Mary is seeking to expand her business by setting up operations in India. She is confident that her array of products will do well in the country. India has one of the world’s fastest growing economy and a mostly youthful population which promises a vast market. If her expansion move to India is to be successful, Mary needs to understand various aspects of Indian culture and how they relate to conducting business. The trip to India to meet Mr. Sharma is a step in the right direction as it can be an excellent learning opportunity. It is essential to make a good first impression during the meeting. This paper analyzes various aspects of Indian business etiquette as well as how they may conflict with what Mary is used to Australia.
The first aspect relates to appearance. As a woman, professional appearance requires achieving the acceptable level of attire, makeup, jewelry, fingernails, perfumes and scents, and hairstyle. While these may seem to be too many aspects of appearance to consider, they are vital elements in the Indian culture regardless of whether one is doing business or not. Indian women wear clothes such as suits, skirts, trousers, and saris (Martin and Chaney 2012). For a professional setup, it is essential to wear suits that are largely dark colored. The legs and arms need to be as covered as possible. The makeup is acceptable, but it needs to be light, simple and appropriate. Jewelry needs to be used conservatively. For instance, an earring can be small and above the earlobe while a necklace can be a small chain with a pendant. Bracelets are also acceptable. The jewelry worn needs to be minimal and such that it does not make noise (Kolanad 2008). A complete professional look often requires accessories such as a purse. One small dark colored, quality purse is an essential accessory. Perfume needs to be light to ward of sweat odor while not filling the entire room the wearer walks in. Nail polish is acceptable as long as the nails are clean and well-trimmed (Martin and Chaney 2012). The best polish can be light and plain rather than nail art. The hair can be styled neatly and conservatively. The hair can be tied with rubber bands or pins to keep it out of the face.
Another aspect of business etiquette that Mary should be aware of is greetings and titles. In a business setting, a handshake is an acceptable form of greeting. Another alternative involves greeting a person with ‘Namaste’ accompanied by pressing palms together with finger pointing upwards and a slight bow (Kolanad 2008). The latter option may be used in cases where one is meeting with highly conservative business people who may consider a man shaking hands with a woman as inappropriate (Migliore 2011). It is also essential to always greet the most senior person first in case there are several people. The right hand is also used when handing out things such as business cards, drinks, or gifts. Small talk is considered appropriate before the start of business conversations. It is also recommended that one uses formal titles and Mr. or Mrs. When one is not sure of the title. It is also vital to consider the perception that seniority also refers to age.
The third factor involves body language. In India, personal space is valued, and physical contact is seldom. Indians are also highly expressive and use body language extensively to complement verbal messages. Pointing feet towards someone is considered disrespectful and should be avoided. It is also polite to always avoid stepping over things but instead walk around them (Kumar and Sethi 2016). Pointing with fingers is also found to be rude. If pointing is a must, the thumb is a better option with the other fingers curled into a fist and the palm facing upward. Indians do not encourage public displays of affection (Martin and Chaney 2012).
Business cards and gifts are vital components of business negotiations. A business card needs to be comprehensive and straightforward. It should contain elements such as name, title, position, company, and contact information. Gifts are often not given during the first business meeting. They can be given once the relationship has been established. When handing out a gift, it is essential to use both hands and refrain from handing the gift with the left hand only (Budhwar and Varma 2010). In case one receives a gift, they should not open it in the presence of the giver. It is also essential to avoid gifts that contain products such as leather or pigskin. The gift wrapping can be created using an array of colors while avoiding the colors black and white which are often used to denote negativity or mourning (Hill 2008).
India’s official languages are Hindi and English. These can be used in business settings. In case Mr. Sharma is not fluent in English, Mary can choose to hire a translator. Indians also value peace and harmony. It is therefore essential to use soft negotiation techniques and be patient without placing too much pressure on the other team. For instance, the word ‘no’ is thought of as being too direct and can be considered rude. The phrase ‘I will try’ can be used instead (Brown and Bandyopadhyay 2011).
Given the contrast between Indian and Australian cultures, it is pragmatic to expect some conflicts when individuals from these two countries interact with each other. Contrasting the two countries using Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory can be used to anticipate such conflicts and thereby take up steps to minimize or avoid any barriers to effective communication and business transactions (Minkov and Hofstede 2011). The cultural dimensions theory was developed by psychologist Dr. Geert Hofstede after his research on cultural differences. He identified six dimensions that can be used to distinguish one culture from another (Hofstede 2010).
