"International Cultural Prospective

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• "International Cultural Prospective
• Logistical Cross Cultural barriers and insights
  into relocations to and from Brazil

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Role of the Panelists

• Carol Ann Loo, SPHR,
• VP HR, Lloyds TSB Bank
• Peter Helgeson, RIM, GMS, C-TPAT Certified,
• VP/ GM, Atlas International.
• Lynne James, CRP, GMS, AIS, WRS,
• VP, Director of Relocation, Harry Norman,
  Realtors

• The 3 Stages of Adjustment
• Logistical Solutions
• Cultural Solutions

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3 Stages of Adjustment

• Stimulation the first stage of relocation is
  commonly full of hope and excitement.

• Culture shock is kept at bay due to a positive
  outlook mixed with an enthusiasm for the
  relocation.
• Interaction with the host culture is primarily
  passive.

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3 Stages of Adjustment

• Culture Shock at this stage of the relocation
  people start to interact with the host culture
  actively, either through work or in day to day
  situations.
• The differences in behavior combined with the
  stress of adapting to a new daily routine leads
  to a dislike and criticism of the host culture..

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3 Stages of Adjustment

• Symptoms of culture shock start to appear
• homesickness,
• boredom,
• lethargy,
• irritability
• hostility to the host culture

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3 Stages of Adjustment

• Adjustment after the initial settling-in
  period, an understanding and empathy with the
  host culture starts to develop.
• People feel more comfortable with their routines
  and surroundings.
• A working knowledge of the language begins to be
  used actively

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3 Stages of Adjustment

• Enthusiasm the relocation is now a distant
  memory and the host country becomes home.
• The effects of culture shock lessen as a genuine
  enjoyment of the new location develops.
• Elements of the host cultures behaviors and
  mentality are adopted.
• Rather than criticize, certain areas of the host
  culture are preferred to the native culture.

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3 Stages of Adjustment

• Lessons learned - Prior to relocation
• It is important for individuals, couples and
  families to learn as much about the new host
  country as possible.
• Focus on how aspects of personal or family life
  are different in new setting.
• Simplifying move as well as destination services
  work to anchor the employee and family sooner to
  new environment
• Good preparation can go a long way in readying
  for and dealing with culture shock.

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• Relocating Personal Effects
• to Brazil from the USA

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Brazil

• Land, Climate, History
• Lifestyle
• Society

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Moving Personal Effects to Brazil

• How to Prepare
• Requirements
• Restrictions

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Who is responsible for what?

• Origin agent
• Transferee
• Forwarder
• Destination agent

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Origin Agent Responsibilities

• Pre-move survey
• Obtain rate quote
• Register shipment

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Transferee Responsibilities
Obtain and complete documents

• Passport and visas
• Work permits
• Residence permits
• Consular legalization

• Valued inventory
• Customs forms required by country
• Original auto title or lien holder authorization

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Forwarder Responsibilities

• Provide rate quote
• Coordinate logistics of the move

Book steamship or airline transportation Dispatch
shipment Communicate with agents and
providers Monitor each phase of the move Provide
customer service
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Forwarder Responsibilities

• Generate transportation documentation

Ocean or air bill Export declaration form Dock
receipt Inland bill of lading
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Forwarder Responsibilities

• Arrange protection coverage
• Pay vendor invoices
• Bill transferee or corporate account
• Expedite claims process
• Coordinate import and inter-theater moves

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Destination Agent Responsibilities

• Contact transferee upon receipt of goods
• Arrange customs clearance
• Store goods in transit, if required

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Destination Agent Responsibilities

• Provide required delivery documentation
• Unpack remove debris
• Assist in claims process

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Upon arriving in Brazil

• Who should they contact?
• What should they expect?
• When should they expect it?
• How to deal with damaged or missing items?

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Brazil Overview
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Brazil Overview

• Its official name is Republica Federativa do
  Brasil or The Federative Republic of Brazil
• Largest country in South America shares common
  boundaries with every S.A. country except Chile
  and Ecuador - Slightly smaller in area than U.S.
• 180 million people
• 28.6 years median age
• Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
• GDP 1.655 trillion (2006 est.)
• Currency Real (R) 1 BRL 0.513743 US

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Doing Business in Brazil

• Question
• You are pleased to be in Rio, on your first
  business trip there. Just to show your
  enthusiasm, you wear a special tie you bought for
  the occasion, that is green and yellow, the
  national colors. However, when you greet your
  colleagues, they seem less enthusiastic, and
  actually laugh at your new tie. How could your
  intent be so misunderstood?

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Doing Business in Brazil

• Answer
• Wearing clothes that are clearly identified as
  the colors of the Brazilian flag are seen less as
  a celebration of the country, and more as a way
  of making fun of Brazilian nationalism. About the
  only time this works is during big, special
  celebrations, like carnivale or at futbol
  (soccer) games

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Doing Business in Brazil

• Question
• You run into an old friend in Rio, having been
  there several times, and he is very pleased to
  see you. He runs up to you, gives you a grand
  abraco, laughs heartily at seeing you, and
  pinches your tummy. My, youve gained a little
  weight, my friend, he comments, as he embraces
  you again. You are not exactly pleased to be
  greeted this way in public, and you are certainly
  not sure if his remarks about your weight were
  really meant as the compliment he seems to want
  you to believe

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Doing Business in Brazil

• Answer
• He is greeting you in typical Brazilian style
  very personally, physically as well as with his
  comments. Taking note of someones physical
  attributes is a way of personalizing a
  relationship, and is typically not intended as an
  insult in any way

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Globalization Trends

• 60 of all cross-border joint ventures fail
• 30 of all expatriates return from assignment
  abroad prematurely
• 48 of all repatriates leave their company within
  two years of returning home.

