your position in your company, others
as well have positions above you.