Enterprise 101
Anyone doing business in China will need to understand the importance of “Guanxi” and “Face.” While business people notice the differences between generations in China, understanding the deep-rooted cultural values and the way they influence business practice is still key to working in China. RHT Education offers, through its China Ready program, a range of short courses designed to ensure that you are the best prepared for your China engagement as possible.
Our instructors are business study qualified and include both Chinese and non-Chinese who have many years’ experience in empowering new visitors to China with the requisite skills to negotiate the intricacies of Chinese business.
The China Ready program is delivered in two ways:
These courses include a wide variety of essential knowledge, including:
Following are a couple of Chinese proverbs as food for thought:
“Know where the water comes from” typifies the Chinese focus on relationship-building and sustainability.
“The first bird that peeps its head out gets shot” accurately demonstrates that individual initiative is discouraged while indirectly promoting group conformity.
And here are some tips to whet your appetite:
○ Always arrive on time or early if you are the guest
○ Do not discuss business at meals
○ Do not start to eat or drink prior to the host, he will toast the table first
○ As a cultural courtesy, you should taste all the dishes you are offered
○ Sample meals only, there may be many courses
○ Do not eat all of your meal as the Chinese will assume you did not receive enough food and are still hungry
○ Women do not have to drink alcohol at meals although a sip or two is deemed polite
○ Tipping is not done, however, the practice is becoming more common in international hotels
○ Bowing before a speech or nodding is the common greeting; however, you may be offered a handshake
○ Applause is common when greeting a crowd; the same is expected in return
○ Introductions are formal so use formal titles unless invited to do otherwise
○ Often times Chinese will use a nickname or have an ‘English name’ to assist Westerners
○ Being on time is vital in China
○ Appointments are a must for business
○ Contacts should be made prior to your trip
○ Bring several copies of all written documents for your meetings and files on a USB drive
○ Decision making processes are slow, so do not expect to conclude your business swiftly
○ Present and receive business cards using both hands
○ The most important member of your group should lead meetings as Chinese value rank and status
○ Develop a working knowledge of Chinese culture
○ Allow the Chinese to leave a meeting first.
Please contact our professional staff for further information and details of how to take advantage of our Enterprise 101 courses.