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Culture

• Culture is the accepted values, customers,
  attitudes and behaviors of a group of people. It
  is the sum total and the organization or
  arrangement of all the groups way of thinking,
  feeling and acting. It is our culture that
  enables us to get through the day because we and
  the other people we encounter attach somewhat the
  same meaning to the same things.
• Ina C. Brown
• Man and Culture

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Culture Is An Iceberg
10 Visible Music Art Food Drink Greeting
Protocol Dress Rituals
90 Invisible Dimensions of Culture Individualism
/Collectivism Hierarchy/Equality Control/Harmony
of the Environment Identity Face Communication C
ompetition/Cooperation
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Culture

• We dont see things as they are . . . we see
  things as we are.
• Anais Nin
• If the mind is the hardware . . . Then culture
  is the software.
• Geert Hofstede

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Factors Influencing your Individual Cultural
Profile

• Family
• Religion
• Education
• Profession
• Social Class
• Gender
• Race

• Generation
• Region
• Age
• Travel Experience
• Nationality

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Cultural Awareness

• Be aware that people from other cultures think
  and behave differently. Variations occur in
• Personal space (conversational distance,
  attitudes about body contact)
• Physical Stance and Gestures (pointing,
  beckoning, nodding, head shaking, hand shaking or
  other hand gestures, body posture and
  orientation)
• Voice Levels
• Eye Contact
• Use of Personal vs. Family Name
• Clothing
• Standards of Appearance
• Willingness to ask or answer personal questions
• Take an interest in foreign countries and
  cultures
• Do Not use U.S. culture as the benchmark from
  which to compare others
• Be patient, open, flexible and tolerant
• Be cognizant of hierarchal differences between
  cultures

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Communication

• Speak more slowly rephrase what you say to make
  sure you are understood
• Present major ideas in more than one way
• Use plain English and the most common words
• Use simple sentence structures and avoid
  superfluous words
• Avoid slang, unusual words or colloquialisms
• Avoid word pictures or sports images
• Enunciate clearly
• Define all acronyms
• Do not speak louder than normal because it can be
  perceived as talking down
• Avoid local sayings
• If using an interpreter, speak to the employee or
  family member, not the interpreter

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Words are Words are Words

• Bill
• Beak charge
• Bore
• Hole/to drill uninteresting
• Bow
• Boat front curtsy
• Leaves
• Departs foliage
• Lie
• Speak untruth rest horizontally
• Pet
• To stroke family animal
• Prune
• To cut off branches dried plum

• Pry
• To snoop to loosen with a lever
• Sock
• Stocking punch(slang)
• Spoke
• Past tense of speak insert bars into a wheel
• Yard
• Three feet backyard
• Yen
• Yearning Japanese money

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Words are Words OR are They

• Root Route
• Tax Tacks
• Slay Sleigh
• Some Sum
• Kneed Need- Knead
• Or Oar Ore
• Vial Vile
• Cellar Seller
• Censor Sensor
• Medal Meddle
• Groan Grown
• Whole Hole
• Fare Fair
• Knew - New
• Serial Cereal
• Disgust Discussed
• Err Air - Heir

• Genes Jeans
• Muscles Mussels
• Owe Oh
• Peak Peek - Pique
• Tees Teas Tease
• Doe Dough
• Fryer Friar
• Week Weak
• Formerly Formally
• Brake Break
• Knows Nose
• Board Bored
• Sun Son
• Waste Waist
• Sale - Sail

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Challenges

• Language Translators vs. Interpreters
• Understanding value and appreciation
• Signing Agreements
• Counter offers
• Verbal vs. written
• Follow-up

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Negotiations, The American Way

• Direct and Open Communication
• Impatient
• Alone vs. In Teams
• Short-term vs. Long-term
• Limited experience with other cultures
• Content vs. Relationships
• Legalistic

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Knowledge is Key to Success

• Familiarize yourself with the culture
• Understand the clients programs (limits, etc.)
• Get to know the employee/family before they
  arrive (when possible)
• Personal anxieties
• Family size
• Pets
• Interests
• Special needs

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Inform Educate

• Pre-move counseling home country
• Clarification of expectations
• Ask about concerns and fears
• Common issues
• Credit history
• Differentials in Educational system
• Language barriers
• Cultural training
• Housing
• Loneliness
• Pre-departure checklist

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Settling-In Services

• Housing - Rent vs. Buy
• Types (apartment, condo, single family)
• Financing
• Area orientations Education schools
• Logistics Assistance
• Obtaining crucial documentation (SSI card,
  drivers license)
• Establish banking and credit relationships
• Utility connections

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Settling-In Services

• Furniture/appliance
• Rent/purchase
• Shopping, local restaurants specialized stores
• Medical
• Introduction to local chambers, social groups and
  associations
• Etc., etc., etc. . .

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Value of Service

• Most clients are willing to pay a fair price for
  quality service.
• Deliver what you promise
• Take time to do your pre-work
• Understand the clients expectations
• Understand the employee/family needs
• Understand the culture
• Show the employee and family knowledge, concern
  respect

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Resources

• Books
• Morrison, et al., Kiss, Bow and Shake Hands
• Parker, Dos and Taboos Around the World
• Acuff, Negotiate Anything with Anyone Anywhere
  Around the World
• Lee, Opening Doors, Selling to Multicultural Real
  Estate Clients

• Websites
• Burns.dcb.du.edu
• Executiveplanet.com
• Embassyworld.com
• Travlang.com
• Americanexpress.com
• Travel.state.gov
• Cia.gov

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