By Simon Johnnson
With the exception of a few countries, most notably the United States, gift giving is all about building good business relationships. And if you plan on doing in business in Latin America or in Asia, you need to learn all you can about their culture to avoid making a costly mistake.
Becoming Culturally Savvy
There are a number of questions you should always ask yourself when doing business in a new country or with a new culture that will always serve you well. You should always start with knowing what the status and title are of the people you are dealing with. In Asian countries such as Japan, it is highly recommended you learn all of the nuances of giving and receiving gifts, as the protocols there are very rigid and traditional and making a mistake will be considered a major faux paux on your part. There are also several gifts that are considered taboo in these countries, and you most certainly need to be aware of those. In Asian countries, how a gift is wrapped is significant, so do your research before you do business in any region of the Far East.
Using your Common Sense
We've all heard the expression that he's such a good salesman he could sell sand to the Arabs. Well, keep this in mind when giving gifts. Using this logic, you would not want to give a Frenchman a bottle of wine, or a send a 6-pack of beer to a German. It just would not make sense to give either of those gifts, so use your common sense and avoid offending the recipient.
Common Practices and Customs Around the World
In Japan and in Singapore as well, the recipient may graciously refuse to accept your gift three times as this is tradition, and they also do not want to appear greedy. But do not be deterred, keep offering it and by the 4th or 5th time they will finally accept. It is also very important in many Asian countries to offer and receive a gift with your right hand only, or with both hands. This is also custom in the Middle East. In Hong Kong and Japan, use both hands when giving or receiving a gift. Also be very aware of the religion of the people you are dealing with. With devout Jewish and Muslims, pork is forbidden so make sure you do not give any gift that is manufactured from pigskin. In India, where cows are considered sacred by a large percentage of the population, you'd never want to give a gift made from cowhide.
One gift that cuts across all lines and is acceptable to just about everyone is to host a meal at a nice restaurant. It is also a great occasion in which to present your gifts to your potential business partners. A laid back meal at a fine restaurant is also the ideal place to start building a rapport and find out what they are really like in a non-business setting. This can give you a strategic advantage in a number of ways when the real business deals go down.
In review, become culturally savvy by finding out all you can about the customs and tradition of the people you are doing business with. Use your common sense, and get very well versed in what is acceptable and not acceptable due to customs, tradition, and religion. If you do all of this, you should do well in your business dealings when overseas
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