Preparation and Prevention

What barriers may await you in a given country or culture? What should you avoid at all costs and what will open your way? Before you undertake some business abroad, it might be advisable, even wise, to spend some time with a person that knows the inside and outside of the culture in question. This way you can be alerted to local habits, ways of thinking, typical sources of conflict and possible solutions.

If we do not know the specifics of a certain culture, we might call your attention to key areas that are likely to be important, and help you proceed in unknown cultural territory. Or we can find an „expert,” a person who knows both the target culture and yours, who has the information needed.

A number of experiments show the power of first impressions on others. How could you build rapport from the first moment with members of a certain culture? What actions can free you from the negative stereotypes that may be believed about your nationality, religion or country?

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