Елена business protocol in Poland

Meeting and Greeting

The Polish management style is very hierarchical, so it is best to make sure you are meeting with the appropriate decision maker to speed up the process.

A few general tips:

· Greetings should include a firm handshake and direct eye contact; if there are a number of people, they should all be greeted individually.

· When addressing someone who is Polish it is best to use the prefix Pan for addressing males or Pani for females. This should be accompanied by the surname of the person.

· Do not use first names unless you are asked to.

· It is worth trying to have your business card (or at least one side of it) translated into Polish. Qualifications such as university degrees and job titles are important, so make sure you include them.

Business dress code

First impression is always very important in the business community. Polish dress etiquette is conservative, respectable, elegant and modest. During normal office hours, the dress code might be slightly less formal, but you should still maintain a smart appearance.

Basic tips to follow when doing business in Poland

· If you wish to meet with someone, you will have to make an appointment in advance.

· Punctuality is expected and taken extremely seriously.

· Poles are known for being straight-talkers, but they still try to be diplomatic about their opinions, so as not to offend their business partners.

· Expect some small talk and getting-to-know-you conversation before business is discussed.

· Business is conducted slowly. You will have to be patient and not appear annoyed by the strict adherence to protocol.

Gift giving

In Poland, it is expected that gifts will be given at the initial business meeting and upon the conclusion of any business arrangement, such as when a contract is signed. Small present, like a souvenir representing the country you are visiting from, would be acceptable. Other appropriate gift choices might include high quality chocolates, cigars, flowers or wine from your home country that are either not available in Poland or difficult to obtain

Нина Кулакова и Аня кузьмина

Нина

Finland

Finland is Nordic (скандинавская) country and its culture is more reserved (сдержанная) in comparison with others. Finland is known not only for its saunas (финской баней), reindeers, and Santa Claus village, but also for popular brands such as Nokia, Angry Birds, Lumene, Paulig, Fazer and largest industries –(крупнейшие производство электроники)  electronics, vehicles (машины) and other engmeered metal products, paper and forest industry.(бумажная и лесная промашленность) Business Etiquette in Finland can best be navigated (ориентируется) by respecting their cultural values.

Privacy

The Finns people expect a high level of privacy. They hold personal space valuable. You will find public places quiet, particularly public transportation] While they do not talk to strangers, they are hospitable (гостипреимны) and likely to help if you require it. Getting noticed in Finland is inappropriate. Avoid being loud or calling attention to yourself Respect their private lives and avoid topics that are personal.

Equity (справедливость)

At Finnish workplace there is really flat hierarchy. Women and men are considered equal, even in the Finnish language there are no separate words for "she" or "he". They are proud that Finland is a pioneer m political gender equality. It is the first country in Europe to give women

the vote in 1906, and the first in the world who elected woman to sit m Parliament

Interaction

Finnish business is punctual and efficient. Be late is impolite. If you are going to be even late, telephone immediately; 15 mins late - consider a meeting.

Many Finns are quite modest (СКРОМНЫ) and spare in their gestures, which can easily be misinterpreted (ИСТОЛКОВАНЫ КАК) as a lack of interest Don't be too expressive or excited with Finns, it is better to push yourself down a little bit (ДЕРЖАТЬ СВОИ ЭМОЦИИ ПРИ СЕБЕ). Do not raise your voice when you talk, since speaking in a loud voice is considered rude. In Finnish language the intonation is always descending (НИСХОДЯЩАЯ) with fall at the end of sentence.

When meeting each other, shake hands briefly with a nod of the head, smile, make eye contact and say your full name that's enough. Titles not really used when referring to yourself. No supporting gestures like touchmg on the shoulder are involved, and hugging is impolite. Nothing special is about exchangmg business cards. Exchange them and put it some place to show respect. You greet men, women and children equally. People shake the hands again when saying 'Good bye".