Business culture in Brazil 巴西的商业文化

BusinesscultureinBrazilAppointmentAlert!ThegreatestofficialholidayinBrazilisCarnival.Itlastsfivedays,endingonAshWednesday.TheschoolvacationsarefromDecembertoFebruary(summer),includingChristmas,NewYear'sandCarnival.InJulytherecanbesomedaysofschoolrecessandinOctoberthereistheSick-of-it-AllWeek(SemanadoSacoCheio),whentheschoolsareclosed.Ontheseoccasionsthefamilieswithyoungerchildrencantakesometimeforvacation.Theworkinghoursarethebesttosetupappointments,goinggenerallyfrom8:30or9am.to6pm.,butit'simportanttoemphasizethatBraziliansalsoliketotalkaboutbusinessduringlunchesanddinners.Lunchbreaksareusuallyforonehourbuttheycaneasilylastuptotwohours.Trytosetupyourappointmentsfrom10am.tomiddayandafter2pm.to5pm.Braziliansbehavenaturallyandspontaneouslyinmeetings,andit'seasytorealizewhenthenegotiationsbeginandend.Generallyit'sthehostwhobeginstheconversation.Afriendlyenvironmentwillalwaysprevailinameetingwithforeigners.ABrazilianmeetingcanrevolve,forthemostpart,aroundpersonaltopics,anditmayappearthatBrazilianslackobjectivity.However,beawareofBrazilians'capacityforconductingbusinesswhiletalkingaboutpersonalaffairsanddon'tunderestimatetheirimportance.Businessmeetingsaresettled15daysinadvanceandusuallythereisane-mailorcalltoconfirmtheattendanceadaybeforethemeeting.Nevershowupinacompanyorofficewithoutapreviousappointment.Youcertainlywon'tbereceivedandtheBrazilianexecutivemayhavearudereaction.It'snormalforBrazilianstobe10to15minuteslateforameeting.Bereadyforsuchdelaybutprogramyourselftoarriveattheappointedtime,evenifyouhavetowaitfortheBraziliancolleagues.BusinessdresscodeHowapersondressesisveryimportanttoBrazilians.Thismeansthatitwillreflectuponyouandthecompanyyourepresent.Asfordressingintheprofessionalenvironment,Brazilianbusinessmenwearatieandsuitwhilebusinesswomenwearpants,skirtsandblousesinamoreformalbutalwaysveryfeminineway,especiallyinthecityofSaoPaulo.Inothercities,likeinthenorthwestregion,amoreinformalwayofdressingisobservedandcasualbusinessdressprevails.BankingandlawarethebusinessfieldswherepeopledressmoreformallyinBrazil.Braziliansfollowthelatestfashiontrends.Womenandmentendtoworryabouttheirappearance.Shoesmustbestylish,polishedandingoodcondition.Avoidwearingtieswithdrawingsandfiguresorthataretoocolorful.ForBrazilians,theygivetheimpressionthatyouarenotprojectingaseriousimage.Businesswomenusuallypolishtheirnailsandwearlightmake-upintheworkingenvironment.NeverwearthecolorsoftheBrazilianflag,greenandyellow.It'snotasuitablecombination.Tip:Bagsarenevertobeplacedonthefloor,becauseit'sconsideredasignofbadluckregardingmoneyinBrazil.CommunicationBraziliancommunicationiscordial,complex,informalandhighlypersonal.Menusuallygreeteachotherbyshakinghandsandgivingagentleslapontheback.Womenareusuallygreetedbyshakinghandsandakissneartheface(airkiss).Braziliansareknownfortheirabilitytotalknaturallyaboutintimateandpersonaltopics.So,don'tbesurprisedbythepersonalnatureofquestions,whichistypicalofBrazilians.TointroduceaconversationwithBraziliansit'sadvisabletoapproachtopicslikesoccer,weather,traffic(ifyouareinSaoPaulo),aculturaleventtakingplaceorthatwilltakeplaceinthecity,music,andimprovementofeconomicindicatorsofthecountry.Donotexpectconversationswithahighlevelofpoliticization.Topicslikepoverty,security,deforestation,religion,racism,corruption,socialinequality,andcomparisonsbetweentheBrazilianandArgentineansoccerteamsshouldbeavoided.Braziliansareproudofbeingabletolaughevenatthemselves.Expectspontaneity.Braziliansareconsideredabitloudbecausetheyallspeakatthesametimeandinatoneofvoicethatisabithigherthanusual.Duringaconversation,aBrazilianwillusuallyinterrupttoaddsomethingormakeacommentbeforesomeoneelsehasconcludedhis/herturntospeak.That'snotperceivedbyBraziliansasrudenessorlackofinterestinwhatisbeingsaid.Brazilianstoucheachotheralotduringaconversation