In Swiss culture, propriety is considered more important than gifts. Don’t use black or purple paper or yellow, white and red flowers, which symbolise death.Įuropean cultures, such as UK, USA, Australia and Canada, don’t require much protocol except the usual avoiding of those colours and items associated with funerals and romance. Wrapping is very important as it is a subtle indication of the value of the friendship. Since Latin countries treat business relationships as personal, it is best to find out a bit about the person’s lifestyle, likes and dislike.Īnd then select an insightful gift, which then becomes a reflection of how important the person is to you. In Latin cultures, gifts are a fabulous medium for building strong and lasting friendships and making a good first impression. Green is a good colour in Islam and a good gift also could be a classy compass that could be used to find the direction of Mecca for prayers. If you’re gifting perfumes, be careful that they aren’t alcohol based. In the Middle East, it is best to avoid giving items with alcohol, clothes and food items. Also items indigenous to your country and novelty products are a nice idea. For the Japanese food and liquor are best. There are two main “gift-giving seasons” for the Japanese- mid summer and the end of the year. Remember to downplay the importance of the gift, this conveys that the relationship is far more important. The Japanese will also politely refuse the gift once or twice but then accept it, with both hands. Exchange of gifts is expected to continue throughout the course of business, but be mindful of your budget. Gift wrapping is important but the gift itself can be modest. ![]() There is an expectation of offering a gift at the first meeting and it is a custom to reciprocate with a gift that is of half the value. ![]() ![]() The Japanese consider gift giving an art form, with the message of friendship, respect and gratitude. In Japan, on the other hand, a gift is expected the first time you meet. Once your gift is finally accepted, say that you are pleased. This custom prevents the recipient from looking too greedy. It’s a Chinese custom to decline a gift three times before finally accepting it.(you are expected to do the same when you receive a gift). The Chinese perceive gifts as bribery, so if you still want to give them those lovely little handicrafts you’ve brought along, make it a point to say the gift is on behalf of the company, to the company. Some countries perceive gifts as a form of bribery, whereas other others think it an essential social lubricant. It is always best to be cognisant of laws, policies and religious customs, when it comes to gift-giving. The worst part is that the answer varies from place to place, person to person and even time to time. The question then is: what do you give if you want all to go well? In both situations, it’s normally polite to give a gift. Etiquette and protocol come into lay and a wrong gift can create a bad impression and tarnish a relationship forever.Īs a CEO in today’s globalised world, it’s understood that you will receive international guests at home and you will also be hosted abroad. ![]() And when it’s meant for someone from a different culture, the choice of the gift, how you present it, and when you give it, can be tricky issues. Gifts here are a symbolic way to show your appreciation, thank someone or further business relations. In business too, the reasons for gifting are many. At a personal level, we give gifts for a multitude of reasons - to express gratitude, as a sign of friendship, birthdays, anniversaries. Your choice is a reflection of your nature, taste, style and you don’t want to go wrong on any of these counts. Choosing a gift, as anyone who has agonised for days over it would know, is never easy.
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