Book Review: Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands {How To Do Business In Sixty Countries}

Kiss, Bow, Or Shake Hands: How To Do Business In Sixty Countries
By Terri Morrison, Wayne A. Conaway, George A. Borden, and Hans Koehler

? While in Germany, on business, you meet with your local counterpart. Between your broken German and his textbook English you are able to carry on a fairly well understood conversation. You reach a lull in your talk and to keep the conversation going you ask your friend about his spouse and children. Suddenly, he grows very quiet and a look of anger sweeps across his face. You ask yourself, "Did I mispronounce something? Did I say something wrong?"

? In Ecuador, you engage a street vendor in a lively negotiation for one of the Indian artifacts that he is selling. You grow increasingly uncomfortable as you realize that not even a foot separates you from him; you take that to mean he is interested in you personally. Whenever you took a step backward, he takes one step towards you to close the gap. Alarmed, you break off the conversation suddenly and head back to your hotel hoping that the merchant is not following after you.

? On the streets of Copenhagen, you wait for traffic to thin out so that you may cross the road. A driver slows down and signals for you to proceed. You smile and flash an okay gesture (thumb and forefinger forming a circle) at her and then are surprised by the glaring look of disgust from her.

Each of the above examples shows cultural differences that can occur when traveling outside the United States. "Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: How to Do Business in Sixty Countries," is a helpful reference for travelers. From Argentina to Greece to Japan, the authors present a work that is both serious and funny, practical and helpful, to assist business travelers as they navigate the cultural maze in the land(s) they are visiting.

The book is a helpful tool that will enhance the globetrotter in brushing up on what to expect before his/her trip abroad. Each featured country has its own chapter and contains the following information:

? Country Background -- History, Type of Government, Language, Religion, and Demographics.

? Cultural Orientation -- Particular Value Systems and Negotiation Strategies.

? Business Practices -- Appointments (When to be punctual and when to be purposely late), Negotiating, and Business Entertainment.

Interspersed throughout are cultural notes that are meant to inform travelers how to present their best foot forward and avoid mistakes like those listed earlier. Now, let's take a look at the examples mentioned earlier and see what went wrong:

? For Germans, family life and business life are kept separate. Germans will find a way to work family into their conversation if they want to share that information with you (see page 131).

? Ecuadorians, like many South Americans, traditionally stand close to one another when conversing. If you move back, they often will close the gap to maintain their close proximity. In the U.S., we are accustomed to at least a two foot gap between people and consider anything closer as threatening (see page 92).

? Danes, as well as many cultures around the world, take the American "o.k." gesture to be an obscene or insulting response. Be careful what hand gestures you use abroad -- you may get a very unwelcome response (see page 87).

Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands is published by Adams Media Corporation, 1994, Holbrook, Mass.

Matt is the webmaster for the Corporate Flight Attendant Community at http://www.corporateflyer.net and http://www.cabinmanagers.com

____________________

Advertisement: Honest Riches - Click Here!

Advertisement: Lost AdWords - Click Here!

Advertisement: Get $1 Million A Month In Google Pay-Per-Click Ads Free! - Click Here!

Advertisement: Who Loves Money? - Click Here!

Advertisement: SEO Elite, the GrandDaddy of SEO Software - Click Here!

---

The Rich Jerk - A Study in Anti-Marketing

I've always been fascinated by "anti-marketing", and how powerful its effect can be if done properly, so when I stumbled upon The Rich Jerk salesletter, I was... Read More

Review: eBook Secrets Exposed

If you want to make a lot of money with your own eBookand you only read one book on the subject in the next12 months, I strongly... Read More

Book Summary : The E-Myth Revisited

Ever wonder why most small businesses-- no matter how huge effort they put in their endeavor--still fail? Micheal Gerber reveals the answers in this book. Accordingly, the... Read More

Looking for Harvey Weinstein Book Review

Brassy, ballsy and full of energy.A totem of two women's struggle to do something worthwhile in life, it certainly knows how to serve up endless comical observations.... Read More

Undercurrent Blues Has A Rhythm of Its Own - Poetry Book Review

On July 17, 2005 Cahuenga Press released Undercurrent Blues by James Cushing (Cahuenga is a cooperative press and Undercurrent Blues is the 14th book they have published... Read More