.Theintentionistogetascloseaspossible.Closenessinspirestrust,andtrustinspireslongtermrelationship.Braziliansarenotusedtogivingordersbutadvice,sincetheycangeteasilyoffendedwithstraighttalkandnotcordialconversation.Braziliancommunicationiscomplex,includingelementsofverbalandnon-verbalcommunicationandgreatuseofbodylanguage.Womenarearecurrentsubjectinmenstalk.GiftGivingBraziliansdonotexpectgiftsandtheyarenotimportanttoestablishabusinessrelationship.It'sadvisabletogiveonlycompanymaterialslike:pens,pendrivers,agendasoranyothergiveawaywithoutgreatmaterialvalue.Expensivegiftscanbeunderstoodasbribesandarenotwelcomed.Thebestgiftsaregoodqualitywhiskeysandwines,musicCDs,andpens.Flowersforthehostessorgiftsforthekidsaregreatfordinnersathome.Avoidgiftsthatreflectonlyyourpersonaltaste.WhatyoushouldknowbeforeNegotiatingLanguageTheofficialBrazilianlanguageisPortuguese.InabusinessenvironmentEnglishiswidelyusedandunderstood,especiallyinthemainbusinesscenters^southwestandsouthregions.BraziliansdonotperceivethemselvesasHispanics,sincetheywerecolonizedbyPortugal,andalsodon'tliketobecalledLatinos.BeforeyoustartspeakinginSpanishoranyotherlanguage,alwaysaskifthepersonisfamiliarwiththelanguage.CorporateCultureThepublicandtheprivatemixalotinabusinessenvironmentwithBrazilians.Bridgingastrongpersonalrelationshipwillbeveryimportanttoclosedealsandtobuildalastingpartnership.Ateachnegotiation,friendshipsareestablishedandanexchangingoffavorsisalwaysexpected.Brazilianshaveasatraittheattractionforrisksbuttheyareextremelyagainstthemethodsandprocess.It'sdifficultforthemtomeetthedeadlinethatwaspreviouslyagreedupon.AnotherimportanttraitisthatBraziliansareveryemotionalandtransferittothenegotiationtable.Initially,thereisalwayssomekindofmistrustand,duetothat,constantmeetings,businesslunchesanddinnersareimportanttoestablishatrustworthyrelationship.Face-to-facenegotiationisextremelyimportanttocloseadeal.It'sadvisabletosetupanappointmentforanintroductionandthencontinuethenegotiationbye-mailorphone.Insuchaway,thenegotiationwillhavebetterchancesofsuccess.Oncethemistrustisovercome,theBrazilianinclinationistowardsgroupworkandfullloyaltyisexpectedfromtheteam.Pointingthefingeratanymemberoftheteamamountstobetrayal.Anotherwaytoestablishtrustistohavepreviousreferencesfrompersonswhoareacquaintedwithbothsides.NetworkingisanimportantfacilitatortogetafirstcontactandthepossibilityfornegotiationinBraziliancompanies.Hirelocallawyerandaccountant'soffices.TheBrazilianexecutivewillfeelsafernegotiatinginsuchamanner.Hirealocalagent(usuallyreferredbytheaccountant)becauseitwillfacilitatethebureaucraticproceedings.Inafirstbusinessmeeting,Braziliansgreeteachothershakinghandsandafterwardsexchangebusinesscards.Businesscardsareexpectedtohavethecompany'snameandthenameandpositionofthecontactperson,preferablywithinformationinPortugueseandinthelanguageoftheforeigncompanyinvolvedinthenegotiation.PromotionalmaterialorotherdocumentsoftheforeigncompanyshouldbeinPortugueseandEnglishorinthelanguageofthenegotiator.Whenenteringinaroomforameeting,it'sthenormtogreetandbeintroducedtoallpersonswhoarealreadyintheroom.Themeetingsaregenerallyconductedinacasualmanner.Onesidemakesanexpositoryintroductionandimmediatelyafterwardstheothersideasksquestions.Beforereachingthetopictobediscussedinthemeeting,thereisusuallyaninformalconversationaboutgeneralitiestopromoteafriendlyenvironmentamongthepersonswhoareattendingthemeeting.It'snotadvisabletoinitiatethemeetinggoingstraighttothepoint.ItcanbeperceivedasrudenessbytheBrazilians.InameetingBrazilianswillargueinfavoroftheirviews,showtheirpointsofviewandopenspaceforconcessions.It'simportanttokeepaconsistencyinyournegotiationteam.Whenanegotiationprocessisalreadyinplace,avoidchangingthepersonsinvolved,becauserelationshipsarepersonalforBraziliansandthat'sthewaytoestablishatrustworthyrelationship.Changingthenegotiationteaminthemiddleoftheprocessisasuresteptofailure.Neverleaveameetinginthemiddleofitorbeforeitsendbecause,forBrazilians,itwilllooklikeyouhavemoreimportantthingstodothanthisnegotiation.Brazilianshaveastrongnotionofhierarchythatencompassespowerconcentrationandacceptanceofinequalitywithincompanies.However,thetreatmentamongpersonsisinformalwiththeuseof“you"(voce)betweenpersonsofhigh-rankingpositionsandtheirsubordinates,despitethefactthateverybodyisawarethathierarchysurfacesthroughotherways.Althoughseveralmoretechnicalspheresareinvolvedinthenegotiation,thehigherspheres,likethecompanies'boardofdirectorsandpresidency,areresponsibleforthefinalendorsementtoclosethedeal.Contractsarealwayssignedwiththedate,place,signaturefrombothsides,paymenttermsandconditionsanddeliveryconditions.WorkingEnvironmentLeavingworkwithoutfinishingitorleavingtheworkplaceattheregulartime,evenifdesired,insomeregions,especiallySaoPaulo,isnotsomethingthatwillbeacceptedwellbyyourBraziliancolleagues.ThenumberofworkedhoursisavaluedassetinBrazilianbusinessculture.Therelationshipsbetweenchiefsandsubordinatesaremadewithoutconfrontationinpointsthatcouldgeneratearguments,somethingthatdemonstratesaversiontoconflictsandpassivity.It'scommonforpeopletogatherduringtheworkinghourstohaveabreakanddrinkcoffeeinacompany.Thisisthemomentwhenpeoplegetcloserandestablishaconnectionof“friendship”intheworkingenvironment.Notparticipatinginthecompany'sfunctionsorinformaleventscanbeperceivedaslackofconsiderationbytheworkmates.Inthemajorityofthecompanies,onlydirectorsandpresidentshaveindividualoffices.Secretariesareonlyforhigh-rankingexecutives.Braziliansarealwaysopentonewideasbutdon'tdealwellwithcriticismthat,mostofthetime,istakenpersonallyandnotperceivedasdirectedtotheexecutedtask.PublicBehaviorBespontaneous.That'swhatBraziliansvaluemostinpersonalcontacts.Generally,inaformalintroduction,Braziliansshakehandsandsaytheirfirstname.Ininformalsituationswomenaregreetedwithakissneartheface(airkiss).Personsgreeteachotherwithexpressionslike“Oi,tudobem?"or“Old,comovai?".VisualcontactisimportanttoBrazilians.Whenleaving,theyfrequentlyusetheword“Tchau”andshakehands.It'snotpermittedtosmokeinclosedspaceslikeshoppingcenters,restaurants,shops,etc.DespitethefactthatBraziliansareveryreceptiveandseemtobecomecloseveryquickly,topicslikesalaries,matrimonialstatusandageshouldbeavoided.Trynottoreinforcemalechauvinismtowardswomen.AlthoughBrazilianshaveagoodsenseofhumor,theycanbeoffendedwithjokesaboutBrazilianwomen.EconomyBrazilisthelargesteconomyinLatinAmericaandtheninthintheworld.Thecountryhasafreemarketandanexportingeconomy.Brazilhasasolideconomy,builtinrecentyears.Afteracredibilitycrisissufferedbythecountryin2002,inflationisundercontrol,exportshaverisen,andtheeconomyisfollowingamoderategrowthpath.Thecountry'scurrency,theReal,hasbecomestrongeragainstthedollarsince2004.Despiteitsmacro-economicstabilitythatreducedinflationandinterestratesandraisedthepercapitaincome,therearestilldifferencesbetweentheurbanandruralpopulation,thenorthernandsouthernstatesandthepoorandtherich.Somechallengesforthegovernmentincludetheneedofpromotingbetterinfrastructure,modernizingthetaxationsystemandthelaborlawsandreducingincomeinequality.BrazilhasaGDP(GrossDomesticProduct)ofR$2,558trillion(yearof2007),withagrowthof5.4%in2007(IMF).However,thegreatinequalityandpovertyaffectwealthdistribution,generatingapercapitaincomeofonlyR$13.515.Theeconomyhasmixedindustryandagriculturethatarebecomingincreasinglymoredominatedbytheservicessector.Recentadministrationsexpandedthecompetitioninmaritimeports,railways,telecommunications,generationofelectricity,distributionofnaturalgasandairports(althoughtheaviationcrisishastormentedthecountry)withtheaimofpromotinginfrastructureimprovement.Brazilbegantomovetowardsexportsin2004andevenwithastrongRealitreachedUS$160,649billions(+16,6%)i