ever heard of the Hawaiian good luck sign?
we Americans don't kiss or hold hands. unless romantic
some american's want you to "look me in the eyes when I am talking to you"
when you are in trouble your parents do this?
This reminds me of a book I had to read for political science by cognitive linguist and professor of linguistics, Dr. George Lakoff. The title was Don't Think of an Elephant! Know Your Values and Frame the Debate.
We didn't talk about internal and external locus of control in class because we were concerned with the words that people use and the values associated with them. It is true we found that there are
http://chalk.richmond.edu/langtech/sdlap/figuringforeignersout.pdf
In sociology class we learned that the same phrase How are you doing in buddhist cultures has a more literal meaning and that inquisitors are actually interested in how you feel and expect an honest answer. In America, it usually means "hi"
what do I know about Persian culture? There are at least 3 countries that speak Persian: Iran is only one, but...
"Indirect Communication – Iranians tend to have a very indirect communication style and rely
heavily on nonverbal cues and figurative forms of speech. This is a means of saving face
when communicating and maintaining individual honour. This aspect of Iranian culture has
to be carefully considered when doing business, because a direct refusal, for example, can be
interpreted as rude and impolite.
Hospitality – As in many other Middle Eastern countries, hospitality is a key value in Iranian
culture. Showing generosity and displaying welcoming behaviour is used as a way to
measure a person’s reputation and character. It is essential to accept hospitality always when
offered. Otherwise, it can be interpreted as a severe loss of honour for the person you are
doing business with.
Working practices in Iran
• The working week in Iran begins on Saturday and ends on Thursday. Friday is a
Muslim holy day for Iranians which should be respected when scheduling
meetings. Working hours tend to be from 9am to 5pm. Be aware of Muslim
holidays like Ramadan and schedule business meetings around them.
• Iranians have a flexible attitude towards time. Therefore, foreigners should not
expect meetings to always start and end on time; even though Iranians will expect
punctuality from them. Being patient and including some extra time in your
schedule can help business relationships.
• Muslims will pray five times a day. This routine may interrupt business schedules
so consider this when making business appointments with your Iranian colleagues.
o Structure and hierarchy in Iranian companies
• In Iran most companies have a top down hierarchy. Decisions are made by
directors and initiative and input from employees is not always welcomed.
• When addressing an Iranian colleague or client you have just met, it is crucial that
you use the correct title and are formal. The appropriate title for men is “agha”
followed by the last name while women should be addressed with “khanoom” and
the last name. Once the relationship becomes less formal, your Iranian counterpart
will probably call you by your first name.
o Working relationships in Iran
• Personal relationships are very important in Iranian business culture. It is common
to build a close personal relationship before starting to do business.
• Nowadays, an increasing number of women are working at all levels of business in
Iran. Nevertheless, there is still a very traditional understanding of gender roles in
Iran which should be considered when doing business as a woman.
Iranian Business Part 2 - Doing Business in Iran
o Business practices in Iran
• Greetings in Iran are usually initiated with a handshake between men. If a woman
is present, wait until she initiates a handshake. “Salaam 'Alaykum” (peace be upon
you) and the response “Alaykum As-Salaam” (and upon you be peace), or the short
form “Salaam” are common greetings in Iran."
taken from:
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