Do you ever wonder how Europeans think and act in business? Could you imagine that every part of Europe has its own similarities and differences in running business? Check out more about Southern European business culture!
Similarities:
- the importance of developing personal relationships, contacting the right people within the company, maintaining strong bonds with business partners are all essential to a successful business environment
- people are generally warm and open to dealing with foreign nationals in business
- businesses tend to have a traditional and hierarchical structure
- personal networks can help to open doors and foster connections with the right people
- people in the region understand the importance of social media and actively use it to communicate
Differences:
- social media plurality; Tuenti in Spain, Hi5 and Orkut in Portugal, Italylink and Fubles in Italy have many users and followers
- punctuality is an important aspect of business meetings, but not every country has the same perception of time; e.g. in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus being late is usually not considered impolite
- certain gestures and body language have different meanings; e.g. in Greece, Cyprus and Turkey, avoid making the ‘”OK’” sign with your hand or pointing at someone with your finger
Have you spotted those similarities and differences in South Europe during your business travels and company management? Tell us about your experience!
Our Partners from Southern Europe:
PS If you want to join Thalento® International, please visit the website thint.eu/becomeapartner and contact us! 🌐