Intercultural & Cross Cultural News

Bridging the Culture Gap in the Legal field

So many countries, so many rules for attorneys to follow.....

Globalization of the legal world has led more lawyers to travel overseas and work with foreign clients, so grasping another country's customs can make or break a lawyer's deal. "There are many lawyers going abroad who are not aware of the differences, so they offend someone," said Tanja Diklic, who helps bridge the cultural gap between Americans and Europeans as the director of business development and client relations in the New York office of SD Petosevic, a Belgrade, Serbia, law firm. "I've seen people lose business over this."

Israeli diplomats fed up with Kosher dining

Israeli diplomats fed up with a protocol requiring they entertain guests at less-than-fancy kosher eateries abroad have asked for the rules to be relaxed, only to be overruled by a religious Jewish cabinet minister.

Trade Minister Eli Yishai, a member of the Orthodox Shas party, persuaded the Foreign Ministry not to accept the appeal by dozens of Israeli envoys to be allowed to hold official functions in non-kosher restaurants, Maariv newspaper said. "Keeping kosher preserved the people of Israel," the daily quoted Yishai as saying.

Driving: Cultural Differences

Is the UK a nation of horn hogs tooting from the same hymn sheet - or are motorists a motley crew of confused communicators risking collisions with misleading signals?

With millions of vehicles out on the road communication between road users has never been so important. A toot of the horn or a raised hand can avert road rage - or provoke it especially if an American is driving in the UK as 35% of them use the horn in reaction to bad driving, and 8% use obscene gestures to make their feelings known.

Etiquette in Germany

When in Rome do as the Romans and when in Germany...you get the point. Here are some ways to avoid committing a faux pas while in Germany.

Shaking hands

Shaking hands is an important part of German culture. It is customary to shake someone's hand when you meet them for the first time, and at every subsequent meeting as well. At business meetings and some social meetings, it's expected that each participant shake everyone else's hand upon arriving and again when leaving.

National Business Etiquette Week (June 4-10, 2007)

According to the recent PSOW(R) Pulse Poll 2007 there has been an 80% increase in the need for Biz Etiquette training over the past five years. PSOW(R) Owner & Director Pamela Eyring says, "Our students come from as far away as Ghana, France, England, China, and New Zealand and work in the Fortune 100, universities, the military and entrepreneurs who start their own etiquette school so it's quite stunning and quite universal." The PSOW(R) Pulse Poll 2007 also found that 60% of graduates say they need formal etiquette training to do their jobs right. In response to what Eyring (and many others in the business community) have witnessed lately, PSOW(R) is sponsoring the first PSOW(R) National Business Etiquette Week June 4-10 to spotlight and reverse the decline in business etiquette and help professionals (from interns to CEOs) behave with more civility and professionalism.

New Book on Doing Business in China

In his new book, author and business consultant Ernie Tadla gives tips on conducting proper business etiquette in China. In “How to Live and Do Business in China: Eight Lessons I Learned from the Communists�, Tadla gives rare insight into China’s business culture, providing readers expert insight about participating in the Chinese business environment.

How to close a business deal on the fairway

Sheridan/Kaneff Golf for Business Program is a new set of training courses that will teach businesspeople the right way to do business on the golf course.

"This is a really unique program - it's a bit like Dr. Phil meets Tiger Woods meets Donald Trump," said Sylvia Teichmeister, Dean, Sheridan's School of Continuing Education. "Golf can play a big role in getting business done and it's important to know how to conduct yourself when you're playing a round. No matter your skill level, these courses will give business golfers the know-how and etiquette to successfully conduct business on the course - and we'll even help you with your swing."

China targets bad tourist etiquette

For Chinese who habitually travel during the weeklong May Day holiday, they may find this year's itinerary involves as much etiquette education as sightseeing, delicious food and shopping.

"On our first day in Beijing, we were repeatedly told by the tour guide not to litter and spit and given pamphlets about what to do and what not to do," said Luan Hong, a tourist from southeast China's Fujian province. Posters telling travelers how to behave appear in almost every train station, bus stop, hotel and scenic spot. "We are treated like little kids," Luan said.

Ask a Mexican

Why do Mexicans use their car horns as a doorbell? Why is Mexican television so obsessed with dwarfs and transvestites? Why do they park their cars on the front lawn? Do Mexican children get tamales at Christmas so that they have something to unwrap? What is it about the word "illegal" that Mexicans don't understand?

The chances are that you will know the answers to some of these questions if you live in the United States and read the wickedly funny "Ask a Mexican!" column syndicated in more than a score of weekly newspapers across the country. The brainchild of a Mexican-American reporter, Gustavo Arellano, and his editor at the OC Weekly in Orange County, southern California, the column started out as a prank in 2004.

