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1 Intercultural Competences in Vocational Intercultural Competences in Vocational Intercultural Competences in Vocational Intercultural Competences in Vocational Training. Transnational Strategic Partnership Training. Transnational Strategic Partnership Training. Transnational Strategic Partnership Training. Transnational Strategic Partnership 2015 2015 2015 2015-1-DE02 DE02 DE02 DE02-KA202 KA202 KA202 KA202-002520 002520 002520 002520 Figures, facts and a cultural pattern approach Serena Junker, Sindy Würffel, Andreia Baptista ICVET: 30.12.2015 – 31.12.2017 PROJECT NUMBER: 2015-1-DE02-KA202-002520

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Page 1: Serena Junker, Sindy Würffel, Andreia Baptistaicvet.epa.edu.pt/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Cultural...fashioned Hofstede`s cultural dimensions can be a useful instrument in the VET

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Intercultural Competences in Vocational Intercultural Competences in Vocational Intercultural Competences in Vocational Intercultural Competences in Vocational

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Figures, facts and a cultural pattern approach

Serena Junker, Sindy Würffel, Andreia Baptista

ICVET: 30.12.2015 – 31.12.2017

PROJECT NUMBER: 2015-1-DE02-KA202-002520

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Intercultural Competences in Vocational Intercultural Competences in Vocational Intercultural Competences in Vocational Intercultural Competences in Vocational

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Participating countries

Germany: WEQUA GmbH (Co-ordinator), Verein der Freunde und Förderer des

Oberstufenzentrums Lausitz e.V., IHK-Projektgesellschaft Frankfurt/Oder

Greece: General Lyceum Lavrio

Portugal: Escola Profissional, Aveiro

Romania: Colegiul Technik Energetic, Cluj Napoca

Italy: Formaorienta, Marsico Nuovo/Potenza

Turkey: Iskilip Mesleki ve Teknik Anadolu Lisesi (IMTAL), Iskilip/Çorum

Austria: BFI Oberösterreich, Linz

Czech Republic Soukromá podřipská střední odborná škola a střední odborné učiliště o.p.s.

(SPSOS), Roudnice

Published by: ICVET http://icvet.epa.edu.pt/

Cover illustration by Katerina Tsampari

Open license: This document is for free use under the Creative Commons: Attribution-Non-

Commercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Logos are excluded from free licensing.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects

the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may

be made of the information contained therein.

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PORTUGAL

Capital:

Lisbon

Geographical size:

92 226 km2

Population:

10 374 822 (2015)

Population as % of total EU:

2 % (2015)

Gross domestic product (GDP):

€ 179.379 billion (2015)

Official EU language(s):

Portuguese

Political system:

semi-presidential republic

EU member country since:

1 January 1986

Seats in the European Parliament: 21

Currency: Euro. Member of the eurozone

since 1 January 1999

Schengen area member?: Yes, Schengen Area

member since 26 March 1995.

Presidency of the Council: Portugal has held the revolving presidency of the Council

of the EU 3 times between 1992 and 20071.

Cultural Profile

Culture Name: Portugal

Ethnic Make-up: Portuguese, some share of citizens of black African descent who immigrated to

mainland during decolonization

Language: Portuguese, a Romance language which derived from Vulgar Latin. Galician and

Mirandese

Socio-economic Identity: South Europe, mediterranean

1 https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/countries/member-countries/portugal_en

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1. CULTURAL PROFILE

1.1 THE CULTURAL DIMENSION THEORY OF HOFSTEDE

In the past the term culture and its

meaning were explored from different

points of view. A well-known, widely

taught approach origins from Geert

Hofstede, a Dutch social psychologist. In

the 1970’s little research about cultural

differences had been done. At the same

time there was a strong need to

understand and cope with those

differences due to the worldwide

expansion of companies and

organizations. In this time Hofstede

conducted large scale studies on IBM

employees and subsidies to understand

differences on “work related values”

depending on the national context. From

his observations he developed his concept

of 4, later 6, different cultural dimensions

representing “preferences for one state of

affairs over another that distinguish

countries (rather than individuals) from

each other”. In this sense he defines

“national culture as the collective

programming of the human mind that

distinguishes one group or category of

people from another”. According to his

theory national culture is represented in

values, rituals, heroes and symbols of a

nation while values are deemed to be the

deepest level, thus changing only slowly.

