When cultural wires get crossed

What's the right way to pocket a business card in China? Could a difference in communication styles mean what looks like a yes from your foreign counterpart is actually a no? What might be the pitfalls of introducing a democratic management style in a Czech working environment? To address issues like these, you may decide to bring in a cross-cultural consultancy firm. However, at a time when staff development budgets are being slashed, can hiring these kinds of experts really prove effective and translate into increased profitability?

Having traveled extensively and encountered culture shock numerous times, Tomáš Vrtiška and Emil Souleimanov hit upon the idea of setting up International Business Etiquette Consultancy (IBEC), their own firm specializing in this area, which they launched earlier this year.

"When I started going to and working in different environments, I started to realize the attitudes in businesses are so different in every single place," Vrtiška explained.

While firms specializing in cross-cultural consultancy are relatively common in the United States, they are still virtually unheard of in the Czech Republic.

 "No one has done it before, and I think we have found a huge gap in this kind of knowledge," Vrtiška said. "Czechs aren't exactly the most polite and definitely not the most welcoming people in the world, so we are exactly the ones who need to learn," he said.

At present, IBEC's only real competition is the consultancy firm Bling-Bling, run by former model and TV presenter Jana Štefánková, which, as its name suggests, focuses primarily on more superficial aspects of social interaction like dining etiquette.

IBEC offers a range of training courses, which can be tailored to the needs of an individual client, outlining the key dos and don'ts of doing business in a specific foreign location. The seminars have a strong practical bent and are led by experts who have both theoretical knowledge and firsthand experience of that particular region. "We have to offer people more than they can simply find out on Wikipedia," Vrtiška added.

Areas currently covered by IBEC include the United Kingdom, North America, former Eastern bloc countries and Brazil, but it is the Chinese seminar that is most in demand at present and attracted their most recent major new client, Budějovický Budvar. The internationally renowned Czech brewer already exports to eight Asian countries and is keen to maximize market share there even further. IBEC's services are also popular with smaller firms who may lack confidence when trying to break into foreign markets and feel they need additional support.

The simplest thing...

"In the beginning, it was pretty hard to get clients because it was the peak of the crisis, but the demand recently has been unbelievable," Vrtiška said. 

"It starts with the simplest thing, like giving a business card," Vrtiška continued. "A business card for people in Asian countries is just like a face." This means that shoving a new contact's card straight in your back pocket is a real faux-pas. What's the right thing to do? Always remember to comment positively on the appearance of the card then accept it with both hands and tuck it away somewhere above the waist, preferably near your heart. Getting these apparently unimportant details right is crucial in securing that vital positive first impression.

"There is quite a big difference in communication styles between the Chinese and Czechs. For the Chinese, it is difficult to say no, even if they mean no. They just want harmony, not disagreement," said Sophy Jonason, a Prague-based Chinese entrepreneur. For Jonason, it was precisely this difference in communication styles that she found problematic when doing business here initially.

"The Chinese like to exchange personal information. They think it shows trust. I tried to share my story about coming from Shanghai to live in the Czech Republic when I met a hotel sales manager, but after a few seconds of awkwardness, I realized my mistake and decided to keep it purely professional."

Cultural differences between Western and Asian countries are obviously more marked, so is it still necessary to rely on consultants when operating in Europe? Richard Robertson, general director of the British Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic (BCCCR) believes that even in deals involving Brits and Czechs, if the stakes are high, calling in outside expertise can be beneficial.

"A bit of handholding helps with avoiding the pitfalls [?] The more money involved, the more critical it is."

However, as Robertson also pointed out, it is important not to assume that a difference of nationality is the source of any clash: "There's [?] not just Czech culture or British culture but the company's culture. If you compare Tesco's with a professional services firm like an accountants', for example, the cultures will probably be at least as different."

"There is a useful role for cross-cultural consultants, but I wouldn't discourage anyone from having a go," Robertson continued. "Cultural differences are something to recognize, but they shouldn't stop you investing, trading or sourcing in either direction."

Lisette Allen can be reached at
features@praguepost.com