by peterpan

Created on: April 22, 2008   Last Updated: October 06, 2011

Once you travel to other places, it is best to live there the ways natives do during your stay. It is important to know their culture as well as their etiquette for you to feel what it feels to be in their shoes.

The same thing goes with business etiquette. It is important that before you set up business in a place that you are not accustomed with, you should first know the customs, traditions, etiquette and the day-to-day lives of the natives. Entrepreneurs have to put in mind that there is no single universal business etiquette that would apply to every place they want to set up their business. Everything has to be a range.

Business etiquette differ between countries based on the customs and traditions as well as their history. People in western countries may always be running a race with time while people from the east may not be too much concerned with time for their lifestyles are slightly laid-back. Things really are case to case basis but the local traditions would always be the determining factor with these etiquette.

Always remember that you need to have good relationship with people since they are the ones who would be patronizing your products. They are the ones to whom the success of your business would depend. You have to mingle with them. Never expect them to change their native customs just to satisfy your business because you have to be the one to change for you to fit in with them.

Let's have a glimpse on some of the famous etiquette around the world that may be of help to businesses through these sample scenarios.

When you plan to hold a meeting in the Philippines, always give an extra time allotment to wait for your business associates who will be attending your meeting because Filipinos are notorious for being late. If you will burst out in getting mad at those latecomers, you would seem to be over reacting.

In Korea, when an associate you don't personally know hands his calling card to you with his name printed in Korean format of writing names, for example Seok Eun-il, call him Mr. Seok.

When eating in a restaurant with your business associates in the Middle East, always use your right hand to pass or to receive food.

When you eat in a fancy restaurant in Iceland, never give the waiter a tip. It would insult him.

When working in Saudi Arabia, save your Wednesdays and Thursdays for your recreation because Friday through Tuesday are their working days.

On your flight back home after you had a business trip to Japan, your Japanese business

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