Cultural differences in organizations are

visible as practices. See further down

below to check, how Hofstede’s cultural

dimensions can be characterized.

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According to Hofstede each nation scores

with a certain number on a scale from 1 to

120 (or recalculate on Hofstede’s website

from 1 to 100). Hofstede puts a strong

emphasize on the fact that cultural

differences only become visible when

comparing different national cultures

(“culture can be only used meaningfully by

comparison”). His systematic framework

for assessing and differentiating national

cultures kept being tested and elaborated

until nowadays. Although sometimes

being perceived critically and old-

fashioned Hofstede`s cultural dimensions

can be a useful instrument in the VET

framework to understand cultural

differences. In practice when applying it to

work related contexts they can be used to

explain relations among colleagues,

hierarchies in organizations, how rules are

set and followed or how organizations are

led strategically. Especially for young

people entering the world of work in

another country those insights can be of

great value to understand and adapt to

“new” working habits.

The information you will find in the

following paragraphs are taken of

publications of Geert Hofstede2. You will

find all relevant sources at the end.

2 https://geert-hofstede.com/

Now go and discover the specifics of your

own country and compare to your

country of destination:

Now that you know where you stand, the

following tips3 might be useful once you

immerse in the culture of your

destination country:

3 Quoted from:

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/new

LDR_66.htm

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PDI = Power distance

index: to what extend do

people accept that power

is distributed unequally

among them.

IDV = Individualism vs.

collectivism: to what

extend social bonds are

characterized by the

focus on collectives

(“we”) or individuals (“I”)

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MAS = Masculinity vs. femininity:

represents the preferences in

society for “toughness”

(achievement, heroism etc.) or

“tenderness” (caring,

cooperation etc.)

UAI = Uncertainty avoidance

index: to what extend are

people able to cope with

uncertainty and ambiguity

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LTO = Long term

orientation versus short

term orientation: to what

extend societies give

priority to preserving what

has been established in

the past (traditions,

norms) or facing the

challenges of the future

and prepare for those

IND = Indulgence vs.

restraint: to what

extend a society

allows for or restricts

opportunities for

people to enjoy life.

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1.2 Portugal in the Hofstede world

“On the individualism-collectivism scale,

Portugal ranks high with a 27. This shows

that the Portuguese orientation is

collectivist in groups, rather than as

individuals. They follow social norms,

sharing group beliefs, with less emphasis

on pleasure. There is dependence in the

Portuguese culture, moving away from

individualism.

To avoid hesitance or uncertainty, the

Portuguese provide stability for its

members by establishing formal rules,

such as through the government. The

Portuguese are not tolerant of deviant

ideas and behaviours. They seek

consensus in the collective atmosphere.

There is a higher level of anxiety and

stress. There is a strong need for written

rules, plans, and rituals to provide the

needed structure in life. The Portuguese

culture tends to be more feminine. They

have a more caring and nurturing

behaviour towards others. The promotion

of sexual equality is a significant value

trend to the Portuguese. People and the

environment are important to Portuguese.

They believe that men need not be as

assertive as the lower ranking countries.”4

Following Hofstedes’ interpretation, a low

score of 28 on LTO shows that Portuguese

culture prefers normative thought over

pragmatic. People in such societies have a

strong concern with establishing the

absolute Truth; they are normative in their

thinking. They exhibit great respect for

traditions, a relatively small propensity to

save for the future, and a focus on

achieving quick results.

4 Source:

http://acad.depauw.edu/~mkfinney/teaching/C

om227/culturalportfolios/portugal/typology.ht

m#hofstede%27s%20value%20dimensions

0

20

40

60

80

100

Power Distance

Individualism

Masculinity

Uncertainty Avoidance

Long Term Orientation

Indulgence

POR

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1.3 Understand Portugal from examples

In this chapter you will find some examples, how the cultural dimensions of Hofstede can

find there practical expression. Those examples also provide possible explanations about

why people behave in a certain way, in particular at work. They are of course not generally

true or claim any form of universality. However, they can help to think about own values and

those of others, thus easing the immersion into another culture in a reflective, sensitized

way.

