Lessons in cultural difference
It is 9.05 a.m. and a group of Chinese businessmen are outside a hotel conference room in São Paulo, waiting for the Brazilians hosts. The seminar was scheduled to start five minutes ago, but, like many meetings in Brazil, it did not start on time. The Brazilians arrive, complaining loudly about the morning’s traffic and go immediately to breakfast. Cultural differences between the two countries become clear.
In 2009, China replaced the US as Brazil’s biggest trading partner. As a result, Brazilians companies are keen to understand the Chinese better and find the best way to do business together.
For companies already working with China, getting to know the culture is a priority. At Chinbra, São Paulo’s biggest Chinese language school, students, who mainly work in the import business, take evening classes
in Mandarin. About half the lesson is about cultural issues. They ask questions such as “Should I give my business card with two hands?” and “What presents should I give – something Brazilian?”
Some business deals fail because of small things like a misunderstood email. “In addition to language problems, there is also a lack of cultural understanding between the two countries,” says Charles Tang, president of the Brazil-China Chamber of Commerce.
One big issue is timing. For successful deals with the Chinese, it is important to be on time for meetings and to meet deadlines. Another issue is planning. In Brazil, because of high inflation during the 1980s and early 1990s and many failed plans, long-term planning was not a priority. Today, many companies still prefer to plan as they go along and fix problems when they happen. The Chinese are completely different. They like to plan everything in advance and in detail.
Sobre o texto, analise as seguintes informações:
I - A China e, não os Estados Unidos é o maior parceiro comercial do Brasil.
II - Os brasileiros não procuram compreender melhor os chineses para melhorar suas negociações comerciais.
II - Na Chinbra, os alunos passam a maior parte das lições aprendendo mandarim.
IV - Charles Tang acha que o principal motivo das negociações entre brasileiros e chineses darem errado é devido a problemas de comunicação.
V - Para os chineses, ser pontual é muito importante.
VI - Os brasileiros não dão muita importância ao planejamento.
É correto apenas o que se afirma em:
