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Doing Business Globally Requires Global Changes in Thinking
By Armand Rousso | August 28, 2007
In today’s global marketplace, more and more companies are considering expanding their horizons and boldly going where they haven’t gone before—overseas. Why should a company limit its sales and services to a domestic market when the international market is closer than it’s ever been? The possibilities and opportunities are endless, but there are key concepts to keep in mind if you want your international business ventures to be successful.
No matter what country you choose to take your business into, remember that doing business internationally will never be as easy or problem-free as doing business at home. Not only will you be exploring new territory geographically, you’ll also be challenged by differences in language, money, legalities, culture—even seemingly innocuous differences such as how to coordinate time zone differences among employees and clients can be overwhelming if you don’t plan ahead to expect hiccups and react to them appropriately.
One key element to a business finding success in the international market lies in the understanding that the best way to quickly get up to speed in conducting business in another country is to contract with a local “guide” to help you learn about doing business in that country. This “guide” can be a client, a business contact, or even a professional consultant whose job is centered on indoctrinating foreigners into the culture of the country. Remember that the way you do business at home may be completely wrong for the country you are going to be working in. A local person can help you to quickly spot minor problems before they become critical errors.
Once you’re up and running in another country, don’t let your confidence get the best of you. It makes no difference how much you may have studied or read, or how much your guide may have taught you—there is almost certainly going to be something that you don’t know. Every culture meets challenges and solves problems in a different way, and you may not know how that culture attacks a particular problem until that problem actually surfaces. So before acting or reacting to a situation, you should stop, think, and get advice from a local contact if necessary.
No matter what country or culture you are doing business in, you can never go wrong by being humble and hospitable. Courtesy, good manners, honesty, and paying attention are universal symbols of respect, and will go far in helping you to establish and maintain solid international relationships. Pay conscious attention to developing personal networks and relationships with new people so you can learn more about the country, the culture, and standard business protocols and politics. Purposely cement relationships with the long-term goal of working together for years.
In everything you do—every decision you make, every conversation you have, every agreement you reach, every problem you solve—be sure to keep the big picture in mind. When you reach out and expand your business to an international presence, you’re not just learning about another country and culture, you’re also planting the seeds of your own culture and helping pave the way for other businesses to follow.
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