Example 1 – IDV

In Portugal with collectivistic structures,

people will stand up for the whole group

and they prefer to work in a group. They

are loyal to each other and the group will

defend their interests.

Example 2 – LTO

In Portugal people are more likely to

follow the saying ‘just do it’ in order to

have short-term gains and quick results.

When they find a solution, they will focus

on solving the problem now instead of

thinking of the future. For example, if

there is a fire in Germany, they will try to

find a solution which will avoid another

fire in the future. In Portugal, they will

rather just extinguish the fire.

Picture by rawpixel: team work (Pixabay)

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2. Portugal - Society & Culture

Cultural Orientation

The most developed regions in Portugal are: the metropolitan area of Lisbon, North

Minho, metropolitan area of Porto and Aveiro region – these are the only regions that

surpass the national medium rate of the global regional development. So, the regions with

the highest development index are concentrated in the coast area of the country. It is an

urban oriented country, with the rural areas becoming more and more desertified, especially

the interior as most of the job opportunities are by the coast side. That’s the reason why

some of the local authorities are trying to create incentives to attract young people to the

interior.

With more than 800 years of history, Portugal is one of the oldest countries in the

world. Throughout the centuries, several Portuguese traditions and cultural traits were

established, defining today its society and its country in the most different areas. From

gastronomy to wine, arts and crafts to music, popular festivals and pilgrimages, there’s a lot

to discover in Portugal.

Gastronomy

Portugal has been for a long time a country with a huge culinary tradition. One of the

first foods that stood out in the Portuguese gastronomic panorama was the cod. There are a

thousand ways to cook cod: boiled cod, with cream, roast, with cornbread, Gomes de Sá,

etc. and all of these are part of the Portuguese traditions and gastronomy. But it’s not just

the cod that marks the culinary culture in Portugal. There are other delightful specialties that

amaze the Portuguese and will win over the visitors from other countries: sardines (mostly,

during the festivals), the Francesinha or Frenchie (considered as one of the best sandwiches

in the world) and the pastel de nata, a Portuguese egg tart pastry. The pastel de nata is also

very appreciated by the tourists visiting the country but what a lot of people don’t know is

that when it started to be sold, in 1837, its goal was to save the Hieronymites Monastery.

Left picture by

CarolinaP:

pastel de nata (Pixabay)

Right picture by

PublicDomainImages:

Port wine (Pixaybay)

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Still in the Portuguese gastronomy, there is the richness of wines, recognized

worldwide and award-winning in several categories. No doubt the most well-known

Portuguese wine is the Port Wine. This wine is produced in farms in the Douro Wine Region

(the first wine region to be recognized in the world) and stored in the cellars, in Vila Nova de

Gaia. From here, the wine is transported to all over the country and also exported to all over

the world. What separates the Port wine from other wines is the fact that this wine is

sweeter and, at the same time, has higher alcohol content.

Music

The Portuguese traditions are also marked by music. One of the most characteristic

musical genres in Portugal, and unique at a global level, it’s Fado. This musical genre started

to stand out in Portugal in the mid-nineteenth century but it was only during the decades of

30 and 40 of the next century that it won projection, by means of dissemination such as the

cinema, the theatre and the radio. There are several aspects that mark this musical genre

like the melancholy, the longing, the fate and destiny; about the fado singer, he has a unique

way of dressing and sings like no other singer from other genres. Among the most well

known singers in Portugal, people can hear Carlos do Carmo, Mariza, Ana Moura and the one

and only Amália Rodrigues, who launched fado to a worldwide audience in 1943. It should

be noted that fado was considered by UNESCO as Immaterial Heritage.

But not only of fado lives the Portuguese

music scene. Another music genre very

characteristic of this country is the folk music,

present in a lot of festivals in Portugal – the most

popular styles are the bailinho da

Madeira, malhão and vira. These music and

dance styles are very typical of rural areas, both

from the mainland and from the islands and are

one an excuse for people to gather and have fun.

Picture by liveinlondon_: fado singer (Pixaybay)

Arts and Crafts

Another area that has emerged in the Portuguese cultural landscape over the course

of time was arts and crafts. Especially from the 17th century, arts and crafts started gaining

relevance at a national level with special relevance in areas such as ceramics, tapestry,

embroidery, jewelry, among others.

