International Business Etiquette   Tags: business_communication, business_etiquette, intercultural_communication, international_business  

Business Subject Guides
Browse the other subject guides on specific business topics to find additional information sources and research advice.

Company/Industry Research Flowcharts
Refer to these flowcharts for a visual overview of the research process with links to the basic recommended sources.

These are selected sources located at the Library or available online that can provide information on communication and behavioral differences between cultures in a business environment. The sources have been arranged geographically by the categories below.  For information on a country, check sources in the worldwide section as well as in the appropriate regional section.

• Worldwide (sources covering multiple regions)
• Asia & the Pacific
• Europe
• Middle East & Africa
• North & South America

Using the Guide: 

1. Find Cultural Overviews - The sources listed in the guide have been arranged geographically and mostly represent concise summaries of the major characteristics of the business culture in each country.  To find information for a country, check sources in the Worldwide section as well as the appropriate regional section. The information covered varies from source to source, so it is worthwhile looking at several different ones.    
   
   
2. Compare Cultures - A useful tool for highlighting the cultural differences between two countries is Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions listed in the Worldwide sources section.  Follow the link to the Hofstede website and click on the little white box on the left side labeled "Compare your home culture with your host culture" to see a comparison based on Hofstede's five cultural dimensions (Power Distance Index,  Individualism,  Masculinity,  Uncertainty Avoidance Index, and Long-Term Orientation) as defined on their home page.   
   
   
3. More Resources - For more in-depth analysis and discussion of a country's business culture and intercultural management challenges, look for books and articles following the instructions in the Further Research section.