Briefly describe the different types of business customs.
Business customs can be grouped into cultural imperatives, cultural electives, and cultural exclusives.
• Cultural imperatives are the business customs and expectations that must be met and conformed to or avoided if relationships are to be successful. A complicating factor in cultural awareness is that what may be an imperative to avoid in one culture is an imperative to do in another.
• Cultural electives relate to areas of behavior or to customs that cultural aliens may wish to conform to or participate in but that are not required. In other words, following the custom in question is not particularly important but is permissible. The majority of customs fit into this category. A cultural elective in one county may be an imperative in another. Cultural electives are the most visibly different customs and thus more obvious. Often, it is compliance with the less obvious imperatives and exclusives that is more critical.
• Cultural exclusives are those customs or behavior patterns reserved exclusively for the locals and from which the foreigner is barred. Foreign managers need to be perceptive enough to know when they are dealing with an imperative, an elective, or an exclusive and have the adaptability to respond to each. There are not many imperatives or exclusives, but most offensive behaviors result from not recognizing them.
Examples
Domestic examples:
a. Cultural imperatives: It is imperative that one pay income tax, license one's car, or wear a coat and tie to a fine restaurant, not belch in public, etc.
b. Cultural electives: One may or may not attend church, one may eat local foods, but doesn't have to.
c. Cultural exclusives: An African wouldn't join the KKK. A foreigner couldn't sell firearms for the purpose of overthrowing the government.
Foreign examples:
a. Cultural imperatives: Not wearing shorts in Mazatlan, Mexico; not doing business on Saturday in Israel.
b. Cultural electives: An American businessperson in Mexico may or may not drink tequila or eat burritos.
c. Cultural exclusives: It would be inappropriate for an American to go to Vietnam and act like a Moslem.
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