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When it comes to ceramics, no one can be indifferent to the presence of one of the

most well-known symbols of Portugal – the rooster of Barcelos. This rooster is typically made

in clay and, despite having origin and greatest relevance in the north of the country, it’s a

national icon also known in other countries as a Portuguese symbol.

The glazed tile is also very common in the Portuguese traditions and its production

has more than five centuries of history. We can see a magnificent example of this type of

ceramics especially in churches, old train stations and in many homes.

The Portuguese tradition in tapestry came in the 18th century and it is used since then for

decoration of walls and murals. Themes such as the deeds of the Portuguese, religion and

others are depicted in carpets.

In a national and international level, the most well-known carpets are without a

doubt the Arraiolos carpets. They have emerged in Alentejo, in the village of Arraiolos

(hence the name) but they are already produced all over the country. These carpets are

characterized by being embroidered in wool on a linen or cotton canvas with Arraiolos stitch,

unique in the world.

Another form of arts and crafts very typical in the Portuguese traditions is without a

doubt the lace. This textile art has sprung up in Portugal and also throughout Europe

between the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th century, during the

Renaissance period. The kinds of lace better known in Portugal is the Vila do Conde

lace and Peniche lace. This type is very characteristic of Portuguese coastal areas and it

requires hard work, dedication and patience. If you want to know more about the

embroidery crafts, nothing better than to visit the museum of embroidery crafts in Vila do

Conde.

We cannot fail to mention the

typical skirts of Nazaré, in the centre

of Portugal and the Valentine’s

handkerchiefs, more characteristic of

the north of the country. These

scarves were mainly embroidered by

women as a way to spend their time;

women made these handkerchiefs to

use them as an ornament but also to

conquer their boyfriends.

Picture by nuno_lopes: filigree jewellery (Pixabay)

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Finally, one of the areas with special emphasis on the Portuguese arts and crafts is

the jewellery, in particular the filigree. Filigree is an ornamental work of fine (especially the

gold and silver) wire formed into delicate tracery, demanding their artisans much dedication;

the largest production centres in Portugal are Gondomar, in Porto, and Póvoa de Lanhoso, in

Braga.

Popular Festivals and Pilgrimages

The festivals and pilgrimages are other aspects most present in the Portuguese traditions

and they come hand in hand with some areas mentioned above, as the gastronomy and

music.

Parties like Santo António, São Pedro and São João and the pilgrimages to the Sanctuary of

Our Lady of Fátima, among others, move millions of Portuguese and foreign tourists through

the streets of big cities and villages of Portugal in party or in devotion, playing a huge role in

the Portuguese traditions.

Economic orientation

Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the

European Community - the EU's predecessor - in 1986. The most important sectors of

Portugal’s economy in 2015 were wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and

food services (25.1 %) and public administration, defence, education, human health and

social work activities (19.9 %) and industry (17.3 %). Portugal’s main export partners are

Spain, France and Germany, while its main import partners are Spain, Germany and France.

Commercial Activities Commercial activities vary regionally. The peasants in the north

cultivate corn (rye in the northeast),

potatoes, wine grapes, and vegetables

to sell at regional markets. Many also

raise milk cattle, and the milk is sold

to local cooperatives. Along the

coastline, populations engage in

fishing. Fish canning is an important

export industry.

Picture by liveinlondon_: Bacalhau (Pixabay)

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The local economies in the north have been supplemented by centuries of

emigration, and as a result, men have developed artisanal skills as masons and carpenters.

Tourism is also an area that is increasing more and more and not only in the Algarve.

Tourists are discovering the treasures Portugal has and are visting more and more this

country that has very much to offer and many beautiful things to experience.

Major Industries Furniture, food processing, wineries, and pulp and paper are among

the major industrial activities in the north. Heavier industry (steel working, shipbuilding, iron

production, transport equipment, electrical machinery) and the bulk of the industrial

working class are concentrated in the Lisbon-Setubal region in the south. In recent years, the

construction industry has become important, and tourism is growing. Other important

manufacturing industries are leather products, textiles, porcelain, and glassware.

Trade Portugal's major exports are textiles, clothing and footwear, cork and paper

products, machinery, transport equipment, and chemicals, and agricultural products. More

than 80 percent of this trade is with other member states of the European Community. The

most important trading partners are Germany and Spain.

