Business Etiquette in Australia: Part 3

Business Etiquette in Australia: Part 3

What to Wear:

Australian business dress in conservative in places like Melbourne, and Sydney.
Men should:

• Wear a dark colored business suit

Women should:

• Wear a smart dress or a business suit

In some places-like Brisbane-depending on the job type men can wear shirts, ties, and Bermuda shorts.

Business Meals:

In Australia table manners are continental. You:

• Hold your fork in your left hand, and your knife in your right hand while eating.
• To indicate you have finished eating laying your fork and knife parallel on the plate with the handles facing to the right.
• Keep your elbows off the table and your hand above the table while eating.
• After a meal in Australia you never say "I'm stuffed", that means you're pregnant!

Australian's will often invite you for a "barbie" (barbecue).

• Guests to a barbecue typically bring wine, or beer for their own consumption. Ocasionally a very informal barbecues suggest you bring your own meal.
• Arrive on time if invited to dinner, no more than fifteen minutes late if invited for a barbecue.
• Conctact the host/hostell ahead of time to see if they would like you to bring anything.
• After the meal is served offer to help clean up.

Relationships:

Australian's place a high value on relationships.
With a relatively small population it's important to get along with each other:

• You never know when your paths may cross again
• This leads to a better negotiating style, because having everyone come away with positive feelings is good for future business dealings.

Australian Culture, Customs, and Etiquette. N.p., n.d. Web.

Australian Business Etiquette: Part 2.

Relationships and Communication.

Australian's are very matter-of-fact when it comes to business, so they do not need long standing personal relationships before they do business with people.

• Australian's are very direct in the way they communication.
• There is often an element of humor in their speech.
• Aussies often use colorful language that would be unthinkable in other countries.

Business Meeting Etiquette.

• Appointments are necessary, and relatively easy to schedule.
• They should be made with as much lead time as possible.
• Punctuatlity is important in business situations; it is better to arrive a few minutes early then to keep someone waiting.
• Meetings are generally relaxed; however, they are serious events.
• If Australian's take exception to something you say, they will tell you so.
• If you make a presentation, you should avoid hype, making exaggerated claims, or bells, and whistles.
• Present your business cards with facts and figures. Emotions and feelings are not important in the Australian business climate.

Negotiationg and Decision Making.

Australians get down to business quickly, with a minimum of small talk.

• They are quite direct and expect the same in return; and they do not appreciate to much detail.
• Negotiations proceed quickly. Bargaining is not customary.
• They DO NOT like high-pressure techniques.
• Decision making is concentrated at the top of the country, although decisions are made after consolation with subordints.which can make decision making slow, and protracted.

Australia is one of the most informal countries in the world! Australian Business Etiquette prefers a healthy dose of common sense over anything else!!!

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/australia.html

Business Etiqette in Australia

Australian Society and Culture.
Australians are very friendly, down-to-earth people, who are always mindful not to give the impression that they think they're better then anyone else.

• They value authenticity and sincerity, and they loathe pretentiousness.
• Australians prefer people who are: modest, humble, self-deprecating, and have a sense of humor.
• They do not draw attention to their academic skills, or other achievements, and they tend to distrust people who do.
• Often they downplay their own success which tends to make them appear not to be achievement-oriented.

Greetings.
Australians are not very formal so meetings tend to be casual and relaxed. A typical Australian greeting should be:

• A handshake and smile
• Australians may tend to say "G'day" or "G'day Mate" but this may sound patronizing from a foreigner, you should simply say "Hello" or "Hello, how are you?"
• Aussies prefer to use first names, even at the official meeting.

Gift Giving.

• Small gifts are commonly exchanged with family members, close friends, and neighbors on birthdays, and Christmas.
• Trades people, such as sanitation workers, may be given a small amount of cash or more likely a bottle of wine or a six-pack of beer.
• If invited to someones house for dinner it is polite to bring a box of chocolates or flowers to the hostess. And a good quality bottle of wine is always appreciated.
• Gifts are opened when they are received.