New Guidance Published on Christian-Muslim Etiquette

The Christian and Muslim Forum has published the Christian-Muslim Etiquette Guide in an effort to clear up the confusion over what Christians and Muslims should and should not do upon meeting one another.

The guidelines will attempt to provide ‘ecumenical’ answers to 10 common questions on the practices of Muslims and Christians and particularly sensitive areas, including the prayer habits of both faiths, dress and fasting traditions, with an eye to fostering closer encounters between the two faith groups.

Indian teachers "purify" students with cow urine

Indian teachers sprinkled cow urine on low-caste students to purify them and drive away evil, reports said on Saturday, in a country where millions of people remain oppressed at the bottom of the ancient Hindu caste system.

Upper-caste headteacher Sharad Kaithade ordered the ritual after taking over from a lower-caste predecessor at a school in a remote village in the western state of Maharashtra earlier this month, the Times of India reported.

$75,000 for a Lucky Fish

A Chinese restaurant has paid $75,000 for a giant golden-coloured tiger fish, a symbol of wealth and good fortune, state media said on Tuesday.

The fish, weighing in at 48 kg (105 lb), was caught on Sunday off the coast of Zhanjiang in the booming southern province of Guangdong, the China News Service said. "The restaurant agreed to display the fish... It is about 1.75 metres long and its scales shine like gold," it said.

Religion in Nepal

Religion is an important aspect of life in Nepal and most individuals identify with a particular religion and strive to live their lives accordingly.

Nepal is formally a Hindu country. However, the religion has become strongly intermingled with Buddhism and as such it is difficult in reality to define Nepal as one or the other.

When asked to identify with a religion, just under 90% of individuals in Nepal classify themselves as Hindu. 5% of Nepalese people classify themselves as part of the Buddhist religion and the remaining 5% is primarily split between the Islamic and Christian religion.

Israelis in India

While India is a popular hot spot for Israelis, sometimes there are cultural clashes. So, Israel’s Foreign Ministry has found a way to combat that cultural gap. The ministry will launch a campaign to improve its image in India.

“We're a very small number worldwide, but our presence is very noticeable in India,� Lior Weintraub, spokesman for Israel's New Delhi embassy told Ynet. “There are unpleasant behaviors. We believe that most Israelis come to India to travel and learn about the culture. India's population is conservative and the Israelis who are unaware of this cultural gap – are perceived poorly by them.�

Chinese tourists taught foreign etiquette

Officials in China are providing people with guides to travelling abroad in a bid to improve their behaviour.

Travel agencies and the tourism department of Shanghai are launching the campaign, with brochures and lectures on foreign etiquette given to those planning a trip overseas, reports Xinhua.

No Gold Medal for Chinese Etiquette Policy Yet

A government’s campaign to improve etiquette ahead of next year’s Olympic Games is having positive results but the residents of the capital are still far from getting any “gold medal� in the field, state media reported yesterday.

“Incidents of littering, spitting, flaunting traffic rules and pushing ahead in queues have all started to decline since 2005,� state-owned Xinhua news agency said, citing an extensive Renmin University study that surveyed local residents and foreigners.

Etiquette Guide to Czech Republic

The Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has issued a 96-page booklet of advice for foreigners on how to behave when living in the country, the international service of Radio Prague reported last week. The document is dominated by mundane but essential information on how to use the education, healthcare, and social security systems. However, it is the section on personal behaviour that suggests perhaps rather too many of the roughly 310,000 foreigners living there are not familiar enough with the rules of polite Czech society.

International, Social and Business Pressures Require Proper Etiquette

Growing up, etiquette was reserved for dinner out or for special occasions with Grandma. Now, proper etiquette is a big business concern in today's thriving services-based economy, as businesses and professionals seek new and better strategies to compete.

Long-time resident Turiya Alton has opened The Protocol School in Ellicott City, MD, to address this emerging need for businesses and consumers alike. Unlike any other, The Protocol School offers comprehensive training programs that teach proper business etiquette and international protocol through unique, interactive seminars that give individuals and executives the skills they need to ensure success in every business and social situation.

Turkish Customs and Etiquette

During Ottoman times customs in Turkey were highly developed and formal. Ottoman customs placed great emphasis on politeness. Although people in Turkey today are more informal in their dealings, some traditional Turkish customs still survive. It is Turkish custom to use the dozens of set phrases of politeness in many situations and the more one uses these the better.

The USA: Internationally Aware?

We came across this video via You Tube and thought it funny enough to share with our readers. Although we appreciate this does not and should not reflect on all Americans, it does prove worrying watching.