In what concerns the youngsters and their plans to the future, namely concerning

their job careers, their wishes follow the actual tendency in Portugal and their choices when

going to University are:

When asked about the career in which they think they can have a good future, the

Portuguese youngsters are lined up with most youngsters of other countries, by highlighting

the so called STEM jobs (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), namely technological

areas such as: Mobile Developer (8%); Digital Marketing Manager, Software Developer, SEO

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and Robotics (7%); Web 2.0 Programmer (6%); Nurse (5%); Web Auditor, Consulting,

Gastronomy and High Cuisine, Electro Technical Engineer and Maths (4%).

The choice of technical and social areas, along with areas directly connected to Health,

shows that the Portuguese follow the general trends of the jobs of the future.

Social orientation

Family is definitely important to Portuguese people. It is normal to leave home only

when the children are ready to establish and continue the lifestyle they grew up in. Even

when they leave home to study abroad, youngsters tend to telecommunicate with their core

family members on a daily basis and they always have their bedrooms waiting for them at

home. In Portugal, the family is the foundation of the social structure. Individuals derive a

social network and assistance from the family. For the Portuguese, family loyalty comes

before other social relationships, even business.

This first value is intimately related to the second one: education. As we are

encouraged to be as successful as we can be at school and to go as far as possible in the

educational system; this might explain why youngsters are unable to afford living on their

own due to the fees they have to pay to proceed with university studies.

Another core value is freedom. Portugal was under a dictatorship for forty years,

until 1974. The sense of freedom tends to be more valued by people who were born in the

50’s or earlier – those who lived through suppression and were prohibited from talking,

singing, writing, reading and listening to what they wanted to. Anyway, as this was such a

recent event in the Portuguese history that left unforgettable marks on the country, the

effects are not completely lost on the young people, as freedom is not taken for granted as it

might be in other countries.

Last, but also very important, the Portuguese nation recognizes the honor, the

dignity, the integrity, the audacity of its compatriots. Many Portuguese men and women will

always be remembered due to their great character.

Moreover, some values tend to remain through history while others seem to

disappear or emerge, like ecology, solidarity and health. Responsibility, dignity, solidarity

and truth are other core values that tend to keep alive in the Portuguese education.

Although strictly based in values like the ones described previously, family education in

Portugal has become a more and more difficult task, highly motivated for the amount of

time parents spend at work, remaining too little to be with the family at home. In fact, this is

one of the biggest problems Portuguese families are facing nowadays. The market place is

more and more competitive, the exigence at work is bigger and bigger, unemployment is a

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reality and fearing to lose their jobs, families spend too many hours at workplace, losing

quality time to be with their children. As a consequence, the children tend to follow a path

different from the one their parents lined to them and, obviously, they try to deny some of

the core values they were educated to.

Even though, in their leisure time, Portuguese young people like to use technologies

(internet, smartphone, etc.), listening to music and going around with friends. Practising

sports is also an important part on their free time, especially team sports like football or

basketball. In general, young people dream about having their own family in the future and

providing them a good life, by having a well-paid job and feeling fulfilled in the job they

would have chosen.

Everyday life

The daily life of a typical Portuguese is going to work in the morning and being back

home in the evening. Some try to do some sports after work, whether individually or in

group, but the daily rhythm is so high that not everyone can have this sport time in their day,

especially mothers. Going out during the week is not that common, at least among adults,

which means that the moments to socialize are usually restricted to weekend.

In what holidays are concerned, commonly the Portuguese prefer the seaside and

look for places where they can go to the beach and have a relaxed time. Nevertheless, very

often they choose to visit a foreign country: it is common for a Portuguese to visit a new

country even before knowing his/her own’s. In one case or the other, the Portuguese like to

spend their holidays in group: with their family or friends, trying to do on that period what

they can’t the rest of the year because of work and the full days they usually have.

The Portuguese Language

The 10-million population of Portugal speaks Portuguese, a Romance language which

derived from Vulgar Latin. Galician and Mirandese, which are technically classed as separate

languages, are spoken by a few thousand people in the north of the country, along the

Spanish border.

