Travel
All meetings are pre-arranged. Like
many Latin countries, time is more
relaxed, and it is quite acceptable
to arrive twenty minutes late for
a meeting. Thirty minutes is the
outside that is acceptable. More
than that is considered an insult
unless the excuse is a good one.
Do not dress formally, business
a a i n
Panama
Appointments are necessary. Titles
should be included on business cards
and people should be addressed by
titles, Doctor, Professor, etc.
Meetings begin with small talk.
Dress is conservative. Foreign
businesswomen should include
spouses in invitations to business
dinners, and that is always.
Paraguay
oint nt ar n
ary
on time, as punctuality matters for
the visitor. Paraguayans might be
somewhat late and appointments
frequently start ten to twenty
minutes late. Connections are very
important, and more important than
business relationships. Make time for
small talk before meetings.
Peru
Your business meeting in Peru may be
t or n h an o
ro
to
or
to
o
i
expected to be on time for meetings,
but your hosts may be late.
Honduras
Appointments are necessary and you
should show up early, but do plan to
wait. Hondurans will be well dressed
and expect the same of you. If your
suit is wrinkled, iron it or get it
pressed. Do not plan a meeting after
this one, as the one you are in can go
on and on. Hondurans want to build
trust, so don’t rush to negotiating.
In any case, do not expect to walk
away with a contract. It will be
decided afterwards through a chain
of command by a higher up.
Mexico
Appointments matter and should
be at least two weeks in advance.
on r th
or
on r
once you arrive in Mexico with local
contact information for secretary.
Arrive on time, but expect to wait
close to thirty minutes. Meetings
may be postponed with little
advance warning and initial meetings
are formal. Have written material
in both Spanish and English. Even
if there is a agenda, it may not
be followed.
Connections matter more than
business contacts, and are necessary
to facilitate business success. Pick
your connection wisely, as you will
be judged by that individual and next
to impossible to change an opinion.
At the meeting be sure to include
an upper level executive. Once you
t thro h th r t
tin
the higher-level executive need
not necessarily attend. Dress as
you would in Europe, with dark
colored suits.
Nicaragua
a an on r
a
oint
nt
Uruguay
Appointments are necessary. You will
be expected to be punctual, but
Uruguayans typically are somewhat
at or
in
tin
prepared to wait. Like many of the
Latin countries, small talk comes
r t o
ay n
a tran ator
unless your Spanish is excellent.
Have your presentation materials
prepared in Spanish.
The Caribbean
of small talk before business
begins. Whereas a suit jacket is not
required, a shirt and tie and pantsuit
or blazer and skirt for women are
expected. Have one side of your
business card in French.
Puerto Rico
Appointments are necessary, but
so are introductions. Puerto Ricans
prefer to work with friends and
family, so connections matter.
Managers may play a larger role
than outward appearances indicate.
rth America
Comprised of Canada and the
United States, we have a massive
combination of cultures.
Canada
In most of Canada, punctuality is
expected, and meetings generally
start on a timely basis. If you are
going to be late, be sure to let your
colleague know. Canadians are known
for organizational skills, and
extraneous discussion during
meetings is kept to a minimum.
United States
Appointments need to be made, time
is money. Plan to arrive promptly.
Time and punctuality are important
to Americans and more so in the
Northeast and Midwest. In that area,
being late is viewed as disrespect.
In the Southern and Western states,
people are somewhat more relaxed.
t
o
rr on n t a ity
n
if you have to wait a few minutes.
Meetings are taken seriously and
if there is an agenda, it will be
followed. Have statistics to back
up your data, and keep in mind that
there is an emphasis on controlling
ti
in
i on
t ra i y
Relationships may develop after a
contract has been signed and you’ve
proven yourself.
This area comprises territories and
independent countries. Associations
have been with the UK, France, The
Netherlands, and the United States.
Races, languages and cultures vary.
I would check each island before
visiting. Prior appointments are
necessary, but punctuality is not
closely adhered to in much of
the region.
This three part series focused on
countries worldwide and timeliness
of meetings. I did throw in some
additional information. Each
country has so many nuances from
dress to greetings, I’d encourage
you to read about them, if you plan
to do business. Luxe Beat certainly
appreciate your feedback and you
can write to me at
[email protected].
Haiti
In all cases, meetings should be
scheduled ahead of time, and
punctuality is expected. If you
are going to be late for any reason,
contact the receptionist to
reschedule. There is quite a bit
Note: Information for this article
was compiled from my own
experience, “Do’s and Taboos Around
The World”, associates, and doublechecked from approximately twentyt o iff r nt nt rn t it
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