Добавил:
ivanov666
Опубликованный материал нарушает ваши авторские права? Сообщите нам.
Вуз:
Предмет:
Файл:Culture of Business English. Учебно-методическое пособие для студентов направлений подготовки 100400.62 Туризм, 080400.62 Управление персоналом, 08050
.pdf
Generally, Germans prefer third-party introductions. Small talk
is an elusive and difficult skill for most Germans.
The German culture is considered to be a «middle hierarchical» culture. Corporate rank demands a degree of privilege and respect from subordinates.
Firm, brief handshakes at the time of arrival and departure are
standard in both business and social relationships. Hugging and
kissing are common only among good friends.
Eye contact during introductions is serious, direct, and should
be maintained as long as the person is addressing you. It would be
wrong, however, to assume that all stares in public are meant to be
threatening. Nonetheless, do not expect direct eye contact to necessitate some greeting or acknowledgement; the German will likewise
not expect anything from you. What is essentially a typical example
of intercultural miscommunication/ misunderstanding can suddenly
be misread in an unfortunate, racial context.
Before crossing the street pedestrians are expected to wait
patiently on the curb until the light turns green. Moreover, on streets
where there are no traffic lights be very careful when crossing since
German drivers will not always stop for you.
Germans can be extremely impatient and aggressive drivers.
Be prepared for much more «chasing» and maneuvering, which can
make autobahn driving much more stressful.
Although this is usually a very formal, law-obeying society,
pushing, shoving, and other displays of impatience in queues are not
uncommon. Apologies are in such cases not necessarily the rule.
Interestingly, despite the high value of rules and social order in most
aspects of public life, waiting your turn are not strong traits in present
day of Germany. The bakery is a good showplace for this kind of behaviour. Sales personnel themselves do not expect lines and will
tend to aggravate the problem by typically asking «Wer is jetzt
dran?» («Whose turn is it now?»). If you do not move fast and stick
to your guns, expect someone brazenly to butt in right in front of you.
Petty arguments are not uncommon at such venues, and don't expect the sales person to speak up for you!
Germany: Appointment Alert [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа:
http://ww.executiveplanet.com/index.php?title=Germany:_Appointment_Alert%21
**********************************
31
Ex. 8 Write an appropriate answer for each question:
1. Are you expected to wait patiently on the curb until the light
turns green?
A. _______________________
2. What introductions do Germans prefer?
3. Is the German culture considered to be a «middle hierarchical» culture or not?
4. Germans can be extremely
impatient and aggressive drivers,
can’t they?
5. Firm, brief handshakes at the
time of arrival and departure are
not standard in both business and
social relationships, are they?
B. _______________________
C. _______________________
D. _______________________
E. _______________________
Ex. 9 Write an appropriate question for each answer:
1. _______________________ A. Germans do not expect to be
greeted by strangers.
2. _______________________ B. Eye contact during introductions is serious, direct, and should
be maintained as long as the person is addressing you.
3. _______________________ C. Germans can be extremely
impatient and aggressive drivers.
4. _______________________ D. Firm, brief handshakes at the
time of arrival and departure are
standard in both business and social relationships.
5. _______________________ E. Germans prefer third-party introductions.
32
Ex. 10 Choose the adjectives you would use to describe the
Germans:
Punctual, intelligent, blunt, unreasonable, cunning, direct,
concealed, straightforward, flexible, hesitant, reserved, tough, wellinformed, schedule-oriented, hypocritical, frank, open, outspoken,
trusting, dignified, cautious, rational, serious, polite, tactful, uncivil,
light-minded.
Ex. 11 You are from Germany. Your partner is from France.
You don’t know each other. Make friends. Exchange business
cards. Make an appointment on the 3
strate respect and conservatism and show it through your own dialogue.
Ex. 12 Speak and рrove that punctuality is inherent to Ger-
many. Keep a 3 minutes’ talk.
d
of May, at 10 a.m. Demon-
33
UNIT V
I T A L Y
Facts about Germany:
* Rome is the Capital and the largest city;
* The official language is Italian;
* The area is about 301,338 km2;
* The population is about 59,685,227;
* The Government is Unitary parliamentary
constitutional republiс;
Questions for discussion:
1. What does this «beautiful figure»
mean? Do YOU have a beautiful figure?
2. Where will YOUR initial meeting be
conducted if YOU are a businessman?
3. What is the goal for the initial
meeting?
4. Do YOU know something in Italian?
Making appointments
* The president is Giorgio Napolitano.
Part 1
Given the choice, Italians would prefer to do business with
even a superficial acquaintance rather than a complete stranger.
Since familiarity is so important in Italian business culture ensure that
you find a well-connected contact that can establish the right introductions on your behalf.
34
In Italian business culture
punctuality is not of high priority.
As a visitor, however, it's usually
a good policy to arrive on time.
Be prepared to wait 15–45 minutes before your Italian counterpart appears or lets you into his
or her office. Consequently, you
may want to bring work, a book or
another diversion to fill the time while you wait.
Northern business hours for small businesses, shops and public
offices are usually from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 3:30 p.m.
to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Also, a lot of businesses are open
on Saturday. Larger companies usually work from 8.30/9.00 until
6.00/6.30 with an hour or so for lunch. This lunch break will be significantly longer when eating out at a restaurant with guests.
In central and southern Italy business hours are from
8:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. then 4:30 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
or 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Saturday. The southern business pace is usually less intense.
In many cities, such as Rome, there is a long break lasting
as long as two hours from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Business is often
discussed during this break over lunch.
Generally, the best times to plan appointments are between
10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., and after 3:00 p.m.
Be aware of summer vacation periods. Most firms are closed
in August. If you write for an appointment in mid-July, you may not
receive a satisfactory reply until September.
Many Italian public holidays follow those of contiental Europe
but are usually different from the U.S., U.K. and Canada. It is worth
checking while planning a trip that a public holiday does not fall in the
middle of it as the company and whole region may close down that
day.
Italy: Appointment Alert [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа:
http://ww.executiveplanet.com/index.php?title=Italy:_Appointment_Alert%21
**********************************
35
Ex. 1 Study A and find the pronunciation of the following
words and proper names in B. Translate the words:
A. superficial, acquaintance, ensure, well-connected, priority,
counterpart, consequently, diversion, aware, satisfactory, reply, less,
larger, significantly, longer, intense, generally, continental, public,
holiday.
B. [‚su:pər’fɪʃəl], [ə’kweɪntəns], [ɪn’ʃʋə], [praɪ’ɔ:rətɪ], [’kaʋntər‚pɑ:t],
[’kɒnsə‚kwentlɪ], [daɪ’vɜ:ʒən], [‚sætɪs’fæktərɪ], [ə’weə], [rɪ’plaɪ],
[sɪg’nɪfəkəntlɪ], [ɪn’tens], [’dʒenərəlɪ], [‚kɒntə’nentəl], [’hɒlə‚deɪ],
[’pʌblɪk].
Ex. 2 Study word-combinations and translate them:
Given the choice, do business with, superficial acquaintance,
well-connected contact, on your behalf, of high priority, be significantly longer, be aware of, summer vacation periods, to plan appointments, is worth checking.
Ex. 3 Study the sentences and translate them:
1. It is worth checking while planning a trip that a public holiday does not fall in the middle of it as the company and whole region
may close down that day.
2. Whether you are worth knowing and doing business with
may be more important than the actual details of your proposal.
3. Given the choice, Italians would prefer to do business with
even a superficial acquaintance rather than a complete stranger.
4. Be prepared to wait 15–45 minutes before your Italian counterpart appears or lets you into his or her office.
5. Many Italian public holidays follow those of continental
Europe but are usually different from the U.S., U.K. and Canada.
Ex. 4 Complete the sentences with the proper prepositions:
1. ... introductions and departures one should shake hands ...
everyone individually in a group.
2. Italian businesspeople will often base their decisions... what
has worked ... others in similar situations.
3. Two situations are directly related ... each other.
36
4. An idea does not correspond ... an individual's subjective
experience or opinion.
5. Italians are very tolerant ... people who take advantage
of the lack of strict queuing to get served first.
Ex. 5 Complete the sentences with a word or a phrase:
1. Since familiarity is so important in Italian business culture,
you should find a well-connected contact that can ... .
2. In Italian business culture punctuality is not ... .
3. The best times to plan appointments are between ... .
4. Most firms are closed in ... .
5. Many Italian public holidays follow those of... .
Ex. 6 Put the verb in brackets into the correct form for each
blank:
1. Business culture punctuality … of high priority (not to be).
2. A lot of businesses … open on Saturday (to be).
3. Larger companies usually … from 8:30/9:00 until 6:00/6:30
with an hour or so for lunch (to work).
4. Business … often … during this break over lunch (to discuss –
passive).