The Isaiah Effect, by Greg Braden

Why do some prayers seem to be answered while others not? "The secret of prayer lies beyond the words of praise, the incantations, and the rhythmic chants... Read More

Nice Girls Don?t Get the Corner Office 101 - A Book Summary

Dr. Frankel clearly identifies the common mistakes ?101 in all-that women commit unconsciously to sabotage their careers. This book provides revolutionary guides to help the women of... Read More

Sorat and the Modern Day Evil

"Sorat's evil will be spread by his infernal army of soulless followers, willing to give their lives for his pleasure in subjecting mankind to horror of the... Read More

Washington Historian Remembers Harriet Lane, the Greatest First Lady

Washington Historian Remembers Harriet Lane, the Greatest First LadyWASHINGTON DC: She was the first White House Hostess to be called "First Lady." Enough said."Harriet Lane was a... Read More

Going Deeper - Book Review

Going Deeper by Jean-Claude Koven is certainly a nicely presented, hard-cover book. This fiction fantasy has an obvious inclination to aid readers who are embarking on their... Read More

Spiders Big Catch

When I was in college, Spider McGee, Charlie Fox, and I loved to fish off the log boom in the river near my house on summer afternoons.... Read More

Never Fry Bacon in the Nude - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review

Never Fry Bacon in the Nude (And Other Lessons from the Quick and the Dead) by Stone PaytonIn Never Fry Bacon in the Nude, we find another... Read More

Geeks & Geezers - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review

Geeks & Geezers: How Era, Values, and Defining Moments Shape Leaders by Warren G. Bennis & Robert J. ThomasMost every organization today employs members of the younger... Read More

Free Ebook Offer: The Story of America: Discovery - Article 3

Quite a lot happened in Europe between 1002AD, when the Vikings hurriedly packed their longships and retreated back to the colder climes of Greenland, and 1492AD, when... Read More

Book Excerpt: Give Me a Home Where the Dairy Cows Roam -- 5

May-Day!The school bus had long since disappeared over the last hill toward the main road one afternoon when I set my books on the kitchen table and... Read More

Until Youve Walked the Path!

From the depths of despair to the heights of hope. That is the inspiring journey traveled by author Paul Shearstone in his new book Until You've Walked... Read More

Book Summary: How To Work With Just About Anyone

"I just can't seem to get along with this person!"Every office has that one difficult person to work with, who affects productivity due to a terrible attitude,... Read More

Your Flight Questions Answered

Whether you are an experienced air traveler or a novice, John Cronin's book, "Your Flight Questions Answered," has a little bit of something for everyone.Written more as... Read More

72 Hour Hold

Bebe Moore Campbell weaves a tale of unrelenting love and pain in her latest novel 72 Hour Hold. 72 Hour Hold tells the story of Keri, a... Read More

Beyond Bodybuilding: Stranger in a Strange Land -- A Book Review

When America's foremost literary critic, Harold Bloom, professor emeritus at Yale was asked to define literary greatness, he did so as follows,"I have tried to confront greatness... Read More

Reality Checked - Book Review

Reality Checked ? Life through Death, is a moving saga about finding meaning in a world of suffering and pointless hate based on the color of skin.... Read More

Magic Tricks - Book Reviews

Since the 1950's, Coin Magic by J.B. Bobo has been the standard work for magicians who either do, or want to do coin magic. It is an... Read More

Inspiration for the Fired Soul

You're Fired! is a book that tackles the real story's behind these two little words that pack so much punch.This is an Ebook that gets people motivated... Read More

Review: How To Write and Publish Your Own eBook in as little as 7 Days

How To Write and Publish Your Own eBook in as little as 7Days by Jim Edwards and Joe Vitale exe format, 208 pagesI was intrigued by the... Read More

The Legend of Juggin Joe - A Preview of the Comedy Sensation You Dont Want to Miss!

THE FROGGIN INCIDENTAs I recall this particular happenin', which we all referred tah as the "Froggin Incident", it all started out innocent enough. T'were on a pleasant... Read More

Dark Autumn - Book Review

"Now this could definitely be a movie! Dark Autumn is fantastic action-packed futuristic thriller that had me riveted for days. The energy was kept very high throughout... Read More