1 . Have you found the answers to all the questions?

2. Write out the vocabulary from the text that can be used as key-words and help you to present the information about the chosen religion. Pay special attention to the specific notions.

3. Roleplay:

Student B You know that Student A is interested in Buddhism/Christianity/ Islam/ hinduism. Which questions would you ask him or her about this religion?

Student A Use the information from the text to answer your partner’s questions.

Text 3. Religious beliefs and international business Opportunities and Liabilities

Religion can provide the basis for transcultural similarities under shared beliefs in Islam, Buddhism, or Christianity, for example. An obvious example of the effect on international business of religious beliefs is the prohibition of pork products and alcoholic beverages in the Middle East. When beef or poultry is exported to a Muslim country, the animal must be killed in the "halal" method. Currently 12 Islamic centers slaughter and certify meat for export. Recognition of religious restrictions can reveal opportunities as well as liabilities, as evidenced by the recent successful launch of several nonalcoholic beverages in some Middle Eastern countries. Islam requires extensive fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, the start and duration of which varies because the Lunar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than that based on the Gregorian calendar. The impact of religion may vary from one country to another in a given region, on the other hand. One of the Muslim countries, Tunisia, has discouraged its people from too diligent observance to avoid marked drops in productivity. Another major characteristic is the pilgrimage to Mecca, which has required the Saudi Arabian government to improve its transportation system. A problem of the Swedish firm that had primary responsibility for building a traffic system to Mecca was that non-Muslims are not allowed access to the sacred place.

The solution was to use closed-circuit television to supervise the work

Major Religious Holidays

Major holidays are often tied to religion. These holidays will be observed differently from one culture to the next, to the extend that the same holiday may have different connotations. Most Western cultures, because they are predominantly Christian, observe Christmas and exchange gifts on St. Nicholas Day (December 6), and the Russians on New Year's Day (January 1). Tandy Corporation, in its first year in Holland, targeted its major advertising campaign for the third week of December with disastrous results. The international manager must see to it that local holidays are taken into account in the scheduling of events ranging from fact-finding missions to marketing programs and in preparing local work schedules.

Women in Business

The role of women in business is also tied to religion, especially in the Middle East, where they are not able to function as they would in the West. This affects management in two ways: the firm may not be able to use women managers or personnel in certain countries, and women's role as consumers and influencers in the consumption process may be altogether different.

Human resources managers must be aware of religious divisions in the countries of operation. The impact of these divisions may range from hostilities, as in Sri Lanka, to below-the-surface suspicion — for example, in many European markets where Protestants and Catholics are the main religious divisions.