5. Most firms … closed in August (to be).
Ex. 7 Choose 3–4 verbs in the passive voice and transfer them
into sentences of your own in the active one according to the pattern:
Ex.: consider – to be considered – They consider you to be
punctual.
Public Behavior
Part 2
Generally, the Italians prefer third-party introductions whenever
possible.
You will always be introduced to older people and women first
and it is best to follow this protocol when introducing yourself.
37
Upon introductions and departures shake hands with everyone
individually in a group. It is polite while doing this to say «buon
giorno» (in the morning) and «buo-na sera» (in the late afternoon
and evening).
Frequent warm and vigorous handshakes can be common for
both business and social occasions.
Italians will not hesitate to greet people they know with an embrace.
You'll notice that the Italians are often Very animated and like
to gesture with their hands while talking. In most cases, they gesture
good-naturedly to emphasize a feeling.
While passionate gestures are common among Italians, they
would not expect someone from another culture to do the same.
When you know your Italian colleague well, it would be considered
friendly to return a warm embrace.
Upon your arrival it is considered common courtesy to greet
people in the workplace, stores or restaurants with an appropriate
daily greeting such as «buon giorno» or «buona sera» and «arrivaderci» upon leaving.
You'll also observe people (i.e. men with women, men with
men, and women with women) walking arm in arm or holding hands
in public. This often occurs in the evening, during a customary stroll
known as «passeggiata».
Don't be surprised if your Italian colleagues stand much closer
to you than you are used to or even feel comfortable with. Italian
personal space is smaller than that of northern Europeans and significantly smaller than that of Americans.
Likewise, you may experience some gentle pushing and shoving during line-ups. It is not uncommon to see a person walking right
up to the front of a line at a bank, restaurant or store and get served
first because of the relationship he or she has with the clerk.
Queue-jumping is not the crime in Italy that it is in other countries. Italians are very tolerant of people who take advantage of the
lack of strict queuing to get served first. There is even a certain admiration for someone who beats the system.
38
On public transportation younger people should give up their
seats to older people while men should still give up their seats
to women.
Eye contact remains direct and is the way Italians show
their interest. Be aware that looking away may be perceived as
a sign of boredom or outright rudeness. A romantic interest is usually
implied when the eyes of two strangers meet and linger.
Do not presume to seat yourself at a gathering; whenever
possible, wait for the host to tell you where to sit.
Placing the hand on the stomach signifies dislike usually for
another person.
Rubbing the chin with the fingertips, and then propelling them
forward is a gesture of contempt.
Contorting the fingers and hand to resemble the devil's horns
pointed outward is an obscene gesture. Pointing the fingers inward,
however, is a sign to ward off evil.
Pointing with the index and little finger is a gesture used only
when wishing someone bad luck.
Slapping one's raised arm above the elbow and thumbing the
nose are both considered extremely offensive.
In public behaviors such as gum chewing, leaning, and slouching are unacceptable. Likewise, it is rare to see Italian businesspeople eating as they walk along a street. Eating an ice-cream is the
only perfectly acceptable exception to this.
Italy: Public Behaviour [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа:
http://ww.executi veplanet.c om/index.php?title=Italy:_Public_Behaviour
**********************************
Ex. 8 Write an appropriate answer for each question:
1. Do the Italians prefer thirdparty or two-party introductions?
A. ________________________
2. Is queue-jumping the crime
B. ________________________
in Italy?
39
3. How may looking away be
perceived?
C. ________________________
4. Are slapping raised arm
above the elbow and thumbing
the nose considered friendly?
5. Are gum chewing, leaning,
and slouching acceptable in
public behaviors?
D. ________________________
E. ________________________
Ex. 9 Write an appropriate question for each answer:
1. _______________________ A. Eye contact remains direct
and is the way Italians show
their interest.
2. _______________________ B. Pointing with the index and
little finger is a gesture used only
when wishing someone bad luck.
3. _______________________ C. In public behaviors such as
gum chewing, leaning, and slouching are unacceptable.
4. _______________________ D. Placing the hand on the
stomach signifies dislike usually
for another person.
5. _______________________ E. On public transportation
younger people should give up
their seats to older people while
men should still give up their
seats to women.
Ex. 10 Choose the correct item.
1. Placing the hand on the stomach signifies ..., usually for an-
other person.
a) dislike
b) greeting
c) sympathy
40
Соседние файлы в предмете [НЕСОРТИРОВАННОЕ]