Doing Business with Brazil by Carmin Wills

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Brazil's flag

As everyone knows, our world is changing and the chance of doing business with another country, or at least someone from another country is increasing. With Brazil's population at over 202 million people, chances are we, in our lifetime, are going to come in contact with the  Brazilian people in  the  business  setting.

Map of Brazil

                                             https://www.cia.gov/library/geos/br.html

We are going to have to know how to communicate with them, and do it in a way as to not offend them. What are some of the things we need to know to effectively communicate with these people?
During my research of this country I have found some interesting information that I hope will help. Geert Hofstede, is the founder of intercultural research. The findings of his research are used around the world in both psychology and management studies.

   

                                               http://geert-hofstede.com/brazil.html


Geert Hofstede, has done extended studies on how values in the workplace are influenced by their culture. On this chart you will see six areas that Hofsted has studied. The one I will be explaining is the masculinity section.    

                                           http://www.muscleplans.com/bodybuilding

                                        No not this kind of masculinity!!

 Masculinity is how people deal with issues such as, the importance of gender roles in business and the public in general.
On this chart Brazil rates a moderate 49, this means they are a society that is very competitive and cares about achievement and success, but is also a society that cares about others and their well- being.


Gender roles and discrimination do exist in Brazil.  Until the 1960, women were not even treated as adults, meaning until then they could not leave the country or even open a bank account without permission from their fathers or husbands .People now believe that women have the right to work outside their homes. Today, men and women both believe in equality for both genders.

                                       http://brazilcultureproject.weebly.com/gender-roles.html
As you can see from this chart, people believe that men have a slight edge over women on who has a better life. That is because things are changing rapidly in Brazil. Men and women both believe that gender equality is important. In fact, 84% of the people in Brazil believe that the man and woman in a marriage should both work and take the responsibility of taking care of the children.


                                          

                                            http://transfer-lbc.com/brazilian.html

Now that we know a little about what drives these people and the gender differences, what else are we going to have to know to be able to get along with these people, and more importantly what do we need to know so we do not offend them?

Women in Brazil always dress nicely. Appearance to them is a sign of success.  Whether women are successful or not they dress the part.  Men's attire for work is always business suits, they prefer dark colored suits and they must be crisply ironed. In a corporate setting a three piece suit is normal and in an office setting a two piece suit is fine. Remember if you are dressed nicely in Brazil, they see it as a sign that you deserve to be respected.

 One word of caution though, the Brazilian flag is green and yellow so never wear a combination of these colors.

Now that we know how to dress in a business setting there are a few other things that we need to be aware of. Be prepared for your personal space to be invaded, these people like to get close. They stand very close and use physical contact during conversation. In Brazil closeness inspires trust and trust inspires long term relationships. Take time to shake hands with everyone, it is considered rude not to do so. It is also important to know who the boss is and shake hands with them first. Christa Danisewicz a Marketing Manager for On Call International says:

                                                   http://www.oncallinternational.com-brazi/
                 A man greeting another man shakes hands firmly often for a
                long time and holds strong steady eye contact while shaking                                                                  hands .
                For a man greeting a woman it is a common practice to exchange
                kisses on the cheek if  you  would rather shake hands, then                                                                     extend your hand first.
                A woman greeting another woman they exchange kisses on the                                                              cheek left cheek first.


There are also some nonverbal communications that we need to be aware of, these people love to talk and usually talk loudly. While people are talking it is not uncommon for others to interrupt. It is also not uncommon for many people to be talking at the same time, this is not rude in Brazil, it is a way of showing interest in the subject. Eye contact is also very important when someone is talking directly to you. Brazilians are dramatic talkers; they use all parts of their body when communicating because they get excited and are passionate when they speak. It is not uncommon to see them flailing their arms or even hopping up and down.

 Another word of caution, never make this hand gesture while in Brazil.

This is very offensive to this culture.

The thumbs up sign is acceptable.

So when traveling to Brazil, have fun enjoy this beautiful Country. Keep in mind some of the do's and don'ts. For Business, Dress for success and they will have more respect for you.