The Silent Language in Overseas Business - Assignment Example

Overseas Business While intending to do business in Ethiopia, an American manager needs to understand the social, cultural, and economic differences that exist between the American business environment and the business environment in foreign countries. Accepting the uniqueness of each individual and the way they undertake their businesses is the most vital aspect required of the business managers. This is so because, while in America any delay by the client means lack of willingness to undertake business with that organization, in foreign countries, the case is different.

Any delay by business partners does not mean their unwillingness to undertake business, but a slight call for patience. Thus, a paramount lesson for an American business manager is the role of patience in undertaking business in foreign countries (Hall, 1959). All the manager needs to understand is that a delay in getting response from a business partner does not mean that his issue is of low priority to that person as could mean in America, but that the issue is very important and thus it needs ample time for consideration.

Understanding the different vocabulary of time is important for an American manager. While issuing deadline underlines the urgency of the matter in an American business environment, the same is rude and unpleasant in foreign countries (Hall, 1959). Learning space language is also appropriate for the American manager. While closeness means friendliness in America, it means entirely different in foreign business environment. Material language is important for the manager to learn, in that when he enters an office that is not well furnished, it does not indicate the inability of the prospective business partner to conduct business with him.

This is so because, Americans associate material possession with status and financial ability. This is quite different in foreign countries (Hall, 1959). Learning the value of friendship is another aspect that can enable an American manager undertakes business well in Ethiopia. In America, friendships are easily formed and broken. This is different in foreign countries where friendships take longer to be developed but are meant to last longer and to involve real obligations (Hall, 1959). Therefore, if an American manager understands to establish long-term friendship with business partners and attach more seriousness to the established friendship, then he will succeed in undertaking business in the foreign country.

Most importantly is the fact that the American manager needs to understand the rules of forming agreements in foreign countries. The way binding agreements and contracts are established is quite different in America and in foreign countries. While in America every contract and binding agreement has to be supported by the law, it is quite different in foreign countries, where binding agreements can be established through a mere word of mouth, without any legal backing and have a binding result.

Thus, an American business manager needs to understand the role of moral and ethical agreements in forming business agreements (Hall, 1959). Thus, for success in undertaking business in a foreign country, the American manager needs to value friendships, morality, and ethics as a basis of establishing binding and long-term business relations. Work Cited Hall, E. (1959).The silent language in Overseas Business. New York: Douhlcday &Company, Inc.