Power distance explores a society’s perception towards inequalities amongst its members (Hofstede 2010). India scores 77 in this dimension (Hofstede 2011). This implies that it readily accepts and embodies hierarchy forms of organization. Communication is often top-down, and decisions are reserved for high ranked individuals on a particular system. Australia, on the other hand, scores 36 in this dimension (Hofstede 2011). Hierarchy is only adopted for convenience and superiors are always accessible to inferiors. Consultation is acceptable, and communication can be informal, and direct.
Individualism refers to the degree of interdependence that members of society maintain among themselves (Hofstede 2010). Australia scores 90 in this dimension (Hofstede 2011). This is a high score which implies that the society is less reliant on interpersonal bonds and more reliant on self-reliance. In business, business people are expected to show initiative and seek to make decisions based on merit. India scores 48 in this dimension (Hofstede 2011). The Indian society contains both individualistic and collective traits. Indians prefer to act according to requirements of social convention while also relying on personal judgment. Business decisions can be made based on the relationship developed between the parties involved. It is therefore vital for Mary to develop healthy social relationships with partners she hopes to do business within India.
Masculinity refers to the degree to which a society embodies traits such as competition, achievement, and success. Masculine traits are geared towards being the best in one’s field. Feminine traits are associated with doing what one likes or caring for the quality of life (Hofstede 2010). Australia scores 61 in this dimension (Hofstede 2011). The society is therefore guided more by competitiveness than by seeking personal satisfaction that is not reliant on others situation. India scores 56 in this aspect (Hofstede 2011). As such, both countries have almost similar preferences to masculinity.
Uncertainty avoidance dimension seeks to identify how a society deals with uncertainties such as things that occur in the future (Hofstede 2010). Australia scores 51 in this aspect (Hofstede 2011). This implies that Australians are indifferent to uncertainty and taking risks. India, on the other hand, scores 40 in this dimension (Hofstede 2011). As such, Indians generally have a medium to low preference for avoiding uncertainty. They accept the imperfection of nature with regard to the human situation. In business negotiations, it is vital to acknowledge any events that may not be within the control of the business partners.
Long-term orientation relates to how a society incorporates aspects of its past when dealing with present and future issues (Hofstede 2010). Australia scores 21 in this aspect. Australians are therefore concerned with immediate results and have a small propensity for the future. India scores 51 in this aspect (Hofstede 2011). Indians, therefore, give the future much more thought than Australians. They acknowledge that actions done today will affect the future.
Indulgence examines a society’s inclination to either indulgence or restraint (Minkov and Hofstede 2011). Australia has a score of 71 in this aspect (Hofstede 2011). As such, Australians show little restraint to their desires and impulses. India scores 26 in this aspect (Hofstede 2011). Indians are therefore restrained and place limited emphasis on leisure and gratification of desires.
In conclusion, Mary needs to review the cultural as well as the business etiquette differences between India and Australia. Etiquette relates to issues such as clothing, body language, verbal language, greetings, and personal space. There are differences between the cultural dimensions of Australian and India. Awareness of these differences prepares Mary for a successful meeting and subsequent business in India.
References
Brown, P. and Bandyopadhyay, D.N. eds., 2011. Landscape, Place and Culture: Linkages Between Australia and India. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Budhwar, P.S. and Varma, A. eds., 2010. Doing business in India. Routledge.
Hill, C.W. and Hernández-Requejo, W., 2008. Global business today. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Hofstede, G., 2011. Dimensionalizing cultures: The Hofstede model in context. Online readings in psychology and culture, 2(1), p.8.
Kolanad, G., 2008. CultureShock! India: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette. Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd.
Kumar, R. and Sethi, A., 2016. Doing business in India. Springer.
Martin, J.S. and Chaney, L.H., 2012. Global Business Etiquette: A Guide to International Communication and Customs: A Guide to International Communication and Customs. ABC-CLIO.
Migliore, L.A., 2011. Relation between big five personality traits and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions: Samples from the USA and India. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, 18(1), pp.38-54.
Minkov, M. and Hofstede, G., 2011. The evolution of Hofstede’s doctrine. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, 18(1), pp.10-20.
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