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Business is an ever changing field due to how Global it is. International business deals are made every day and traveling abroad for business reasons is a typical activity. However, there is one thing to keep in mind every country has a different manner of conducting business meetings. Fortunately, business people around the world are becoming more open to different cultures and thus more understanding to cultural mistakes.
It is interesting to think about what will become of international business etiquette as business and the economy are becoming more and more global. Etiquette is dependent on a country's culture and customs and therefore they evolve together. In the past few years cultures of most countries have evolved to include cultural aspects from other countries. As business is becoming more internationalized and business men and women are traveling from one side of the world to the other, they are learning more about different cultures and are bringing this knowledge back home.
Etiquette now is as important as it was in the past and it will always be. However, it is becoming more about how you make others feel. You want to make sure your colleagues feel at ease working with you because the ultimate goal is to make connections and represent your company well. Everyone makes mistakes and when you are in a country where there are different ways of bowing, each of which has a different meaning, it is easy to get confused. However, showing respect and a desire to learn can take you a long way.
We live in a global community that is changing constantly. Ideally, in the future there will be one appropriate way to address colleagues from different countries when doing business. However, this is highly unlikely. People are proud of their cultures and want to preserve it. Therefore, it is important to learn to respect their culture and try to understand it as much as possible. Being open to new ideas is crucial in business. Also, keep in mind that just as you can make a cultural mistake, so can others in regards to your culture. Business etiquette will probably not change much over the next couple years. However, what is changing is the way people view their foreign colleagues with more acceptance and understanding of different cultures. It is a learning process.
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