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3. Read more about Portuguese Culture, History and Work

and Business Life

3.1 Portuguese Political System, Culture and History

Portuguese political country profile by the BBC (regularly updated):

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17758217

Portugal in the EU

https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/countries/member-countries/portugal_en

A comprehensive and deep cultural analysis and description of Portugal is offered here:

http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Portugal.html

3.2 Guide to Portugal – Etiquette, Customs, Culture & Business

Etiquette and Business Culture in Portugal

• http://businessculture.org/southern-europe/business-culture-in-portugal/business-

etiquette-in-portugal/

• http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/guides/guide-to-portugal-etiquette-customs-

culture-business/

• http://culture-inc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Portugal.pdf

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Sources:

1) https://geert-hofstede.com/

2) Geert Hofstede, Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions,

and Organizations Across Nations. Second Edition, Thousand Oaks CA: Sage

Publications, 2001

3) Geert Hofstede, Gert Jan Hofstede, Michael Minkov, Cultures and Organizations:

Software of the Mind. Revised and Expanded 3rd Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill

USA, 2010)

4) https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_66.htm

5) Map of Portugal: The World Factbook 2013-14. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence

Agency, 2013 . - https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-

factbook/geos/gr.html, Gemeinfrei,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21327#

6) http://culture-inc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Portugal.pdf

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Annex: Portuguese Society & Culture – Practical hints

around German homes, etiquette and negotiation

Do's & Don'ts in Portugal

◗ Greet with a firm handshake, a smile and a lot of enthusiasm. When a woman offers, kiss

her cheek.

◗ Exchange business cards at the end of the meeting, never at the beginning.

◗ Be informal at the first encounter, but refrain from asking personal questions.

Portuguese are very proud of their culture, so compliment the country or their food e.g.

◗ Portuguese value a trusting relationship as much as a signed contract.

◗ Don’t be too punctual. Portuguese don’t consider time as a strict fact. It’s actually rude to

be on time, arrive 5 to 20 minutes late.

◗ It’s common to receive gifts from your host, normally already unwrapped. Show your

appreciation, and in addition send a thank you note after the meeting.

◗ Meeting people face-to-face is vital for success. E-mail communication is seen as

impersonal and normally they do not respond to this (or barely).

◗ Send a follow up letter after a business meeting with the minutes including the key points

and commitments to ensure an effective next meeting. Follow up with another phone call to

personalize the message.

◗ Doing business in Portugal is time consuming, don’t rush it. For example a business lunch

could take all afternoon.

◗ Show your affection, for example by touching someone’s hand or arm.

Business Meeting and Communication tips

* Initial greetings are reserved, yet polite and gracious.

* The handshake accompanied by direct eye contact and the appropriate greeting for the

time of day.

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* Once a personal relationship has developed, greetings become more personal: men may

greet each other with a hug and a handshake and women kiss each other twice on the cheek

starting with the right.

* Under no circumstances should you ever shout or lose your temper since this will simply

diminish your credibility.

* The Portuguese have an instinctive wish to please. Thus it is essential to insist on specifics.

Very often the information given by the Portuguese is rather vague in order to mask

shortcomings.

* Never write anything in red ink since this is considered offensive: use black or blue only.

* You should respect people in senior positions and be formal in your written

communications.

* When you have to turn your back towards someone, apologise first.

* Although smoking is largely widespread in Portugal, ask before lighting up as some

workplaces operate non-smoking policies.

* The expressions ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ are very used often and they are also associated

with adverbs or adjectives such as “Muito obrigado” thank you very much”.

* When in a meeting, it is not acceptable to sprawl or put your feet on the furniture. A good

posture should be maintained at all times but it is OK to cross your legs.

* You are quite safe using hand gestures and animated body language while speaking and

making your presentation in Portugal.

* The Portuguese tend to be direct in their communication style. Usually they will tell you

the truth but in a polite manner.

* As one would expect, communication tends to be more on the formal side when in public

and much less so in private.

* The Portuguese tend to speak quite fast and somewhat loudly. This show of emotion is

quite common and part of the Portuguese character; rarely does it signify anger or

displeasure.

The Portuguese are friendly people and will always welcome you and try to make you feel at

home. Should you be unsure about certain customs and behaviours, your Portuguese

acquaintances, friends and even business partners will gladly introduce you to their culture.