Brazil and Business

AJ BrownRuby ChangJeff KalvikMelissa La

Introduction Language: Portuguese Ease of doing business

2010 – 124th in the world 2011 – 127th in the world

Population: 193.7 million Gross National Income Per Capital:

$8,070 US Predominant religion: Catholic

Introduction Main Export:

Aircraft Automobile Textile Coffee Soy bean Orange juice

Main Import: Machinery Transport electrical

equipment Chemical product Oil

Important Dates for Brazil Carnival

46 days before Easter Easter Day of the Dead – November 2nd

May 1st – Labour Day

Timing Most Brazilian cities working hours are 8:30am to

5:00 pm an hour or 2 for lunch.

Time goes at a slower pace in Brazil. Schedule appointments 2-3 weeks in advance and

confirm once you have arrived.   Leave extra time for meetings since they can go

long. Although most social events will start much later

than the official start time, it is good idea to arrive at any business functions on time

Basic Cultural Values Hierarchical

Status-driven Vertical Hierarchy Male domination of management roles

Basic Cultural Values Relationship Oriented

Get a Brazilian to introduce you First impressions are important

Basic Cultural Values Principal Driven

“For friends, everything. For enemies, the law.”

Bargaining Culture World-famous negotiators

Basic Cultural Values Dress Codes

Men Conservative Dark Suits Two-piece vs. Three-piece

Women Feminine and elegant Hair Done Up, Manicures expected

Overdress rather than underdressed

Ways of Thinking Individualistic VS Collectivistic

Do what is best for the group

Reductionist VS Holistic Brazil’s National Motto: Ordem e Progresso (Order and

Progress)

Sequential VS Circular They think about all possible outcomes.

Future-oriented

What To Do Physical Contact

Stand close Touching is acceptable

Eye contact Frequent Staring conveys sincerity and respect Take business card while maintaining eye contact; look at

card; place card in front of you on table

Do wear muted colors Socialize after meetings

What Not To Do Speak Spanish.  They speak Portuguese. Rush through meetings

Tipping is option Don’t tip taxi drivers Do tip hotel porters

Wear green and yellow together Yawn or stretch in public Eat while on public transit

Actions Good Luck

I Don’t Know

Agreement

Okay sign

Gifting Practices Not necessary Can be seen as a sign of bribery Gift only during social gatherings No Purple or Black coloured gifts Don’t give handkerchiefs (grief) and

knives (ending relationship) Give gifts to children

Entertainment Practice Objective of business meals are to get

to know the other party better Don’t initiate business conversation Keep the conversation at the social level

and if business is to be discussed, wait until the coffee is served

Food and Dining Coffee

Always accept it when offered Represents initial contact/personal

invitation to a beginning of a relationship

Rejecting drink or food from a Brazilian is seen as being offensive

Food and Dining Brazilians value dining etiquette

Correct use of utensils

Never use your hands when eating

Food and Dining Men

Beer is perceived as a Man’s drink Women

Wine Alcoholic beverages and spirits

Upon toasting, take a sip to show a gesture of respect

Interpretation of Ethics Oral statements are not dependable

Brazilian mostly rely on hand shakes and oral agreements

Make sure you get written agreements after

Bribery is common in negotiation Lying is common in negotiation

Communication Good Conversation

Soccer Family Children

Bad Conversation Argentina Politics Poverty Religion Rain Forest

Main communication will be face-to-face. Men are more credible than women.

Negotiation The Despachante Long courting process Informal Let Brazilians introduce the basic topic

Means of Persuasion Patient and questioning Men have more credibility than women

Negotiation Terms of Agreement

Brazilians value long term relationship. Building relationships Relationships come first, second and third

in Brazil. Time spent working on the development of long-term friendly relations is never a waste of resource.

Four Principles Be Open-minded Be Adaptable Be Flexible Be Patient

Sources Management Review; Sep66, Vol. 55 Issue 9, p60, 3p

Business Kwantlen Persuasive communication By James Brian Stiff, Paul

A. Mongeau http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/

Collectivist_and_individualist_cultures http://www.analytictech.com/mb021/cultural.htm http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/

doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Brazil.pdf http://www.maria-brazil.org/business_in_brazil.htm http://www.worldbusinessculture.com/Business-in-

Brazil.html