Reka Czuth
MRKT 453- 002
Cultural Interactions
10/4/17
Traveling to another country is one of the most natural things to do these days. You book a flight, check in at the airport, hop on the plane and land in another country. But what happens when you get there? Are people similar to you? Do they speak the same language? Do they practice the same religion as you do? Do they share the same set of values as your culture does? You may have to consider all these questions before deciding to enter another country. When it comes to business, it is not just about choosing a country that we are interested in; it is more about if our company would succeed in that country. Although I have no real business experience, I chose to compare two countries …show more content…
Once they get comfortable around a person, they will initiate starting a first name basis; until then, it is not suggested. Bahamians are very informal and humorous even in a business setting. They like to get to know people first. According to the same website, “Since relationships are highly valued, plan to spend time during the meeting to talk about non-business related topics. Likewise, time is quite fluid and will be spent on more personal discussions as well as business-related” ( http://www.commisceo-global.com/country-guides/the-bahamas-guide). Personal space is significant in the Bahamas. People value having personal space. Conversations are always a few feet away; it is rare that you encounter someone that invades your personal space. However, when you encounter someone that invades your space in the Bahamas, you will tend to avoid that person in the future when you see them again. Bahamians tend to be more formal when it comes to clothing. According to a website called Culture Crossing Guide, “Jeans, shorts, and sandals are usually not appropriate but may be okay in certain industries” (http://guide.culturecrossing.net/basics_business_student_details.php?Id=19&CID=16). For men, business …show more content…
I wrote based on information I found on the Internet or heard from my teammates. Based on my findings, there are both similarities and differences between the United States and the Bahamas. They greet people similarly. In both countries, a firm handshake is the most common; however, in the United States, it is not always used in the business setting. Both countries favor keeping a direct eye contact and having to stand up when being introduced. Universal icebreakers are personal questions for both countries. Both countries require private space; they do not tolerate people who invade their private space. I found the main differences within the business meetings. The Bahamas tends to be a high context culture meaning they put more pressure on building personal relationships, then initiating a business idea. On the other hand, the United States considers being a low context culture meaning they get down to business and they do not spend much time getting to know a person. They favor written documents; once they agree on something they put it on paper so that if something happens, they will have proof. There is no right or wrong way of doing business, and I am glad I got to prove that by showing how even though both countries differ, they both are
MRKT 453- 002
Cultural Interactions
10/4/17
Traveling to another country is one of the most natural things to do these days. You book a flight, check in at the airport, hop on the plane and land in another country. But what happens when you get there? Are people similar to you? Do they speak the same language? Do they practice the same religion as you do? Do they share the same set of values as your culture does? You may have to consider all these questions before deciding to enter another country. When it comes to business, it is not just about choosing a country that we are interested in; it is more about if our company would succeed in that country. Although I have no real business experience, I chose to compare two countries …show more content…
Once they get comfortable around a person, they will initiate starting a first name basis; until then, it is not suggested. Bahamians are very informal and humorous even in a business setting. They like to get to know people first. According to the same website, “Since relationships are highly valued, plan to spend time during the meeting to talk about non-business related topics. Likewise, time is quite fluid and will be spent on more personal discussions as well as business-related” ( http://www.commisceo-global.com/country-guides/the-bahamas-guide). Personal space is significant in the Bahamas. People value having personal space. Conversations are always a few feet away; it is rare that you encounter someone that invades your personal space. However, when you encounter someone that invades your space in the Bahamas, you will tend to avoid that person in the future when you see them again. Bahamians tend to be more formal when it comes to clothing. According to a website called Culture Crossing Guide, “Jeans, shorts, and sandals are usually not appropriate but may be okay in certain industries” (http://guide.culturecrossing.net/basics_business_student_details.php?Id=19&CID=16). For men, business …show more content…
I wrote based on information I found on the Internet or heard from my teammates. Based on my findings, there are both similarities and differences between the United States and the Bahamas. They greet people similarly. In both countries, a firm handshake is the most common; however, in the United States, it is not always used in the business setting. Both countries favor keeping a direct eye contact and having to stand up when being introduced. Universal icebreakers are personal questions for both countries. Both countries require private space; they do not tolerate people who invade their private space. I found the main differences within the business meetings. The Bahamas tends to be a high context culture meaning they put more pressure on building personal relationships, then initiating a business idea. On the other hand, the United States considers being a low context culture meaning they get down to business and they do not spend much time getting to know a person. They favor written documents; once they agree on something they put it on paper so that if something happens, they will have proof. There is no right or wrong way of doing business, and I am glad I got to prove that by showing how even though both countries differ, they both are