6. Define business protocol. What are its major elements? Compare business protocol of Japan and the usa.

Business protocol involves forms of ceremony, etiquette, and a correct code of conduct.

Major elements:

1. Initial Contacts

Ways of establishing: e-mail, placing a brief unsolicited (добровольный) telephone call, writing a formal letter or using a ‘go-between’ (посредник) or emissary (агент). Cold-call – contacting someone without an appointment.

2. Greeting Behavior

• United States: Americans tend to be informal and friendly.

• China: The Chinese always greet the most senior person first. + Use titles.

• India: A common social greeting is the Namaste, where one presses the hands together near the chest, as in prayer, and bows slightly toward the other person.

• Japan: A common greeting ritual in Japan is the bow. The exchange of business cards!!

• Arab: There are 30 different blessings, both situational and relational, that can be part of the greeting.

• Mexico: The usual greeting is the handshake. Often shake hands when saying farewell.

3. Personal Appearance

The ‘dot-com’ organizations in Silicon Valley are noted for their very informal dress code.

4. Gift Giving

In religiously oriented countries gift giving is done during religious celebrations; in non-religious countries, specific times of the year are devoted to gift giving.

5. Conversational Taboos

The most popular topic of small talk seems to be the weather or comments on some aspect of the physical surroundings, such as the arrangement of the meeting.

Japan: A formal, face-to-face meeting with the sole objective of making introductions. Bowing conveys a good deal of social information in Japan. A black suit is the standard uniform of most Japanese corporate employees. Gift giving in Japan is highly ritualistic. Irony is not usually understood.

USA: Cold call or a letter of introduction. Often say ‘Hi’ to complete strangers. The informality is reflected by the policy of “casual Friday,” which many U.S. organizations use to promote a relaxed dress code among employees. Gifts in excess of $180 are bribery. For American businesspersons, personal questions are not actually considered taboo in the business context.

7. Compare management styles of the usa, Japan, Germany, Mexico and Russia.

United States: U.S. managers act out a style that stresses “doing” over “being,” individualism over collectivism, and low power distance instead of high power distance. They reward individual achievement and initiative, action, and results, and seek to reduce status differences. Managers often inspire “employees with promises of promotions, raises, bonuses, and other forms of public recognition. Decisions are usually the product of a top-down process, disseminated downward through an authoritative or semi-authoritative structure.

Japan: All achievements are a product of the entire workgroup’s efforts, and no one individual should be singled out for recognition. A characteristic feature of Japanese management style is the high value placed on harmoniously integrating all employees into the organization, which is viewed as an extended family. A respect for one’s superior “is seen as a measure of your commitment to the organization and its mission. While the manager stresses group achievement, he is concurrently afforded great respect. Decision making in large Japanese corporations usually begins with mid-level managers and follows a bottom-up procedure.

Mexico: Mexican executives have great respect for authority. Their upbringing has inculcated in them an acceptance of absolute authority on the part of parents and, at times, elders. As a result, young executives never question or even comment on a decision of their superiors, even if they totally disagree with it. The Mexican culture has a tendency to accept large power distances. That is, in general, Mexicans believe that everyone has their place in an order of inequality. Bosses and subordinates each view the other as different types of people. Subordinates believe that their bosses are and should be inaccessible and that bosses have certain privileges by innate right.

Germany: Managers in Germany are expected to be technically capable in their respective areas and to show strong, clear leadership. Although disagreement with a superior will rarely be seen in public this does not mean that Germans are 'Yes' men. Subordinates tend to respect the technical abilities of their superiors and this will impact on their willingness to implement instructions. Decision making is held at the top of the company. Final decisions are translated into rigorous, comprehensive action steps that you can expect will be carried out to the letter.

Russia: Russian companies tend to be driven by one strong central figure who will make strategic decisions with little or no consultation with anyone other than a handful of close trusted advisors. The team leader is expected to play a main role and to give precise detailed instructions to staff.