Business Etiquette in Marketing to Other Countries
             "Despite popular beliefs to the contrary, the single greatest barrier to business success is the one erected by culture." (Hall) When it comes to doing business in other countries it is a must to be cross-culturally aware. The cost of cultural myopia and the inability to adjust can be staggering. You must understand what culture is and what it consists of; in particular for the country you are going to do business with. I will be looking at two aspects of culture for two different countries. I will define culture and look at some negotiating do's and don'ts and some public behavior do's and don'ts for Japan and Mexico.
             Culture comes from the Latin word colere, which means to build on, to cultivate, and to foster. It basically is a set of accepted behavior patterns, values, assumptions, and shared common experiences. Culture determines the boundaries of social structure, decision-making practices, and how people communicate with each other. Culture is something that you learn from the people around you and tells us how to act and respond to every situation. Culture sets behavior, etiquette, and protocol patterns. Culture can be likened to an iceberg, what you see is not all there is. Going into a different culture without adequate preparation can and will cause serious damage in the form of loss of business and reputation.
             When it comes to negotiation, when is a smile not a symptom of happy? The Japanese smile to express several emotions: anger, embarrassment, sadness, and disappointment. Interpretation is dependent on the context. Eye contact is thought of as rude in Japan, so be careful what you are looking at. The Japanese do not shake hands or slap backs or squeeze arms. They bow. And the older the person, the farther you should bow as a sign of respect because in Japanese culture the older you are the higher the rank in your ...