Brazil Culture & Business Etiquette Tamara Ninkovic, Anda Telman, Brendan Jones

Brazil  Located in South America  Current population is over 200 million people  Official language is Portuguese  Latin American’s largest economy (7% GDP growth rate)  Located in South America  Current population is over 200 million people  Official language is Portuguese  Latin American’s largest economy (7% GDP growth rate)

Basic Cultural Values  Hierarchical:  Strict organizational hierarchy and chain of command  Decisions made at the most senior levels  Power and authority is not diffused  Inequalities are accepted  Relationship-oriented  Social and family oriented  Hierarchical:  Strict organizational hierarchy and chain of command  Decisions made at the most senior levels  Power and authority is not diffused  Inequalities are accepted  Relationship-oriented  Social and family oriented

Basic Cultural Values  Uncertainty Avoidance  Need for rules and structure  Avoid uncertainty and risk  Uncertainty Avoidance  Need for rules and structure  Avoid uncertainty and risk

Ways of Thinking  Long-term Orientation  Goals, plans, and decisions  Time Orientation  Flexible  Long-term Orientation  Goals, plans, and decisions  Time Orientation  Flexible

Acceptable and Unacceptable AcceptableUnacceptable Formal attire Give the Thumbs Up Use Senor and Senora Physical contact Close proximity Be introduced Talk about: Family and children Weather Travel Soccer Give the O.K. sign Using pushy or aggressive selling techniques Initiate confrontation Don’t talk about: Argentina Politics Religion Poverty Rainforest Brazil’s class system

Inconvenient Business Time  Brazilian Carnival  Month of February  Christmas  New Years  July Summer Holiday  Brazilian Carnival  Month of February  Christmas  New Years  July Summer Holiday

Entertaining and Gifts  Entertaining  Dining out (lunch and dinner)  Drinking alcohol is acceptable  Gifting  Not necessary during first meeting  Avoid black & purple  Personal gifts  Entertaining  Dining out (lunch and dinner)  Drinking alcohol is acceptable  Gifting  Not necessary during first meeting  Avoid black & purple  Personal gifts

Non-Task Sounding  Long courting process  Informal meetings  Proper business etiquette  Intermediaries help bridge the gap  Long courting process  Informal meetings  Proper business etiquette  Intermediaries help bridge the gap

Information Exchange  Communicate directly with top executives  Limited information given  Explanations are given first than negotiations  Communicate directly with top executives  Limited information given  Explanations are given first than negotiations

Means of Persuasion  Aggressive and often impatient  Openly emotional and passionate  Give reasonable feedback about offer  Aggressive and often impatient  Openly emotional and passionate  Give reasonable feedback about offer

Terms of Agreement  In-depth understanding about person and contract  Don’t attempt to ‘rush-in’ or push signing  Presence of a local legal expert  During the signing  During gift exchange  In-depth understanding about person and contract  Don’t attempt to ‘rush-in’ or push signing  Presence of a local legal expert  During the signing  During gift exchange

The End

References  Amorim, C. (2010). Brazil and The Middle East. Retrieved October 23, 2013, from The Cairo Review of Global Affairs:  Ardichvili, A., Jondle, D., Wiley, J., Cornacchione, E., Li, J., & Thakadipuram, T. (2013). Building Ethical Business Cultures: BRIC by BRIC. Retrieved November 2, 2013, from The European Business Review:  Argonaut. (2013). Doing Business in Brazil. Retrieved October 25, 2013, from Argonaut:  Brazil Sourcing. (2013). Business Meetings in Brazil. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from Brazil Sourcing:  Brazil Startup Guide. (2013, September 15). Brazil Business Culture Hierarchy. Retrieved October 25, 2013, from Medium:  Amorim, C. (2010). Brazil and The Middle East. Retrieved October 23, 2013, from The Cairo Review of Global Affairs:  Ardichvili, A., Jondle, D., Wiley, J., Cornacchione, E., Li, J., & Thakadipuram, T. (2013). Building Ethical Business Cultures: BRIC by BRIC. Retrieved November 2, 2013, from The European Business Review:  Argonaut. (2013). Doing Business in Brazil. Retrieved October 25, 2013, from Argonaut:  Brazil Sourcing. (2013). Business Meetings in Brazil. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from Brazil Sourcing:  Brazil Startup Guide. (2013, September 15). Brazil Business Culture Hierarchy. Retrieved October 25, 2013, from Medium:

 Central Intelligence Agency. (2013, August 22). The World Factbook - Brazil. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from Central Intelligence Agency:  Culture Inc. (2013). Do's and Don't in Brazil. Retrieved October 27, 2013, from Culture Inc.:  eDiplomat. (2013). Cultural Etiquette - Brazil. Retrieved October 26, 2013, from eDiplomat:  Etiquette Scholar. (2011). International Dining Etiquette - Brazil. Retrieved November 3, 2013, from Etiquette Scholar: etiquette/sa_table_manners/brazilian.html  Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. (2009, October 15). Cultural Information - Brazil. Retrieved October 25, 2013, from Centre for Intercultural Learning:  Global Edge. (2013). Brazil: Culture. Retrieved October 27, 2013, from Global Edge:  Central Intelligence Agency. (2013, August 22). The World Factbook - Brazil. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from Central Intelligence Agency:  Culture Inc. (2013). Do's and Don't in Brazil. Retrieved October 27, 2013, from Culture Inc.:  eDiplomat. (2013). Cultural Etiquette - Brazil. Retrieved October 26, 2013, from eDiplomat:  Etiquette Scholar. (2011). International Dining Etiquette - Brazil. Retrieved November 3, 2013, from Etiquette Scholar: etiquette/sa_table_manners/brazilian.html  Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. (2009, October 15). Cultural Information - Brazil. Retrieved October 25, 2013, from Centre for Intercultural Learning:  Global Edge. (2013). Brazil: Culture. Retrieved October 27, 2013, from Global Edge:

 IMA and UK Trade & Investment. (2013). Doing Business In Brazil. Retrieved October 27, 2013, from IMA and UK Trade & Investment: guide/business-etiquette/  IOR Advancing Global Talent. (2012). Cultural Insights: Brazil. Retrieved October 26, 2013, from IOR Advancing Global Talent: cultural-assumptions---communication-style---business-practices-pages-475.php  Kwintessential. (2013). Intercultural Management - Brazil. Retrieved October 26, 2013, from Kwintessential:  Oliveira, L. (2004, July 29). International Gift Giving Etiquette - Brazil. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from 1 World Global Gifts:  Siddiqui, A. (2013). Business Negotiation in Brazil. Retrieved October 24, 2013, from  The Hofstede Centre. (2013). 5D Model - Brazil. Retrieved October 25, 2013, from The Hofstede Centre:  IMA and UK Trade & Investment. (2013). Doing Business In Brazil. Retrieved October 27, 2013, from IMA and UK Trade & Investment: guide/business-etiquette/  IOR Advancing Global Talent. (2012). Cultural Insights: Brazil. Retrieved October 26, 2013, from IOR Advancing Global Talent: cultural-assumptions---communication-style---business-practices-pages-475.php  Kwintessential. (2013). Intercultural Management - Brazil. Retrieved October 26, 2013, from Kwintessential:  Oliveira, L. (2004, July 29). International Gift Giving Etiquette - Brazil. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from 1 World Global Gifts:  Siddiqui, A. (2013). Business Negotiation in Brazil. Retrieved October 24, 2013, from  The Hofstede Centre. (2013). 5D Model - Brazil. Retrieved October 25, 2013, from The Hofstede Centre: