Chapter 12.
Business and Social
Customs
Chapter outline
1. Verbal expressions
2. Male/female relationship in workplace equality
3. Humor in business
4. Superstitions and taboos
5. Dress and Appearance
6. Customs Associated with Holidays
7. Office customs and practices
8. Customary Demeanor/Behavior
9. Special Foods and Consumption Taboos
Learning objectives
1. Upon completion of this chapter, you will:
2. Learn customary verbal expressions of persons of various countries.
3. Understand the importance of a knowledge of male/female relationships and
workplace equality to successful intercultural communication.
4. Learn the roles that humor, superstition, and taboos play in understanding persons
of other cultures.
5. Understand the role that dress and appearance play in interacting with persons
from other countries.
6. Learn the importance of knowing about the customs associated with holidays and
holy days of the country in which you are traveling or conducting business.
7. Understand that office customs vary from culture to culture.
8. Understand the importance of appropriate demeanor/behavior in intercultural
encounters.
1. Verbal expressions
Basic Expressions by Culture
2. Male/female relationship in
workplace equality
In high-context societies such as the Arab culture, people have definite ideas on what
constitutes proper behavior between males and females.
In low-context cultures such as the United States, little agreement exists
A problem with understanding acceptable male/female relationships in any culture is the
stereotypes that exist.
3. Humor in business
Although humor is a universal human characteristic, what is perceived as
humorous varies from culture to culture.
4. Superstitions and taboos
SUPERSTITIONS TABOOS
Superstitions are beliefs that are inconsistent Taboos are practices or verbal expressions
with the known laws of science or what a considered by a society or culture as improper
society considers to be true and rational. or unacceptable. Taboos often are rooted in
the beliefs of the people of a specific region or
Examples of superstitions include a belief
culture and are passed down from generation
that special charms, omens, or rituals have to generation. I
supernatural powers.
5. Dress and appearance
What you wear sends a nonverbal message about you and your company.
Clothes can enhance or destroy your credibility, you should determine what attire is
customary in the countries you visit.
Dress and appear
professional
According to U.S. researchers and image consultant:
“people who wear suits, whether male or female, are perceived as more professional than those
who wear any other type of attire.”
The general rule for business
everywhere is to be “buttoned up”
CONSERVATIVE SUIT AND DRESS OR SKIRTED SUIT
TIE FOR MEN FOR WOMEN.
Color
Color of clothing is also a consideration because in some cultures color has strong associations:
Do not wear black or solid white in Thailand: have funereal connotations.
Avoid wearing all white in China: is the symbol of mourning.
Avoid wearing yellow when visiting Malaysia: as certain shades are reserved for the royal
families in that country.
Shoes
Shoes are considered inappropriate in certain
situations in various cultures.
Examples:
They should not be worn in Muslim mosques
and Buddhist temples.
Shoes should also be removed when entering
most Asian homes or restaurants.
6. Customs associated with holidays
An awareness of the holidays and holy days of other cultures is important in scheduling
telephone calls and business trips.
Business may not be conducted on some of
these special days, consider this information
when planning a trip abroad.
Examples:
US: not customary to conduct business on
Christmas Day or Thanksgiving.
In some countries, holidays are similar to those
celebrated in the US,
7. Office customs and
practices
Office customs and practices include typical hours of work, lunch and break times, degree of
formality, and hiring/firing.
Hours of work
Hiring and firing
Hiring and firing practices vary according to the culture.
Hiring and retention are based on job effectiveness and job performance.
Examples:
In the US, people are hired with the understanding that retention and promotions depend on
performing the job satisfactorily and on getting along with their colleagues.
Questions and Cases for
Discussion
1. In what countries is business dress similar to that worn in the United States?
2. Identify cultures in which business dress may be different from that worn in the United
States.
3. What guidelines for business dress should women observe in cultures other than their own?
4. Describe how hiring/firing practices of the United States and Japan differ.
8. Customary demeanor/behavior
What is considered customary behavior in one culture may be unacceptable in another.
Demeanor
Demeanor involves a person’s conduct or deportment and is influenced by culture.
Behavior in
public places is culture specific.
U.S. Americans speak louder in public than people of Germany
People from Brazil or Nigeria speak louder than people of the United States.
The type of public place also affects the voice volume that is considered acceptable.
Example:
At sports events, it is acceptable to make more noise than inside a shopping mall or health club.
Good advice
When in a foreign country:
Should observe the behavior of the nationals and avoid calling attention to yourself by speaking
louder than those around you speak.
Discussion
1. Identify some rules for appropriate behavior in public places in the United States.
2. List some consumption taboos of people in various cultures.
Rules apply to appropriate behavior
in public places in the US
Other rules
The use of “please” when you are making a request is expected;
“Thank you” is considered appropriate when someone has granted a request or performed a
service
Avoid situations in which they would be touching strangers in public
“Elevator etiquette,” refraining from speaking, facing the front, and watching the floor
indicator.
9. Special Foods and
Consumption Taboos
Most cultures have unusual foods that are viewed with surprise or even disdain by persons in
other cultures.
Case study/Exercise
1. You have unknowingly arrived in Mexico during Carnival Week. Because people are busy
partying and celebrating, they are not interested in meeting with you to discuss business.
However, because you are here, they have invited you to join in their activities. Should you
accept or reject their invitation?
2. Your organization is having a large party for its worldwide distributors in the United States.
Because there will be people from all over the world, what would you serve for meals to
avoid offending anyone?
3. List some religious taboos associated with food consumption in a coculture of the United
States or a culture of your choice.
4. Research appropriate business and social dress in one of the following countries: India,
Israel, Thailand, or Saudi Arabia
